Of course, Nat chooses that exact moment to come into the kitchen and make a sandwich. Actually, I think she probably waited until she heard the others leave, just so she could come and torment me. Nat is the only one of Bridge’s siblings with blue eyes and blonde hair – she looks exactly like their dad. The others are all dark-haired with no freckles and shiny dark eyes. But Nat is the opposite. I like to think that’s why she’s so mean. The others are all really nice. The only time in the past two years Nat’s spoken to me kindly was after the fire, but that seemed to be only a two-week window before she returned to her old ways. Even Bridge’s mum despairs.

‘They leave you behind?’ Nat says.

I ignore her and start sorting the bandaids into piles. The house is eerily quiet, except for the sounds of Nat opening jars and closing the fridge. I wonder how much longer the others will be at the shop. I hope they’re back soon.

Nat drags out a chair and plonks her plate of sandwiches down on the table. ‘I made you one,’ she says, sliding the plate over. ‘Can’t remember if you like butter or not, though.’

Suspicious, I pick up one of the triangles. The bread is spongy and I take a bite. ‘Thanks.’

‘Saw your house is almost finished,’ Nat says, making what could be called conversation. Now I’m really wary.

‘Yeah. Except I don’t think of it as our house. It’s more like a display home.’

She shrugs. ‘Bridge said your room is huge.’

I nod.

‘Lucky you.’

Currently, Nat has to share a bedroom with one of her older sisters. In this house, because it isn’t really big enough for all of them, the kids take it in turns to get their own room. It seems fair, and I’ve always been sort of envious of Bridge’s crazy family, loving the energy and the noise, but I rarely consider how hard it must be, sometimes, to share everything.

‘You know I probably won’t talk to you at high school, don’t you?’

Without thinking, I laugh. ‘Thanks for being honest,’ I tell her.

‘Thanks for understanding,’ she says. ‘Bridge expects that I’ll look out for her. And I will, but I won’t hang out with you guys. Maybe you could explain the difference to her.’

‘You can.’

Nat groans like she’s in pain because I’m being a pain. ‘I tried. I just don’t want her hanging around.’

‘She’s not going to be hanging around you.’

‘No. Clearly not. She’s already making new friends …’