‘I’m going to keep loving her and see what happens,’ Penny says. ‘Anyway, my point is, there is no perfect relationship. The timing might be wrong, people might be trying to set you up with someone else, everyone might be telling you it’s a bad idea, but if the person is right, it can be worth the risk.’

‘Thank you,’ I say. There’s another knock on the door then, and Jesse’s face appears.

‘Oh sorry, I’ll go,’ he says.

‘No, I’m just going,’ Penny says, and she slips out of the room.

Jesse hovers in the doorway.

‘I was out looking for you,’ he says, accusingly.

‘Thank you,’ I say. ‘But I was fine,’ I add.

‘Right,’ he says and turns to go. ‘Oh, here’s your jacket,’ he says, and throws it on the end of my bed.

‘Thank you,’ I say, and this time, I do mean it.

He walks out, shuts the door and then almost immediately opens it again, poking his head in.

‘I’m not going to have sex with your sister,’ he says.

‘Oh. Okay. Good.’

‘In case you think that’s happening.’

‘I don’t think that’s happening,’ I say.

‘You said you did before.’

‘I was maybe being a bit dramatic.’ I almost add, I’m about to get my period, but I stop myself.

‘Well it’s not happening. She’s not my type,’ he says.

‘Excuse me, why not?’ I say, sitting up.

‘I don’t know. She’s just not,’ he says, looking surprised at my reaction.

‘That’s rude.’

‘You’re mad I won’t sleep with your sister, after being mad that I would?’

‘They’re different kinds of mad. I don’t want you to sleep with her, but I don’t want you to be rude about her either.’

‘Was that rude? Saying she’s not my type?’

‘How could you not find her attractive?’ How dare he turn down Lauren. Who does he think he is?

‘She’s attractive, yes. Absolutely. I’m just not…into her that way.’

‘Why aren’t you into her?’ I ask. I don’t know why I’m pushing this. I have to know though.

‘I don’t know. Because.’ He drums his fingers on the doorframe.

‘Because why?’

‘Because, she’s not my type! I already said that. She’s really nice, but I’m not interested. And even if I was, which I’m not, I wouldn’t do anything because it would…muck everything up.’ He looks like he regrets saying that last bit.

‘Oh. Okay.’

I pause, in case he wants to tell me muck up what, specifically. That’s a statement that needs clarification, it needs fleshing out. I am waiting for him to elaborate but he doesn’t say anything else. Then he sighs and steps into the room.

‘Look. Can we talk for a minute?’ he says.