‘I don’t want to be any trouble,’ I say, realising the irony of that statement given the last twenty-four hours. ‘I can sleep on the couch.’

‘I’ll sleep here,’ Jaxon says, bouncing his fist on the couch. ‘Soft but not too soft. I insist. It’s right next to the TV, after all!’

Our takeout arrives, and when I open the door it’s already dark, snow falling heavily, my dad’s car sleeping under a white blanket. We choose a comedy and my father passes me the Chinese boxes, one by one, chopsticks sticking out. His eyes are smiling like he can’t believe I am still here.

I return the smile, but it’s not like before; my perfect-father-fantasy bubble has officially burst.

I check my phone where messages from Oliver wait unanswered. He’s sent a few asking how I am, asking to video chat, and then another video compilation he made yesterday after visiting Chirp at Lucy’s place. He’s taken clips of Chirp from different angles, from under her beak, and a bird’s-eye view, excuse the pun, and timed the cuts to an R&B song. It’s hilarious. In between mouthfuls of fried rice, I text him back but don’t have the energy to send a video. He feels planets away, and if he and his soft pillowslip neck are on Earth, I’m on icy Pluto. What I’ve been through the last few days is too big, too supersized, to explain to him in a text or over a video call.

Lucy tells me how Malcolm is still liking her posts and commenting with emojis on her Instagram.

Ask him out! I tell her.

She replies straight away: No way. He’s not into me, remember?

There’s a chance he didn’t get what you meant, I say. You were just waving, after all.

But what would I say?

Tell him there’s a good movie playing and see what he says.

Maybe.

Do it!

What movie?

I don’t know—just look online and find one that looks halfway decent.

OMG fine! Just so you’ll stop harassing me.

I send a laughing cat face.

Melody checks in on me too. We’ll see each other in a few days when the festival ends, but even though I’m not planning to use it, I have my passport in my bag just in case.

Adam makes up the couch for Jaxon and changes the sheets in his room, and we go to bed early. I change into my pyjamas, realising how excited and nervous I am about meeting my grandparents for the first time.