Chloe smiled, feeling the guilt of months of rebuffing Lissy’s attempts to be friendly begin to evaporate. Admittedly, entrance to a swanky bar and a few free Piña Coladas didn’t put them on an entirely even footing, but it was something.

The Lounge was on the other side of town, so Lissy and Chloe flagged down a taxi. Lissy’s enthusiasm was contagious. ‘Have you been here before?’ she asked Chloe as she undid her seatbelt when the driver pulled up.

‘No, of course not,’ Chloe muttered, handing the driver a £5 note. ‘Have you got a quid?’

Lissy stood on the pavement fumbling with her purse then readjusted her jeans. ‘Can you see my bum crack?’

‘No,’ Chloe lied. ‘Come on, let’s go.’

The Lounge was in a tall Georgian house in the shopping street. It would have been impossible to find if it weren’t for a tall bald man in a suit standing outside. Chloe looked to her left, where Lissy was hanging behind her, starting to look a bit green. She was going to have to pretend she knew how to handle this. She walked to the door and moved to open it.

‘It’s a private party, ladies,’ said the bouncer, not unkindly.

‘We’re here for Zadie Lister’s … thing.’

‘Name?’

‘Chloe Sanders.’

‘And your friend?’

Lissy was swaying slightly. ‘I’m her plush one,’ she told the bouncer, smiling with red-wine-stained teeth.

‘I think you’ve had enough for this evening, love,’ said the bouncer. ‘Come back another time, when you haven’t had a skinful.’ He turned to Chloe. ‘Are you going in?’

She looked at Lissy, whose last pint of red wine seemed to be catching up with her. She couldn’t very well abandon her in the street. ‘No, I’ll take my friend home.’

She took Lissy by the arm and stood on the corner, looking for a taxi. Her coat felt especially inefficient against the wind stripping down the pretty Georgian street.

‘Why aren’t we going in?’ asked Lissy.

‘It’s closed. Look, a taxi.’ She stuck out her hand. ‘Please try to seem sober.’

To her great relief, the taxi slowed down, and Lissy clambered in. ‘Market Gardens, please,’ she slurred. ‘Are you coming, Chlo?’

Chloe looked at Lissy, pale and drunk under the yellow light of the taxi. Lissy needed to go to bed. It wouldn’t make any difference to her whether Chloe went home or not. She would be asleep in an hour or two.

‘Would you mind if I stayed?’

‘Back again,’ smiled the bouncer.

‘My friend wanted to go home.’