‘I know.’ He sighed, and I could see him teetering on the balls of his feet. Was he going to reach out for me again? Thankfully he decided against it and remained in the doorway. ‘Go get dressed, have something to eat and once I’ve had a few hours’ kip we are going out for a walk.’ It sounded ambitious, but I would give it a go.

Three hours later, I’d showered, washed my hair and eaten a lunch of beans on toast. I’d filled my time waiting for Ben by tidying my room, which was now aired and smelling fresher. I examined my face in the mirror, as I pulled my mousy hair back into a ponytail. The graze on my cheek was almost gone, a yellowish bruise remained. I’d healed down below too, the pain I’d initially felt when going to the toilet had gone and the tenderness passed. Physical scars were always quicker to heal.

We stepped out of the door to our building onto the noisy street. Immediately my senses were overloaded. The sound of cars and chattering people was like a hammer to my skull. It made my head throb. Someone brushed past me and I fell against Ben, my whole body shaking. Sucking in fresh air like a marooned fish. It was too much.

A hand touched my shoulder and the world spun.

‘It’s okay, just breathe. Deep breaths, in and out. That’s it.’

We stood for a minute, sheltered in the doorway, until the light-headedness passed and I was able to continue. It was slow progress, we walked towards the park initially, but then cut off towards the high street and found a bench in the square. School children zoomed past on bikes and scooters in their uniforms, pursued by parents struggling to keep up.

‘You all right?’ Ben asked, breaking the silence.

Warmth hit my cheeks and I stared at my trainers.

‘I think so. There’s so many people here.’ My voice was shaky. I was looking at all the faces in the crowd. Could he be there? Amongst them? Looking right at me? Would I recognise him at all?

‘The weather brings them out. You, on the other hand, look like a vampire.’ It was true, I did, with my pasty complexion, although Ben didn’t have much more colour.

We sat for a few minutes and watched the people bustling. The square was always busy, rows of shops either side and in the centre the council had built a water fountain. I watched the spray shoot up into the sky and rain down into the stone surround.

‘Next thing we need to do is feed you up. You look starved. Shall we get a kebab on the way home?’

I wrinkled my nose; kebabs weren’t on the top of my junk food list.