“Hey,” he says with a half-smile as I just stare at him. “Thought I’d come and pick Ellie up—relieve you of your babysitting duties.”

“I thought you were out with the others.” Who’s Bella with if not Jack and Sean?

He shrugs. “I wasn’t in the mood for the pub tonight.”

“Um…okay. Ellie’s just fallen asleep.”

“Right,” he says, staring at me. “Can I come in anyway? It’s freezing out here.”

I notice he’s only wearing a thin, long-sleeved T-shirt and no coat. How’s he supposed to get Ellie home? Carry her two miles in her Peppa Pig pajamas? “Oh. Yeah. Yes, of course. Sorry.”

“Looks like she’s had fun,” he says, looking at the scattered dolls all over the floor.

I lean to start picking them up, stacking them in the toy box she brought with her. I never babysit at their house—they always bring her here. I don’t know why.

“I think she likes having another girl to play with,” I say.

Sean smiles. We’re talking in low voices, little more than a whisper so as not to wake Ellie. “Yeah—she’s never impressed when me and Jack play.”

“You and Jack play with dolls?” I can’t imagine it. Not in a million years. Cutting the heads off the dolls—yes. That I can imagine. And the two of them telling Ellie to leave them alone, that I can also imagine.

Sean’s staring at me. “You don’t like us very much, do you?”

I gape, not knowing what to say. “I don’t…it’s just…”

“You never say a word to me or Jack. You hang around like a timid little mouse. You don’t know us at all, so how come you have this permanent sneer on your face when you look at us? You did it just then. She’s our kid sister—do you think we never get roped into playing with her or looking after her?”

I back away from his fierce rant. No—he’s the one with the sneer, the attitude, him and his brother with that mocking smile, always looking like he’s laughing at me.

“If I’m a mouse, it’s because of you. No one’s ever bothered trying to talk to me—I’m just Bella’s frumpy bloody sister. And maybe I don’t want to be patronized and treated like I’m Ellie’s age, so that’s why I don’t want to hang out with a bunch of…a bunch of knobs who think they’re God’s gift.”

“So you have no reason to dislike us. You’re not interested in getting to know us at all. You’re just jealous you’re not getting any attention. Oh, poor Tess. How hard done by you are.”

“Fuck off,” I hiss.