If he disapproved of what she had done, he certainly didn’t show it. He simply opened a heavy wooden door and let her inside, to a long stone corridor at the end of which was a desk. Behind it stood a good-looking woman with dark hair wearing a white polo neck. ‘Welcome to the Lounge.’ She smiled a smile that didn’t reach the rest of her face.

Chloe followed a winding staircase which led to a huge, low-ceilinged room full of sofas. It was dimly lit, and thumping, lyricless music played. People lay over the sofas, stroking each other, smiling. She wasn’t naïve enough to think that this was just the result of a couple of glasses of wine. A PSHE lesson from school about teenagers dying after taking an E for the first time, or drowning because they drank so much water, flashed into her mind. She tried to wave it away. Those were stories made up to scare people into behaving like boring, responsible members of society, just like fairy tales were created to teach children about morality. She wouldn’t die if she took a pill. And where would she even get one? She twisted her head, trying to work out where the bar was, worrying that someone would notice her not knowing where the bar was and automatically deduce that she didn’t belong here. In the midst of all this, she heard her name being called. She turned and saw Max lying on a sofa, holding a glass. Gratefully, she went to join him. There were two blonde girls lying next to him. Not quite on him, not close enough that she wanted to find Zadie and tell her. But close enough that it registered; that it seemed not quite right.

‘Have a drink.’ He smiled, pouring a drink for her. ‘So glad you came.’

Chloe took it and tried to think of something to say. She settled on ‘Cheers!’

‘To your victory,’ added one of the blonde girls lying on the sofa.

‘Victory?’ asked Chloe.

The girls laughed, as if it was funny to think anyone might not know what they were talking about.

‘We had a good match this afternoon.’ Max smiled.

‘He completely destroyed them,’ said one of the girls. ‘He’s far too modest.’

‘Well done, you,’ said Chloe, internally admonishing herself for sounding like a grandparent. ‘Where’s Zadie?’

‘Probably in the bathroom,’ laughed the other blonde, touching her nose. The first girl laughed along with her. Chloe studied Max’s face, watching to see whether he would defend his girlfriend. Instead he smiled, showing the kind of perfect, even white teeth that Chloe had only previously seen on American TV. ‘Why don’t you go and join her?’ he said to them. ‘I think we all know she’s not the only one who likes a bit of the old Colombian marching powder.’