‘Fuck, what did I do last night? Did I do something really awful? I can’t remember anything after us getting to the pub.’

I panicked, thinking that I’d gone and smashed up the place enraged about Joel and Elizabeth, but Soph shook her head. It was then that I noticed that she was shaking and I sat up.

‘What is it? What’s happened?’

‘I don’t know exactly, but Lionel said it’s serious and there’s someone here to see you.’

I slid out of bed, my head pounding at every little movement. I shoved a fleece over my pyjamas and slipped on a pair of flip-flops.

Lionel was standing outside on the walkway and he tilted his head when he saw me. I noticed he wouldn’t meet my eyes.

‘What’s wrong? What’s happened?’

‘Edie, someone’s here to see you. One of your parents’ friends.’

My stomach lurched. It could only be bad news.

Lionel led me to the staffroom and when I walked in and I saw Claire, her face confirmed it. It was red and puffy and she looked like she’d been crying.

‘Edie,’ her voice quaked. She reached over and took both of my hands in hers and squeezed them tight. ‘It’s your mum and dad. They were in a car accident. Your dad’s all right, just a bit battered and bruised, but your mum …’ Her lip started to tremble and she was fighting hard to blink back the tears. ‘Your mum …’

She didn’t need to finish the sentence.

My legs fell away from me and Claire did her best to hold me up.

‘I think I’m going to be sick.’

I turned round and vomited on the floor, I couldn’t help it.

‘I’m so sorry, Edie.’

‘How?’ I whispered and she told me but I don’t think I really heard. I later found out they’d been on the motorway driving towards Westerly when they’d been caught in a heavy downpour. The rain had caused flash flooding and they’d aquaplaned, losing control.

My fists formed into balls and my lips started to shake. I knew my life wasn’t going to be the same. All I wanted to do was be with my dad.

What happened next was a bit of a blur. Soph was there at different points. Lionel cleaned up the floor, which if it was at any other time I’d have marvelled at because I’d never seen him get his hands dirty. Douglas held me whilst Soph packed my things, but Joel was nowhere to be seen. Not that I wanted to see him. If I hadn’t gone to his room or got that drunk, then Claire wouldn’t be here telling me about my parents’ accident. I knew I couldn’t entirely blame him, that the fault lay with me for drinking too much and spiralling out of control.