Amelia studied Rita and started to take her coat off. She wasn’t much of a talker and it was clear she didn’t know quite what to say. Rita stood up quickly and walked to the kitchen side, took a deep breath. ‘Amelia, do you want any breakfast? Toast, or cereal?’

The girl shook her head, she hated eating in front of people and she would rather starve than sit eating in front of a member of staff. A lot of kids were like that. Funny fuckers they were, thought Rita.

Amelia sat down at the table and stared at her fingers. Rita thought it was best to leave her to say whatever it was she wanted to say in her own time. She went back to pottering about the kitchen, slamming cupboards shut and banging pans. Seemed a nice enough kid, she just didn’t fit in anywhere, or that’s what she’d told the school. She was pretty too, long dark hair past her waist, big green eyes, clean, fresh skin. She was certainly popular with the lads here in school – word on the street was that she wasn’t scared of putting it about, especially when she was drunk or off her head at the weekend. It was funny really, to adults she seemed shy, lacking in confidence, but to her peers, she was loud and daring. You picked up a lot about these kids watching them in the lunch queue.

Rita stopped for a moment and gazed out of the window, the troops would be here soon, she needed to get her head in gear and be ready for them. She glanced over at Amelia, who looked like the colour had suddenly drained from her cheeks. She noticed her waft her hand in front of her face, like she’d been overcome with a wave of heat. Sweat prickled on her forehead as she stood up and wobbled, had to hold the table to steady herself. Rita was right there, helping her back into the chair.

‘Are you alright there? You look like you’re going to spew your ring up.’

Amelia loosened her black cardigan and pulled her T-shirt up over her nose, exhaled slowly. ‘I’m fine, just leave me alone, will you?’

Rita had plenty to do, wasn’t going to waste her time if this was the thanks she got. ‘Suit yourself, you try and be nice in this place and all you get is abuse. Stay there on your own then, see if I care.’

Amelia stood up and walked unsteadily out of the kitchen, heading for the toilets. As soon as she reached the cubicle she slammed the door shut and fell to her knees. She held her head over the toilet and a rush of stinking green bile sprayed into the bowl. She was burning up, sweat pouring from her. She rested her head on her arms for a moment, before another torrent gushed from her mouth.