There was a moment of confusion and then the meaning of her words sunk in and I went cold all over. I had completely forgotten about the trip. By now I should have filled in the risk assessment forms and booked the coaches for the day.

Zoe frowned. ‘What?’ she said. ‘What’s the problem?’

‘I forgot about it,’ I said in a small voice. Zoe’s eyebrows shot up towards her hairline.

‘What?’ She came in and closed the classroom door. ‘Tell me you’re joking, Elliott,’ she said quietly. ‘Tell me.’

‘I’m not joking.’

‘Shit!’ Zoe slapped her hand on the table between us. ‘You do realize it might be too late now to do the forms in time?’

‘It might not be?’ I hated my own wheedling tone.

‘Oh, don’t be a twat,’ she said, and I flinched. ‘You know what has to be done for these trips. And you also know how excited the kids are about it.’

I couldn’t think of anything to say.

People who don’t work in schools have no idea of the work that goes into organizing trips like this. The difficulty of lining all those ducks in a row is one of the reasons they don’t happen as much as kids would no doubt like. There was no way the trip could just be sorted for another date that easily. It could be months before it worked with both the school calendar and the schedule of the museum itself.

I sank back into my chair and put my head in my hands.

‘Shit,’ I said, my voice mangled. ‘I’ve really badly fucked up.’

When I looked up, I had hoped, expected maybe, to see a softening in Zoe’s expression. She was my friend. Surely, she would forgive me for a simple mistake like this, even if it did mean she would have to cope with a few disappointed tears?

But her eyes were cool as they met mine.

‘I’m going to let you tell Elaine then,’ she said. ‘And she’s not going to be pleased.’

Elaine dealt with the school calendar. My error was almost certainly going to be passed on to Jackie, because Elaine was her assistant and they would naturally talk.

And I was in enough trouble with Jackie as it was.

‘Zoe,’ I said, and she gave me a wary look.

‘What?’

‘It sickens me to ask this but—’

‘No, no, no,’ she interrupted, voice rising and taking a step back with her hands raised, palms towards me.

‘But I’m already in the shit!’ I hissed. ‘Because of that parent, Lee Bennett! Jackie’s really on my case about it.’

‘Bloody hell, Elliott.’ I almost winced at the heat in her voice. ‘Why should I take the blame for something that is your mistake? Tell me that?’