My phone rang and I hurried to answer it, thinking it would be Soph wondering where I’d got to.

‘Hello,’ I answered.

‘Edie? Are you OK?’

‘Mum?’ I almost dropped the phone in surprise. I couldn’t speak to her when I was this drunk.

‘Did the caller ID not give that away?’

‘I didn’t look, I was, I was …’

I thought of Elizabeth and rage bubbled up inside me. Why her and not me? I didn’t want to worry Mum, so I tried to cover the microphone as I started to sob.

‘Edie, what’s wrong? What’s happened?’ Her voice was becoming more panicked and it just made me cry harder because all I wanted was for her to wrap me up in her arms and stroke my hair, telling me it was going to all be all right.

‘It’s nothing,’ I said, stepping out of the water. I sank down onto the sand.

‘Doesn’t sound like it. Are you drunk? Where are you?’

‘I’ve only had a few.’ I could hear the words coming out slurred. ‘Don’t worry about me, I’m being silly and getting sad over nothing. I’ll call you tomorrow.’

‘Edie.’

‘Mum, I’m fine.’

There was a sharp intake of breath on the other end of the line. ‘You’ll call me back later if you need me? Your dad and I are always here, always. We’re only an hour up the road if you need us. Do you want us to come down? We’re not doing anything tonight.’

I nodded, relief flooded over me before I stopped myself. This summer was supposed to be me taking my first steps into my adult life. I was going to have to learn to deal with things without running to them. I’d be at university soon and they wouldn’t be there to hold my hand each time.

‘No, I’m fine. Really. I’ll speak to you tomorrow.’

‘I’m worried about you. Call me before that if you need me.’

‘I will.’

‘I love you.’

‘I love you too,’ I said, hanging up the phone, my heart aching for how much I needed her.

My phone rang almost instantly again and this time it was Soph. I wiped the tears away and told her I’d meet her at the end of the road, I didn’t want to go back to the campsite. I couldn’t face running into Joel, or seeing Elizabeth with that smug look on her face. I wanted to go into town and I wanted to get so drunk that I didn’t remember it at all.

I woke up the next morning to Soph banging on my door. I pulled a pillow over my head and writhed in pain whilst she came in and sat on my bed.

‘Edie,’ she said softly, ‘Lionel’s here. He needs you to get dressed and go with him.’