‘Hello, Brennan.’

‘Hello, Dr Taylor.’

‘So, I’m starting to get a bit of a complex.’

‘Why’s that?’

‘The unanswered messages?’

‘I’m sorry, I’ve just been really busy, you know, what with the course starting and having lectures and so on.’

She knew he didn’t buy it but he didn’t push her either. ‘Fair play, how’s it all going?’

‘Wonderful,’ she said, grinning with pleasure. ‘I love it here. How about you?’

‘Yeah, it’s great,’ he said. They shuffled around a bit, unsure what to do next. She didn’t want him to leave but she knew that she had to hold firm. She remained resolutely silent.

Eventually he said, ‘It was nice to see you. I’ll leave you to it.’

‘Have fun with your girlfriend.’ She cringed as soon as the words were out of her mouth.

He smiled at her, a frustratingly smug smile, as if he could see into her mind and knew exactly what she was really thinking. ‘Not my girlfriend.’

‘Well, if you play your cards right, she might be by the end of the evening.’ Why on earth had she said that? What was wrong with her? She wanted the ground to swallow her up.

‘Well, in the unlikely event that does happen, I’m pretty sure I’ll end up with a punch in the face. She’s my friend Noah’s girlfriend.’

‘Oh.’

‘Oh indeed.’

‘I’m sorry,’ she said, rubbing her face self-consciously.

‘For what?’

‘For not replying to your messages. For this horrific awkwardness.’

He grinned. ‘I’ve had worse.’

‘It’s just a bit much really.’

‘What is?’

‘Seeing you again after all this time, hearing about what happened to our parents, not speaking to Dad, barely speaking to Mum.’

‘Ah I see,’ he said. ‘So I bring back bad memories, right?’

‘No, it’s not that. Well, it is a bit, I guess.’

She glanced at her friends, who were all watching her curiously. Freya gave her a thumbs up and a wink. Freddy noticed it too and she groaned inwardly as he made an unsuccessful attempt to suppress a smile.

‘Look,’ he said. ‘If you don’t want to hang out, I totally get it. But I like you, Brennan. I enjoy spending time with you. So, I guess the ball is in your court.’

She looked at him, and she looked at her friends, and in that instant, she made her mind up. If she couldn’t take a risk at university, when the hell could she?

‘Do you want to get out of here?’

He grinned. ‘I thought you’d never ask.’

23

‘Brennan, wake up, you’ll be late for lectures.’

She groaned and put a pillow over her head. ‘Nooooo, it’s too early.’

‘Katie!’ He was shaking her gently now. ‘It’s 8.45.’

‘Shit!’ She leapt out of bed and started rummaging around for her clothes. ‘Why didn’t you wake me before?’

‘I’ve only just woken up myself.’ He was brushing his teeth, wearing nothing but his boxers and her tummy gave a little flip, as it always did when she saw him. But there was no time for any of that, she was going to be late for class and she had never been late for anything in her life. Well not until recently anyway.