He walked towards the sloping balcony I shared with Dan and unlocked the wonky window and clunked it open. Sudden air thumped through it, not humid, but not cool. ‘Ah,’ he said, and closed his eyes, and breathed in through his nostrils. ‘Do you know what I’m talking about? I’m talking about the mpghhhhhh.’

‘What was that?’ I asked.

He slammed the window closed. ‘Sorry,’ he said. ‘It’s a bumpy night out there. I’m talking about facing up to the unknown but chosen, and still having the courage to jump in and fly through.’

I looked at him in wonder. He turned around and faced me. ‘Courage,’ he said. ‘It is about guts. These Melbourne boys, they’re all so cool. They don’t know what they want. I want someone to take care of me when I’m old and dying. I want a mortgage and comfort. I love being looked after. I also really like the feeling of looking after somebody. I don’t know if I like you, but you can get used to anything. I really want to go on a third or fourth date with someone. I really wish someone would just show me who they are.’ He clapped a hand over his mouth. ‘Oh no,’ he said. ‘I’ve messed it up now, haven’t I?’

I made myself stop grimacing.

‘Not at all,’ I said.

‘Oh god, oh no,’ he said. He adjusted the towel and picked up his clothes and swept out of the bedroom, down the stairs and out the door, which hammered shut behind him. I covered myself in the second towel, fur-like in the humidity. I went out to the balcony and saw the car was gone.

Someone cleared their throat behind me. Dan was in his window. I wondered when he’d gotten home, and how long he’d been listening. Funny how the creaky house was suddenly less creaky when someone might be interested in listening in on you.

‘That was incredible,’ he said. ‘Where’d he go?’

I was free to grimace lavishly. ‘Into the unknown but chosen?’

‘Is he okay?’

‘Yes,’ I said.

‘Wrong,’ he said. ‘That is a false assessment. He is not okay and it’s your fault. You did this to him.’

‘Dan,’ I said. ‘Not now.’

‘You broke him.’ He laughed. ‘You ruined a person.’

I sighed. ‘He’s nice and normal, I promise. I think he’s just embarrassed because I wouldn’t have sex with him. It makes you vulnerable.’ I sighed again. While this was true in general, it felt like an understatement after watching this, the vulnerability olympics. He’d done it at the bar, pretending to have accidentally blurted something that he secretly wanted out there. This time, he’d gone too far. He’d taken my towel and everything.