Liam doesn’t want to ask the driver where to get off because it feels a bit naff, but it strikes him now he has no real idea where he is going. Thankfully, after another five minutes or so, he sees a sign advertising the adventure trail playground and remembers Anastasia saying to meet him on the opposite side of the woods to there. Near somewhere called Camelot Lake.

He leans over to the middle-aged woman sitting on the seat opposite him and says, ‘’Scuse me, love,’ with a grin. Her first flash of suspicion melts away at his easy smile, just as he knew it would, and he keeps it fixed on his face as he asks her how many more stops to the one nearest the lake.

She tells him to get off at the next one and then to head in past the car park. He thanks her, then pings the bell. Giving her another smile as he exits the bus, he feels for his rollie tin in his pocket.

There is a trail leading off from near the bus stop and he lights up the rollie as he makes his way into the trees. It feels gloomy in here, the pale light of this muggy day not penetrating the dense tree cover. But now he has made the decision, he feels a little lighter than he has for the last week or so. He’s fully prepared to take the blame for giving Anastasia the drugs. He knows exactly what this means, and what his mother is going to think. But he hopes that one day she will be able to be a little bit proud of him for finally doing the right thing.

When he has smoked the rollie, he crushes the butt underfoot, then gets out his phone to call Anastasia. He’ll see if she is here yet. But all he gets is the discordant chime of the ‘number no longer in service’ message. His spine stiffens at this and he wishes he didn’t have the curdle of disappointment in his stomach. What did he expect, after today? That they could still be friends?

Ahead he sees the trees opening out and the blue of a car bonnet.

He steps into the car park and sees Anya leaning up against a car on the other side of the small car park – a black Beamer. She pulls herself away in one fluid motion and Liam swallows down the feeling that swells in his chest at the sight of her, the effect she always has on him.

She gives him a small smile, which he returns, a little uncertainly. He can’t quite work out how he is meant to be today; what sort of mood to strike with her. He’s fully prepared for a row, almost certainly for tears … but he is adamant that he won’t be budged now he has reached this major decision.