My phone buzzes. Three guesses who that will be.

Where r u

Your photo is getting some love

I wash my hands and leave my haven. The corridors are still full so maybe the first bell hasn’t even rung yet. I make my way to the main corridor and try not to think about vomiting all over my shoes.

To my surprise there are already quite a few girls looking at the paintings and sculptures and hanging costumes. Many of them hold the green voting forms for the students’ choice award. It’s a bigger deal than I thought it would be.

Natalia and her friends are easy to spot, clumped at the end of the hallway. Somehow I don’t think of them as The Blondes anymore. I wonder if she told them that we hung out on the holidays.

‘Chloe! Yours is so good!’ Lisbeth appears next to me. ‘It’s very intense.’

‘Oh. Thanks, Lisbeth.’

I feel a rush of affection for her.

‘I never thought I’d say this, but Natalia almost looks like an angel.’ Lisbeth glances around. ‘And I know she’s not.’

She looks guilty, as if she’s said something really mean.

I smile. ‘I know what you mean. Maybe she could be a fallen angel?’

‘Yes, you’re so right!’ I’d forgotten that when Lisbeth gets excited, her curls actually bounce up and down, for real. She’s so sweet, it’s ridiculous. I missed her on the holidays. ‘Hey, maybe I’ll see you in the quad at lunch today?’

‘I would love that! And I’m definitely going to vote for you, Chloe. You can count on me.’

Lisbeth drifts away and Natalia pretends she doesn’t see me coming towards her but I know she does. I wonder if she expects me to apologise for disappearing from the Park ARC exhibition. I don’t feel like apologising, even though I probably should. She did completely neglect me that night, but it ended up being helpful.

There’s a semicircle of space in front of my photo. Sarah, Ally and Marley say hello, which is about the most I’ve ever gotten from them. Sarah and Ally are both deeply tanned.

I stand next to Natalia and dare to look. It’s one of the biggest pieces on the wall.

‘What do you think?’ It occurs to me that the photo is an exposure of sorts for her as well. Maybe she’s more comfortable with that than me, though.

‘I had no idea you were going to do this extra stuff.’

Natalia leans in to inspect my collage. An eternity passes. I was so rushed getting it done that I didn’t have time to judge if it worked. I’d rather Natalia tell me the truth than lie. I still think she looks great and otherworldly in the photo, even if the lighting isn’t perfect.