He wouldn’t meet my eyes all day. We were due to have our last lesson with Mrs Werner but she stopped me at the door. Most of the other teachers had let us into the classes as long as we sat at the back and didn’t speak. Mrs Werner had always been strict and seemed to have used the new ruling to take her strictness to a new level. ‘No Jews,’ she said. ‘The rest of you, come in.’

I stood and watched as my classmates filed past me and Mrs Werner closed the door behind them.

And then I was left standing alone in an empty corridor, wondering what to do next.

Eventually, I decided I might as well go home. I went to collect my coat and made my way to the front entrance. Even now, a tiny voice inside my head was still pleading for this all to be a big mistake. I could almost hear Mr Schmidt’s voice calling me back into school, apologizing for upsetting us. That was what Papa had done all those years ago when the clown terrified me. He’d apologized over and over, while Mama had wrapped me in her arms and stroked my hair.

I glanced behind me.

The corridor was empty. No one was going to call me back. No one was going to wrap me in their arms and apologize.

I turned back to the doors.

And then—

‘Leo! Wait!’

I spun around. Max! At last! He hadn’t deserted me after all. My heart swelled with relief.

He was breathless as he ran up to me.

‘What are you doing here?’ I asked.

‘I asked Mrs Werner if I could go to the toilet. I couldn’t let you leave without saying goodbye.’ He shuffled from foot to foot. He always did that when he was finding something hard. ‘I’m sorry I turned away from you this morning,’ he said. ‘I’m sorry I haven’t talked to you all day.’ His eyes filled with tears.

‘I understand. You’d have got into trouble if you had done.’

‘I know. But I’m sorry,’ Max said. ‘I’m sorry it’s like this. And I know it’ll be hard, but whatever happens, we’ll find a way to stay friends.’

I nodded. I couldn’t speak. What could I say? Ask him how he thought we might do that now we were banned from speaking to each other at school as well as outside of it?

Part of me wanted to ask him to tell me the real reason we didn’t play together outside of school any longer. I knew in my gut that there was more to it than he had already told me.