I see the smile that Bridge shoots her, like she’s really happy Ellie’s staying. Then they both look at me like I’m the one they have to convince. Normally it’s a given that I stay for dinner, but today it comes as an invitation.

‘I can’t,’ I say quietly, resting the last bit of the chocolate Paddle Pop on the wrapper.

Bridge frowns and takes another bite of the Frosty Fruit. ‘But you already said you were staying. It was our big dinner before high school.’

I race through excuses, wondering what they’d say if I told them the truth. That Mum’s back, and I want to talk to them about it, but I feel like I can’t when they’re together and I feel like I’m on the outside.

‘Dad’s taking me out for a special dinner,’ I say, rubbing the bandage on my knee and feeling the sting of the graze.

‘Your dad is ace,’ says Bridge. ‘He always puts you first.’

I wonder if Bridge would still think that if I told her Mum had come home and he didn’t even ask me if it was what I wanted.

‘Here, you have the rest,’ I tell Bridge as I slide over the last of the Paddle Pop.

She snatches up the scraps of my ice-cream. ‘I think that means I won!’

Ellie starts laughing. ‘No, you didn’t. You said Clem would choose a Frosty Fruit.’

Bridge sucks the last of my ice-cream from the stick and smiles at us both. ‘I know you too well, Clem.’

I go to stand up, trying to keep my knee straight so the skin doesn’t pull and start bleeding again. ‘I have to go.’

‘Now?’ Bridge sounds offended.

‘Yeah.’

Ellie stands up next to me and reaches for my arm. ‘I’ll walk you to the bus.’

‘No, it’s okay. I’m fine,’ I say, shuffling as fast as I can down the hall and away from them both before either of them guesses that things aren’t quite as shiny as I’ve made them sound.

Outside, Bridge’s brother is mixing a potion in one of his mum’s best ceramic bowls. Jars of spices from the rack in the kitchen are spilling across the grass. I consider telling him it’s not a good idea to use up all his mum’s ingredients, but he doesn’t even look up as I drag the gate, making it squawk across the concrete.

Chapter 8

There’s a yummy smell in the flat as I slouch in. I feel blisters forming on at least two toes, from Bridge’s Converse slopping around on my feet. I kick them off without having to untie the laces and head straight for the kitchen. Now I’m home I realise I really want to be here.