I’d never really understood holding hands. Sometimes Scott had slipped his arm around me, and I sort of liked the feeling of protection that it gave me, but we rarely held hands. He had such long spindly fingers that it always felt awkward when I interlaced mine with his. But in that moment I got it. Mine and Joel’s hands just fit together and it was like putting on a comfortable pair of shoes or slipping on an old jacket.

‘You know, it’s almost a full moon. We should go down to the beach and go for a moonlight swim.’

We were heading in that direction, not far away from the water sports hut.

‘We can’t do that. That’s technically off site.’

Joel made a mock-shocked face.

‘Come on, you can’t play by the rules all the time. Do you think that no one bunks off night security? What about Douglas and Jill in the laundry? Or when Soph slept all night in the hammock by the pool? I think we’ve been extremely observant for the rest of the evening.’

‘Well, the shift is almost over.’

‘There you go,’ he said, swinging our hands enthusiastically. ‘What better way to mark the occasion than with a skinny dip?’

‘There’s no way you’ll catch me doing that. Thankfully I’ve come prepared with my bikini underneath.’

I’d soon learnt to wear bikinis like underwear. I’d only brought a couple with me, but I’d spent my first few weeks’ wages on Topshop’s entire range of them.

‘Spoilsport. I’ll just grab some board shorts from the hut.’

‘You keep them down there?’

‘I have a full selection. Board shorts, diving shorts, Speedos.’

‘Speedos?’ I attempted to raise my eyebrow.

‘They’re more comfortable under a wetsuit.’

My mind was already picturing him in the Speedos and I tried to think of Scott instead.

After Joel quickly changed in the hut, and came out in a pair of board shorts, we walked down to the beach. I stopped looking over my shoulder when my feet touched the sand and I saw the dappled reflection of the moonlight on the water. It looked so beautiful that it almost took my breath away.

I undressed quickly and Joel threw off his T-shirt and we headed into the water. I knew to ignore the initial shock as I inched in.

Joel on the other hand dived straight under and came up a foot away from me, splashing me in the process.

‘You’re such a wuss,’ he said.

‘Not all of us were born part fish. Have you always been so at home in the water?’

He raked his hair back and water droplets dripped off the tips.