‘Lana’s a narna!’ giggled Catrin, joined by Judith.

And the eavesdropping Miss Taylor had to stifle her own giggles.

‘Aw, look, someone else do it then – Cat, you do it!’

‘OK, give it here.’

There was some reshuffling and a rustling of the sacred chocolate paper.

‘Hurry up, the bell’s gonna go in a minute!’ said Judith.

‘Right.’ Catrin cleared her throat and began. ‘Say, “Us three are best friends for ever” …’

‘Us three are best friends for ever …’

‘And we swear that we will always be there and true …’

‘We swear that we will always be there and true …’

‘Come what bloody may!’

‘Catrin!’

‘We can’t say that!’

Lana and Judith were both simultaneously shocked and delighted. Swearing was not something they ever did, which is what made it all the more deliciously naughty.

‘We’re swearing an oath, aren’t we? So we’re allowed to swear. Go on!’

There was a pause and then together, gleefully, they shouted, ‘Come what bloody may!’

Miss Taylor was transfixed and strangely moved by this innocent declaration of loyalty. She thought about Jerry, who she’d known for twenty years since she was five. Twenty years. A lifetime ago. She wondered if the friendship of these three little girls would last as long.

And looking at her watch, she saw that break-time was over. Abandoning her reverie, she reverted to teacher mode and began ringing the hefty iron hand-bell.

The three friends jumped with the shock of the sound, surfacing from beneath the pac-a-mac, their faces flushed with embarrassment.

‘Come on then, back inside,’ Miss Taylor announced over the bell. ‘Playtime’s over now!’

They ran back towards the classroom, leaving the Curly Wurly wrapper lying forlornly on the grass.

‘Excuse me, Catrin Kelly! We’ll have no litterbugs in this school, thank you very much. Now pick that up!’

‘Sorry, Miss.’

Catrin did as she was told.

As she passed the rubbish bin by the steps into the junior school, she was about to chuck the wrapper away when something made her change her mind. She folded it up and put it inside the pocket of her green corduroy skirt, before hurrying to catch up with her two best friends.

Song credits

Lyrics on p.26 from ‘Against All Odds (Take A Look At Me Now)’ written by Phil Collins

Lyrics on p.79 from ‘If My Friends Could See Me Now’ from the musical Sweet Charity, music written by Cy Coleman and lyrics by Dorothy Fields

Lyrics on p.135 from ‘Guys And Dolls’ from the musical Guys and Dolls written by Frank Loesser

Lyrics on p.223 from ‘I Should Have Known Better’ written by Jim Diamond and Graham Lyle

Lyrics on pp.237–238 from ‘Should I Stay Or Should I Go’ by The Clash, written by Topper Headon, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Joe Strummer

Lyrics on p.257 from ‘Never Gonna Give You Up’ written by Stock Aitken Waterman and recorded by Rick Astley

Lyrics on p.472 from ‘If I Could Turn Back Time’ written by Diane Warren and recorded by Cher