‘Yeah, no light pollution here. We got everything we need,’ Justin said. Wade sniggered and she wanted to ask them what they found so funny. Wade was a big guy, dwarfing her small frame. She wouldn’t want to get on the bad side of him. As she walked, pebbles poked through her ballet flats. She probably should have worn different shoes, but to be fair, she didn’t know that she’d be traipsing through a field in the dead of night.

Wren had told her that the three of them were basically inseparable, something she had found since day one. Olivia had pierced the inner circle, but at times, she wished she hadn’t, that she’d stayed outside the bubble. These two made her uncomfortable.

Wren had admitted to her early on that Justin was a bit of a dick, especially to women, especially women he wanted to sleep with. It did not make Olivia feel any better. He had told her that his behavior was because of his home life; His parents, largely absentee, didn’t love him. His mom, who owned the bar that Wren’s dad worked at, was a workaholic. She didn’t seem to care what happened to her son but gave him all the stuff he wanted. They bought his silence.

Wade was another story. Wade’s dad had run out on them when he was little, the second father figure in his life then knocked up his mom and left. So now she had to be a single mom to a teenager and a baby. Wren told her that she was hooked on pills just to get through the day. She was overwhelmed and didn’t have time to parent Wade, so he basically dragged himself up.

They stopped in the middle of the field. Wade still had the drink in his hand and offered it to Olivia again. She still shook her head.

‘I’m driving,’ she said again. They didn’t seem to get the concept.

‘Doesn’t mean you can’t have one,’ Justin said. ‘Loosen up a little.’

It looked like Wren had had a few already, and his breath smelled of beer. She was used to her dad drinking red wine, smelling like a grown-up; but the boys smelled like boys.

‘Leave it, Justin. Olivia doesn’t want a drink.’

‘Maybe there’s something else that she wants,’ Justin said, picking up a tendril of her thick hair and running his hand down it. Then he began massaging her scalp. ‘Feels good, doesn’t it?’

She broke away from him. ‘No, it doesn’t.’

What was happening here?

She looked at the tipsy Wren, who warned, ‘Justin. Leave her alone.’

Olivia was about to walk to the safety and comfort of Wren’s arms when she felt someone put an arm around her chest and one behind her knees. She dropped to the ground with a thud.