Katie didn’t believe in fate; she was too pragmatic. But even she had to admit it was pretty freaky that they had bumped into each other after all this time, that they were studying at the same university. Why was it that when she was finally leaving home to start her new life, the past had decided to catch up with her? It made no sense. She could only hope he had finally got the message that she wasn’t interested in seeing him again and would leave her alone.

Once everyone had assembled, they slowly started making their way to a nearby pub to start their evening. As they walked, Katie chatted easily with Freya and a couple of the other girls. She was feeling light with the anticipation of a well-earned night out and her face lit up with the pure joy at being here, with these people, in this amazing city.

When they reached the bar, a few of them broke off to see if there was a table free and she headed to the bar to get the first round in. The queue was two people deep and she waited patiently for her turn. Finally she saw her opportunity and squeezed her way through to the front, propping her elbows on the bar and looking absentmindedly across to the other side. Her stomach flipped. There he was, Dr Bloody Taylor, pint in hand, chatting with a glossy-haired girl.

She couldn’t not look as the girl threw her head back and laughed, putting one hand on Freddy’s arm. As she stared at them, she could feel her good mood slipping away from her until she was left with nothing but misery. It was one thing ignoring his messages and pretending he didn’t exist, but it was quite another seeing him in the flesh with his girlfriend.

She felt a sharp jab in her side and looked at her neighbour in indignation. He was pointing at the barman, who was waiting for her impatiently. ‘Are you going to order?’ he asked her.

‘Sorry,’ she said, leaning forward to give her order. As she paid and piled the drinks onto a tray, she risked one last glance across the bar but Freddy had gone. She took a deep breath and turned around, making her way through the crowd, drinks balanced precariously on the tray. She scanned the room, looking for her friends, trying to perk herself up again. It can still be a good night, she told herself. Don’t ruin it by getting into a funk.

‘Need some help with that?’ She swung round to see Freddy, standing inches away from her, holding out his hands.

‘No thanks,’ she said, holding the tray protectively to her.

He rolled his eyes and gently took it from her. ‘Come on, Brennan, where are we going?’

Finally spotting her mates in a far corner, she beckoned for him to follow her and they made their way over to the table. Freya raised an eyebrow when she clocked Freddy but Katie pretended that she hadn’t seen. Freddy put the drinks down, passed her white wine spritzer to her and then studied her for a long time, until she was feeling thoroughly uncomfortable.