‘Might want to adjust your aim.’ He smiled, and I tried again. This time my foot connected with the cup. ‘Perfect,’ he said. ‘Okay, I’m going to come behind you.’ He moved around to my back, his breath ruffling strands of my hair. My pulse raced, and goosebumps appeared on my skin. I was right there, behind the café, bent over that bin.

You’re safe. Jason won’t hurt you, I told myself. My body wouldn’t listen to reason though and I could feel myself begin to sweat.

‘I’m going to put my arms around your chest and I want you to stamp down on my foot and bring your arms up in a praying motion and try to slip them under my arms.’

I nodded in agreement and his arms wrapped around me. I closed my eyes, the room blurring for a second. I was pressed against the wall and it wasn’t Jason behind me, it was Ian. His face hidden by the balaclava. Anger brought me back to the moment and I stamped down on Jason’s toes as instructed, managing to slip my arms up and break his hold. I jumped up and down, the adrenaline pumping. Thrilled to be learning the moves that could potentially save my life. Perhaps things would have been different if I’d known them then?

‘Brilliant,’ he said.

Jason went on to show me where to hit to cause the most damage and other ways to incapacitate your attacker, as well as how to free yourself if being held by the arms or shoulders. With my memory of that morning safely locked away, we reversed roles and I tried my best to restrain him. It was impossible, I could barely get my arms around him. I did manage to throw him over my shoulder using my weight as leverage, although I think he helped. Stupidly, I hadn’t thought about how much physical contact or exertion would be required and by the end of it I was a hot, sweaty mess. My face pink and shiny, with hair that had become a mass of frizz. Jason merely glistened, he hadn’t even perspired properly.

‘Thanks so much, Jason, I appreciate it,’ I said, guzzling from the water bottle he handed me.

‘No worries. It was fun. Fancy something from the snack wagon around the corner?’

Five minutes later, we were hidden away in his office cuddling polystyrene cups of hot tea. The cooling sweat making me shiver, damp on my skin.

‘That’s handy to have nearby.’ I gestured to my bacon roll as I bit into it hungrily, the tangy brown sauce escaping onto my lap. ‘Bugger,’ I swore, and Jason handed me a napkin.

‘Does quite well from the business on the industrial estate, I think.’ Jason tucked into his roll, making less mess. ‘So, why the self-defence?’ he asked.