“Yeah. We’re trying to go out every night this week. As a challenge.”

“They’ll be pleased to see you,” Amy said. “We chat about you sometimes in the sixth-form common room. Eric says he misses having you as his chemistry buddy.”

These were good people, I realized. I’d seen the worst of them because Jessica had brought out the worst in them. But, before her, they’d been good people. They’d stayed my friends when I’d been sick, protected me from the judgment of the school. I slurped down the rest of my drink and held out my glass for a refill.

“Tonight’s going to be great,” I said.

After five Malibu and Cokes, I was more numb than ever. I couldn’t feel the cold Easter breeze as we all stood in line, waiting to get into Selfridges. It was a wonderful distraction, catching up with all my old friends, who greeted me with open arms, giant hugs, and genuine questions about how I’d been.

“Fern, dude, it’s been so long.” Eric clapped me on the back. “You look so different.”

“Can’t believe I’m seeing you in a skirt,” Matt said, his eyes all over my body. “First time for everything.”

“It’s Amy’s.”

It was so strange having my legs on show. I felt this different feeling of attractiveness, dressed up like this. Girly, soft... A clear signifier that I was dressed to receive a certain type of attention, from a certain type of guy who had certainly come out that night to give it. Though, I didn’t realize just how bad it would be until we nervously passed the bouncers, cheering when we weren’t ID’d, and emerged into the throbbing pulse of the nightclub. A swarming mass of bodies was lit by strobe lights, while others watched on, holding drinks, queuing at the bar. My old friends walked straight onto the dance floor, their fingers pointed in the air, joining in with a song I didn’t know. I followed the back of Kim’s straightened hair as we pushed into the center of the dance floor. Then I jerked hard as I felt a sharp pinch on my arse. I jolted around to see a guy about my age, grinning at me all the way up to his pierced ear. He winked, while I was too shocked to do anything other than keep following Kim. I leaned forward, covering her ear with my hand. “Some random guy just pinched my arse,” I told her, expecting outrage. Instead she beamed, like I’d just learned to ride a bike.

“Oh my God, you’ve pulled within a minute. Who?”