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going to discipline your staff?”
    â€œYou little bitch,” the younger man muttered, almost to himself.
    I shook my head at him menacingly. “One of them just called me a bitch.”
    There was a pause on the phone, a sigh… I wasn’t safe yet; I was so far from safe.
    Then the voice said, “ I think I know who you mean… What’s the number plate? Can you see? Are you okay, love? Or are they threatening you? ”
    I read off the number plate while they stood there, open-mouthed.
    Another pause. Then, “ Tell them they need to come into Head Office this afternoon. ”
    â€œNo, you tell them,” I replied. “And if they ever speak to me again, I will call the police.”
    I hung up and looked at them both squarely. Their faces furrowed. Like they were waking up from a dream, they shook their heads. Now was the most dangerous time… right now.
    â€œCome on, love, we were only joking. There’s no need to take it so far.”
    â€œIt was just a compliment,” the older one added. “Ring ’im back and tell him it was just a compliment.”
    â€œYou can take a compliment, can’t you?”
    I put my hands on my freezing-cold hips and stood strong.
    â€œIt wasn’t a compliment,” I said. “It was sexual harassment. I should be allowed to walk down a road without some men I don’t know letting me know whether they find me attractive or not. I should be allowed to wear whatever I want and walk wherever I want without being threatened or objectified, or even just bothered.”
    â€œFucking whore,” the younger one muttered.
    â€œCareful,” I shouted, holding up the photo of them on my phone. Just as I did it, the older man’s phone started ringing. “You don’t get to make me, or any other girl, feel like I did yesterday ever again. Gotit?” I said, almost growling.
    He looked genuinely scared. It tasted amazing, the victory on my tongue. He was finally feeling how I felt yesterday – scared, helpless, confused as to why this was happening to him. He answered his phone.
    â€œJohn? John?” He turned away and signalled for his colleague to do the same. “John, no! She’s just some crazy bitch who can’t handle a compliment…”
    I dodged past the open van door and walked away, leaving them behind me.
    â€œCome into the office, why? What? Are you being serious?”
    Every part of me wanted to run. To put as much distance between me and their anger as possible.
    But I didn’t run down the road.
    I walked.
    And I smiled.

eight
    I had philosophy first thing.
    I breezed in, two minutes before the bell, and everyone stared. I was too high to care.
    I usually sit next to Jane and Joel, but today I scooted in next to Mike.
    â€œHi, Mike,” I said, way too friendly. “How’s tricks?”
    â€œLottie!” He looked up from his textbook. It was open at the page I’d read last night – he’d highlighted the train question in yellow.
    I will not be the sort of person who flicks the switch.
    â€œI’m all right,” he said. “Though this module is kicking my butt.” He ran his hands through his blond Draco-Malfoy hair then clocked my outfit. His eyebrows shot up his face.
    Ignoring him, I dumped my stuff out onto my desk.
    â€œOkay, so this is going to sound totally strange, but why did you steal my point yesterday, Mike?” I asked.
    His eyebrows danced higher. “What?”
    â€œMy analogy about philosophy,” I continued. “Yesterday you copied it and pretended it was yours. Everyone laughed and gave you the credit? Remember?”
    He looked at me like I was truly nuts. But I wasn’t. And even if I was – it was his nuts that had made me nuts.
    â€œI honestly have no idea what you’re talking about,” Mike said, but the confusion had vanished from his face and it was getting red, glowing against