In the canteen, I poke at my yoghurt and try to see where Tracey has ended up sitting. Then I see her across the room with a very quiet girl who is in my English class. They are laughing at something in a book. I wonder what is so funny as I watch them. She looks happy, her hair bouncing with her shoulders, the yellow ribbon still in place. Who is that girl she’s with though? I can’t even remember her name. Tina, maybe? Yes, that’s it.

El is rambling on about something and nothing, but I’m not listening. Tracey and her new friend are now sharing the girl’s chips, dipping them in ketchup and chatting between mouthfuls. I push my yoghurt away, untouched. Then I hear El say, “I know! We should have a party. Invite some of the boys! It’ll be fun and we only have a little bit of time left together before we break for study leave. What do you think?”

“Yes, yes!” Steph and Emily squeal in excitement.

I merely shrug. None of the boys at this school hold any interest for me.

“Aren’t your parents going on their trip to America soon, Hels?”

Tracey and her friend are packing up their trays. They are still chatting and laughing. They seem to have a lot to say to each other.

“Yeah, they leave next week,” I say absent-mindedly.

“Great! We’ll have the party in your pool house!”

“Wait, what?”

“It’s perfect – there will be no adults around and the pool house is so ideal. I have a lovely new bikini that I bought in Santorini that I need to wear at least once this year.”

“That is a brilliant idea, El!” Steph says, her face so lit up with excitement that the spot on her chin glows even redder. El could suggest planting a bomb under the school and Steph would clap her hands and say it’s a good idea though.

“I don’t know, my folks would be fuming if they found out,” I say.

“How would they know? You could tell the staff that they have agreed to it. There’s no way they will check and I promise we will leave the pool house the way we find it.”

I look over at Tracey again, but she is walking out of the canteen. My eyes follow the yellow ribbon. El narrows her eyes.

“I’ll even let you invite her if you want? You’re paying her more attention than us anyway.”

Not that it’s up to Eloise who I invite to a party that I am hosting, but the idea of being able to invite Tracey without any aggro from El means I might actually have fun after all.