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going out – because of what happened?’
    â€˜I don’t know.’
    â€˜It sucks.’
    â€˜I can’t help it, Alex.’
    â€˜I know. The whole thing is such a shit.’
    Evie nods.
    â€˜I mean, I don’t mean what you do or that sort of stuff. Youcan’t help it. I know that. It’s just everyone else, they’re so, so – pathetic the way they can’t handle what happened.’
    â€˜Alex, my mum can’t even handle it. She thinks I’m a freak.’
    Evie sees Antonia Cipri walk up to the library. Her steps are slow and cumbersome.
    â€˜It’s not like I had that many friends before,’ Evie says. ‘You and Poppy have always been my real friends. It’s not like I lost anything.’
    â€˜It doesn’t matter,’ sighs Alex. ‘It still sucks what they did.’
    Evie shrugs.
    â€˜I’d love to know who did it,’ hisses Alex.
    â€˜Why? It wouldn’t change anything.’
    They watch Antonia return from the library.
    â€˜Do you think it was her?’ asks Alex.
    â€˜Definitely not,’ Evie answers. ‘She’s not like that. You know, she’s so sad. I think I felt sorry for her, even before.’
    â€˜She seems to be on a permanent downer. Not, not, ’cause of –’
    â€˜Yeah, I know,’ Evie sighs. ‘She’s hardly been at school this term.’
    â€˜I hadn’t noticed.’
    How fortunate, Evie thinks. She will always be aware of Antonia.
    â€˜Maybe I won’t go to Taylor’s party, as a protest.’
    â€˜As if! You’ve never missed a party in your life. Remember you insisted on going to Tom Kessler’s ninth birthday even though you had the chickenpox?’
    â€˜Yes,’ laughs Alex. ‘I was so itchy. Remember, I had one in my –’
    â€˜Yes, I remember!’
    â€˜That was awful.’
    â€˜Go and have a rage, love. Just promise one thing?’
    â€˜What?’
    â€˜Give us all the goss. Okay?’
    â€˜Cross my heart.’
    Â 
    On Saturday morning, Evie gets up early. She washes her hair, shaves her legs and after trying on seven different outfits, settles for the faded jeans, a dusty pink petticoat she found at an antique store, Blundstones and a double-breasted pea-coat from an army disposal shop. She wants to look good but she’s not prepared to freeze. She twists her hair in a low bun, ties a fine piece of leather string around her neck and puts on some lip gloss. She smiles at her reflection saying, ‘Hi, Ben. I’m sorry I had to rush off last time. I, um …’
    She decides not to mention it.
    Nick looks up from his newspaper. ‘Where are you off to looking so gorgeous?’
    â€˜You’ll freeze,’ butts in Robin.
    â€˜I have a coat, Mum.’
    â€˜You’re not taking that shabby old coat, are you?’
    â€˜Clay figures, clay figures,’ Evie whispers.
    â€˜What happened to that lovely navy woollen jacket I bought you?’
    â€˜Ummm?’
    â€˜You never wear anything I buy you. It was so expensive and I –’
    â€˜Well, I’m off to the markets.’ Evie cuts her mother’s impending lecture.
    â€˜Do you want a lift?’ Nick asks.
    â€˜Only if you’re going up the street, Dad.’
    â€˜Rob, let’s go and have a coffee.’
    â€˜Nick, I have to catch a plane in two hours and I have twenty-seven essays to mark.’
    â€˜Come on, hon. We’ve got time.’
    â€˜Nick, if you want to take Evie to the markets, take her. But I don’t have to go too.’
    â€˜I thought it’d be nice to have a coffee together before you go away.’
    â€˜Dad, I’ll get the bus.’
    â€˜There we are, Nick. She says she’ll get the bus.’
    â€˜Well, I’d like to take her.’
    â€˜Nick, you can’t protect her forever.’
    He stands there staring at her. ‘I just offered her a bloody