‘What? No, I promise I wasn’t.’ Hannah’s cheeks flamed. She was mortified. ‘I didn’t mean to see anything.’

Bill’s face was red too, but she wasn’t sure if it was with embarrassment or anger.

‘If you ever tell anyone what you saw, I’ll—’

‘I won’t and I haven’t, I promise.’

‘How do I know? You could just be saying that. I bet you’ve told your friends.’

‘I haven’t told them. I haven’t told anybody. You can trust me. I swear on my life.’

‘I swear on my life!’ he mimicked, making her sound pathetic.

‘I won’t tell. I promise.’

‘I don’t believe you.’

‘Honestly, I won’t say anything.’

Her bottom lip was trembling and she hated that she thought she might cry. Why was he being so nasty to her?

‘I guess there is one thing you can do to make me believe you.’

‘What? Tell me. I’ll do anything.’

‘You saw me. I want to see you.’

Hannah’s eyes widened. ‘W-what?’

He leant in close, his sickly-sweet breath warm against her cheek. ‘You saw my willy, so I want to see your pussy. That way, I know I can trust you not to tell.’ In that moment, he looked older than fifteen, which only intimidated her further.

‘I can’t do that.’

‘Why not? It’s fair.’

‘I’ll do anything else you want, but not that.’ She was making promises she knew she couldn’t keep, but didn’t care. She just needed him to back off so she could get away.

‘But why? Are you a little scaredy-cat?’

‘No, it’s wrong.’ Her voice faltered on the last word, exposing her, proving that she wasn’t as brave as she was trying to make out.

Bill huffed. ‘I thought you were cool. I might have known you wouldn’t dare do it.’

‘It’s not that.’

‘Well, what is it?’

‘I’m not supposed to.’

‘Says who? Your mummy? Do you always do what Mummy tells you? You’re such a baby, Hannah.’

‘No I’m not.’

She wasn’t being a baby, was she? What he was asking her to do was wrong.

Her humiliation was complete when the tears started to spill. He looked at her with such disgust, she wanted the ground to swallow her up.

‘Forget it,’ he told her sulkily. ‘I didn’t realise you were such a loser. Wait until I tell everyone at school what a saddo you are. Cry-baby Hannah, the goody two shoes.’

He wouldn’t, would he? Panic overrode everything else. ‘No, please.’ She grabbed for his arm when he started to walk away and he shook her off.

‘Get lost, you big baby.’

‘Wait. Okay, I’ll show you.’

He paused, turning around, not quite failing to hide his smile. ‘You will?’