She thought she heard Alexa murmur something back, though at the same time, Tim started telling Jack to stand a little closer – ‘I don’t bite!’ – and then there were more footsteps and the front door slammed with a thunderous clap. Ellen held her breath. Was Alexa still in the corridor? Or was that the creak of her footfall on the stairs? As she wondered, there was a smart rap on her bedroom door. In response, Ellen flopped backwards on the bed.

‘Ellen?’ Alexa called out, uncertainly. ‘Can I come in?’

‘Yeah.’ Her nerves jangled.

Ellen sat up as Alexa opened the door. She had changed into black leggings and a black sweatshirt, and had swept her hair into a bun on the top of her head. She had her trainers on. Alexa stepped over the wet patch in one stride and stood in the middle of the floor, left hand massaging her right shoulder.

‘Hey,’ she said, quietly, taking another careful step, then stopped smartly.

‘Your room’s OK, then?’ Standing in the centre of its chaos, she looked petite and ordered.

‘Yeah,’ Ellen replied. ‘I mean, it’s a mess but …’ She didn’t finish. An apology was overdue, though she didn’t know where to begin.

‘Ben’s gone,’ Alexa said, more quietly.

Ellen swallowed.

‘And Jack is still with the interviewer outside.’

‘Hmm,’ Ellen started. ‘Yes. I’m fairly furious about all of that, actually.’

‘Me too,’ Alexa agreed. She moved cautiously towards the edge of the bed, and sat on the end, crossing one Lycra’d thigh over the other. She started fidgeting with the bedspread. ‘I can’t believe he did it all in secret. I didn’t have a clue that’s what he was up to that entire time.’

‘No. Although, I suppose we were a bit distracted.’

There was a long, loaded pause.

‘I’m sorry,’ Ellen said, finally. ‘About what I said to Ben. It was thoughtless and silly.’

Alexa had stopped fidgeting and was sitting very still now.

‘I lashed out. I was still angry, I think.’

Alexa looked rather sad.

Ellen moved closer to her and grabbed her hand. ‘Look’ – she squeezed Alexa’s cool palm now – ‘I’m really, really sorry. I didn’t mean to say it. In my head it sounded a little more funny and a little less spiteful. But it was horrible. I’m really sorry.’

They heard the squelch of footsteps down the hall, then the sound of the busted front door opening and closing.

Ellen held her breath.

‘I know you didn’t mean it,’ Alexa said, finally. She was very still and tense, but when she spoke again, she sounded more like herself. ‘Really. It’s all fine. What’s done is done. And he gave me a kiss when he left, so there’s that.’

‘I think he really likes you,’ Ellen said, in a small voice.