I tried again, holding up Jessica’s floppy arm. “This is my friend from home, by the way,” I told Beth, my new potential friend. “Jessica.”

“Oh, hi Jessica,” Beth said, looking slightly thrown.

“Hey.” Jessica would hardly make eye contact. She seemed bored. Her arms were crossed. I felt another pinch of annoyance.

“What uni do you go to?” Beth asked, trying to be friendly. “Is it nearby?”

“I don’t go to uni,” Jessica replied, sticking out her chin. “I work in an office. Well, I did until I shagged my boss before finding out he has a girlfriend in Spain.”

Beth’s mouth formed a small shocked “o.”

“Right,” she said. “Umm, that’s...oh well.” She turned away and my annoyance throbbed.

“Are you OK?” I whispered to Jessica.

“Can’t we just go back to your room?” she replied, sounding like a tired child. “Find some weed from someone and watch films, just us?”

“We’ve got tickets to the Union,” I reminded her.

“So?”

“So, it’s a really good club night, and it’s hard to get tickets. You’re going to really enjoy it once you get in. I promise. It’s a cheese night. They play Disney songs.”

“Hmm.” She plucked a shot off a plank, one that wasn’t hers, and threw it back. I looked around to check nobody had seen her, doing a quick table scan, and that’s when I saw him in the doorway.

“Oh my God,” I said, grasping her hands.

“What is it?” Jessica, noting my anxious jolt, sat up with me.

“Danny’s just arrived,” I whispered, pointing under the table, to his group of approaching friends.

“Which one’s Danny?”

“The one with the brown floppy hair, on the left, wearing the stripy blue shirt.”

Danny spotted our table, held his hands around his mouth, and made a dinosaur calling noise that made everyone laugh. They headed over while I became instantly aware of each placement of my hair, whether or not my breath smelled, if my mascara had got blobby, if my stomach was poking out in my top. “God, he is quite good-looking,” Jessica said.

And, I think I knew then, exactly what was going to happen.

“Remember to analyze him to see if he likes me,” I reminded her.

“Of course.” Though I watched her watch him as Danny diverted to the bar, returning laden with more trays of shots. “For the table!” he announced. “Sorry for being late! We were at the football social.”

He started hugging and high-fiving us in a row, and Jessica and I were last. I anticipated contact with him, hungry for the touch of his skin.

“Fern!”

“Hi, Danny Boy.” The smell of his neck was so intoxicating, I didn’t want to let go of our hug.