Now as Callie drove down the dark freeway, she struggled to stay focused on the road. Having him right there beside her made her skin crawl and her stomach convulse. She kept scratching at her neck, her chest, her arms, harder and harder each time. Her nail digging into her flesh. Her entire body was screaming at her to get as far away from him as possible, but there was no way to widen the gap between them. And every time he moved, she would flinch.

She was praying that he wouldn’t dare do anything with the two of them there in the car with him.

‘You’re a great driver,’ said Tony. ‘Really smooth.’

Callie didn’t respond.

‘She went through a stop sign with Dad once,’ Tara supplied from the backseat.

Tony twisted around. ‘Oy, you dobbing on your big sister?’ he said.

Callie saw him wink at Tara and she wanted to reach across and scratch his eyes out.

‘Yes,’ Tara said with a giggle.

Don’t laugh at him, Callie wanted to say. He’s revolting.

‘Hey Tara,’ said Tony, still facing the back. ‘I hear you give great back massages to your parents. Reckon I can get one when we get up to Nords? My shoulders have been killing me.’

Callie felt bile creep up her throat. ‘No!’ she said at the same time as Tara said, ‘Yeah, sure!’

Tony turned back to the front and reached out a hand to pat Callie’s thigh. ‘You okay, there?’ he asked. ‘You’re sounding a little stressed.’

She wanted to bat his hand away but she didn’t know how to do it without upsetting Tara. Tears stung the back of her eyes. ‘I’m fine.’

She thought of Jordan. Sweet Jordan who had tried to kiss her for the very first time last week after the musical evening. He’d found her outside after she’d said goodbye to her family, when she was about to head home with Peyton. After she’d whispered to Tara that yes, actually, he was her boyfriend but be chill about it, please! Making Tara laugh.

Sweet Jordan who’d grabbed her hand and pulled her away from Peyton. ‘Can we talk . . . just for one second before you have to go?’ he’d asked.

Peyton had smirked and then darted away to give them privacy.

Lovely, kind Jordan, whose features had become stunned and then hurt when, moments later, she’d lurched away from him. ‘Don’t touch me!’