And the truth was, Amber was hard work. People always said that about her. Like a puppy, such fun and so cute but also relentless. Still, you couldn’t help but love her. But I was a teenager, desperate for my own life.

On the first day of the Christmas holidays that fateful year, my parents announced they would be out of town Christmas shopping the next day.

‘Can I trust you to be alone in the house now you’re fourteen?’ my mother had asked me.

‘Yes, Mum,’ I’d replied, rolling my eyes and trying to appear casual when inside, my heart was thumping with excitement. I’d met a boy called Finn at the arcade. He’d just moved into the Chine and everyone was saying how cute he was. I’d been so giddy with happiness when he’d walked over to me and struck up a conversation. Each time I went to the arcade at the weekends, he’d make a beeline for me. We grew close, even sneaking a kiss at the back of the arcade on the last day of term. Now I knew my parents would be out all afternoon, I’d be able to invite him over.

But when I woke the next day and looked out of the window, the roads and paths were thick with snow. I was terrified my parents would cancel their shopping trip. But the main roads seemed fine and I was delighted when they confirmed they’d still go. As I waved them off, I felt a tingle of excitement in my tummy, and ran upstairs to get ready.

When the doorbell went, I panicked. Was Finn here early? I raced downstairs, raking my fingers through my hair, and flung the door open. But instead of Finn, my aunt Rita was standing at the door with Amber. ‘Sorry for the short notice, love, but I need you to look after Amber. There’s a whole coachload of tourists stuck in the Chine so it would be stupid not to open the gift shop.’

‘But – but I have homework to do!’ I’d whined.

‘That’s all right,’ Rita said, shoving Amber in. ‘Amber can watch the telly, can’t you, love?’ My aunt squashed her cold face next to mine, kissing me on the cheek. ‘You’re a godsend you know. Wait till you see the Christmas present I got you. Don’t let her out in the snow too long. They just said on the news temperatures are going to nosedive this afternoon.’ Then she ran down the path.