‘But it’s high school. We need to be together,’ says Bridge.

I realise, then, that Bridge is feeling more overwhelmed than me, even though she’s watched her three older sisters go to high school. I’ve barely thought about Bridge’s concerns because I’ve been too busy negotiating Mum coming back into my life. It feels strangely satisfying being the reassuring one, for a change. ATF it seemed like my friends spent all their time looking after me.

I grab Bridge’s hand and then reach for Ellie’s, too. ‘It’ll be fine. At least we’re all at the same school.’

As we pass the sports shop window, I notice a reflection of the three of us. Ellie and Bridge are almost the same height, and I’m this little kid in the middle, like a baby sister they have to look out for. I really am that short. I shake the thought off as we turn the corner.

Chapter 4

The stationery shop we always go to is heaving with kids buying stuff for school. Within seconds, Bridge has both hands deep in a tub full of coloured Japanese erasers. She holds up a hamburger and a bright green iced doughnut.

‘These ones?’

‘Yeah. And I like the sushi roll, too,’ says Ellie.

‘Or the fries?’ She shows us the red box with a row of yellow chips peeping out the top.

‘Both,’ I tell her.

‘Dad told me I had to get practical things,’ says Ellie, holding up a boring blue plastic eraser and pulling a face.

‘Really? Should I?’ Bridge sounds so disappointed as she drops all the cute erasers back into the tub.

‘Why don’t we get fun ones for home and serious ones for school?’ says Ellie.

Bridge grins at us. ‘Great idea! Hamburgers and sushi all round. We can all match. Pencil cases next.’

‘I don’t need a pencil case. Dad brought me a black one from work,’ says Ellie, laughing. ‘Talk about practical!’

‘Gruesome!’ says Bridge.

‘Yep. It even has his work logo on it. Shudder!’

Ellie pulls a face, which makes Bridge and me laugh. I’m not sure what I was worried about. My friends are getting along really well.

‘Okay, I need to get my brother some sticky tape,’ says Ellie, heading off down one aisle. ‘I’ll meet you back here.’

I know it’s going to take Bridge about an hour to pick a pencil case, so I leave her to it and start testing out pens. I add my own coloured lines to the hundreds already drawn. I look away and then back to the paper and my lines have disappeared in the crowd of markings. I test a red marker, this time drawing a circle and add eyes and a smile. I grow my family of circles, each one with a different pen, until the page is covered in a cluster of smiley faces.