I changed quickly then folded my clothes and put them on the table in the hall. Edie was standing by the pool steps. When I saw her I inhaled sharply. She was wearing a hot pink string bikini. Gone were the leather bracelets and bangles. The only piece of jewellery she wore was a silver necklace with a heart on it. The scraps of material which comprised her bikini drew attention to her small but perfect breasts. I squirmed, feeling horribly self-conscious in the low rise black one-piece made of thick itchy material that smelled of stale chlorine. I fought the urge to bolt back indoors and get dressed into my clothes again.

Down by the railings Jago was staring at her. When he caught me looking at him he dropped his eyes and turned his back to us. Edie squealed and dived in, her feet perfectly aligned, hands clasped over her head, toes pointed. She made barely a splash. For a moment or two I felt a creep of panic crawling over me. All I could think of was the water seeping into her lungs, that she wasn’t going to come up, that if I stepped closer to the edge I’d see her hanging lifelessly in the water. My heart sped up. She was under too long. I looked down at my brother. Wanted to call out to him but couldn’t form words.

Then she appeared. Her head pushed up through the surface. She swam to the end of the pool and heaved herself half out then leant on her arms.

‘It’s lovely!’ she called to my brother. ‘Are you sure you won’t come in?’

He looked at her, seemed to hesitate, but then shook his head and went back to his sanding.

She turned and beckoned to me. I forced my legs into motion. Moving one then the other until I reached the steps. It felt odd to be swimming with someone else in the pool. Wrong. Unnatural, almost. But the water was crisp and cool and as I stretched out to swim towards her she smiled at me. I drew near her and noticed her mascara had run, which gave the impression of her crying black tears.

‘Does your mum mind you borrowing her bikini?’

Edie laughed then pushed herself off backwards to float on the surface to reveal her perfect breasts and taut stomach the colour of cream.

‘As long as she doesn’t have to deal with me she doesn’t give a shit.’

‘Deal with you?’