“Hi, Helen, really looking forward to the party tomorrow,” Tracey says.

“Wait, you’re coming?” Brian says, then snorts derisively. “Bloody hell, Helen, did you invite every loser in the jungle?”

Tracey throws him a withering look and says, “She must have if she’s invited you.”

Brian flushes and I look away with a smirk.

“Anyway,” she continues, talking only to me, “I was wondering if Tina can come too? It’s only one more.”

The silence is deafening as they all turn to look at me. I don’t need to look at Eloise to know she is throwing me a warning glare.

“Um, well, we’ve already planned the food and everything and I think we’re pretty much maxed out, so um… maybe next time?”

Tina looks deflated, as does Tracey, who replies sharply, “Oh, ok, well, thanks anyway.”

“Unless you want to come and serve the drinks for us, Tina?” El says snidely.

Em and Steph giggle.

“Fuck off, Eloise,” Tracey replies with venom.

They turn to go and I can hear Tina say in a whisper that’s loud enough for us all to hear, “See, I told you she would say no. I don’t get what you like about Helen – or any of them. They’re such stuck-up sluts, all plastic and no brains.”

Brian says, “You’re not going to let her get away with talking about you like that, are you, El?”

Eloise gets to her feet in anger, but I put a hand on her arm. “Leave it, El, she’s just mouthing off because she can’t come to the party of the decade.”

“She needs to be taken down. They both do. Especially that Tracey! How dare she swear at me!”

“Look, she’s had a rough week, ok?” The words are out of my mouth before I even know I am going to verbalise them.

“Why? What’s happened?” El’s face lights up at the thought of finding out some gossip. She sits back down hungrily.

“It’s nothing. She probably wouldn’t want me to tell you.”

El sits forwards, puts her hands on my knees, her long nails digging into my skin. “Then it is your very duty as my best friend to tell me.”

“I thought I was your best friend, El,” Emily says, trying to crack an ill-timed joke.

“No, Em, you are like a mosquito buzzing around my head.”

Emily gapes while the rest of us laugh. I laugh the loudest, hoping the conversation can steer away from Tracey. “I don’t know why you’re laughing, Steph. You’re like shit on the bottom of her shoe that she can’t scrape off,” I say and laugh some more.

Some of the boys laugh and say, “Oooh, harsh.”

Steph looks like she is going to cry.

“Oh, come on, Steph, I’m joking. You big baby, you’re going to cry!”