I think of Liam, and for the first time in a long while I allow myself to let the softness towards him in.

‘You’re not giving her sweets, are you?’ reprimands Vicky, interrupting my thoughts as she finds her way back from the loo. ‘What about her teeth? Her gut?’

I adore my friend, really I do, but it takes every ounce of restraint not to bite back. Instead I focus on the sweet warmth of chocolate escaping my toffee and the smile on the face of the girl in front of me.

I take a handful more from the pouch and hand them to the girl, gesturing to the other children and for her to share them out. She does exactly that, and the five of them all huddle together behind the fence. Still watching us, but chewing, sucking and picking out bits of toffee from their teeth while they do so.

‘OK guys, we’re about to head off,’ Scott calls, just as Kevin makes his way around to the three of us offering out coca leaves.

‘Oh no!’ Vicky gasps with a panic, her hands on her head. ‘I didn’t get altitude sickness tablets. I was going to, I was meant to, but we never got to the pharmacy.’

‘These will help,’ Scott gestures.

‘Take lots,’ smiles Kevin.

I look at the hesitancy on Vicky’s face and have little doubt she’s linking it back to what Mike told us about them and cocaine.

‘It’s what we’ve got now,’ reasons Mike.

‘I guess we’ve been up high for a couple of days already. Maybe our bodies will have already adjusted,’ I say to Scott, in a way that is very much a leading statement. The hope being that it’ll stop Vicky frantically worrying about not getting her tablets for the next few days.

‘Yeah,’ Scott replies in a tone that doesn’t say he totally agrees. ‘Just get chewing and store it in your cheeks like tobacco. They’re sharp though, so just remember to spit, never swallow.’

I swear I see Vicky blush as she reaches out for the leaves and places them into her mouth.

‘The big thing I want you to remember when we’re out there,’ continues Scott, looking completely oblivious to the effect he’s had on my friend, ‘is to hydrate. If you’re standing still, hydrate. If you’re walking, hydrate. You’re going to be sweating for a long time and your body is going to need its resources restocked, so do just that.’

‘I have some energy tablets to pop in your water,’ says Mike, working his way into my bag and getting out my fun water bladder and plonking them in. ‘I’ve already done mine and Vic’s. Might make it taste better as well.’ He tucks it back in and gives my bag a tug to make sure it’s secure.

‘You all ready?’ shouts Scott.