The international students—from Hong Kong, Mainland China, Malaysia, Taiwan—have a habit of keeping to themselves in another corner, but there’s no way they can’t hear what’s going on. I can’t believe they have to live in the boarding house with people like Jody. My heart speeds up.

Sarah clocks me staring at her and pauses, her mouth an ugly slash. ‘What? Have you got something to say to me?’

Ally and Marley lean out further for a better look, smelling delicious conflict.

‘You were being a bit racist, don’t you think?’ I want my voice to sound strong, but instead it wobbles.

‘How is what I said racist?’ Sarah’s genuinely confused.

‘Well…automatically assuming that Yin’s dad is a gangster, like a walking stereotype from a John Woo movie and—and the forced marriage to an old man thing. And they do have laws in China, they’re just different from the laws here.’

I struggle to order my thoughts. There’s plenty to be said about the rule of law in China and human rights, but that’s way too nuanced for this conversation.

‘I don’t even know who John Woo is.’ Sarah hits back straight away. ‘And anyway, stereotypes are there for a reason. They’ve have to be a bit true or how do they even start?’

‘We don’t mean you, Chloe,’ says Ally in her baby-soft voice. I’m surprised she knows my name. ‘You’re not a real Asian, you know what I mean? You’re from here.’

Her eyes shoot over to the international students, as if I won’t get it. In her eyes I’m slightly more acceptable because I was born here and I don’t have an accent.

‘I don’t think that’s relevant.’ I’m already regretting having broken my rule to always fly under the radar. Natalia’s eyes settle on me. ‘It’s offensive to anyone. But you are actually half talking about me, okay?’

It’s more than that. It’s more than half of me. Because I take after Mum so strongly, the world sees me as Asian, therefore I am. It’s not like that for Sam, who looks more like Dad.

‘Lighten up, girl. Really.’ Sarah returns to her pose, but Natalia stands up and snatches Sarah’s phone right out of her hand. She has her predator face on again.

‘Sarah, did you know I’ve got a special name for your selfies?’ She pauses. Every head in the room turns to her. ‘I call them Insert-Dick-Here photos. Maybe you should change your handle to that.’

There’s stunned silence. Sarah looks cut to the ground.

‘What? You’ve always got your mouth wide open, what am I supposed to think? Lighten up, girl. Really.’

Natalia sits down and smiles at me, secretly, conspiratorially. I look away. I don’t need her to defend me.