“You’re such wusses,” remarks Sinclair as he pushes past us with a bottle and a bag of crisps.
“Just ignore him,” says Henry.
“Has Grace gone home?” I ask, regretting it that very second. God, what’s that got to do with me?
Henry hesitates a moment. He’s probably wondering the same thing. But then he nods. “Yeah, she was tired. She’s not really the type for midnight parties.”
“But you are?”
He grins. “You just mustn’t go to sleep beforehand, that’s the trick.”
“That’s where we both went wrong, I guess.”
“Looks like it.” He smiles. “How’s your week been?”
He has to ask that. He’s school captain and a prefect, and it’s not like he’s personally interested. I can’t forget that.
“Stressful, but good,” I say.Stay calm, Emma. It’s perfectly simple.
“Lots to take in, huh?”
Oh, God, there’s no way I can stay calm if he’s going to look at me like that—the hint of a smile on his lips and his head slightly to one side.
“You could say that.”
The music goes off, and we turn at the same time.
My blood runs cold. Did the teachers hear the noise of the party? Are they on their way? But the others are still chatting, unfazed.
“Who’s going to take over the music?” Sinclair looks around. He catches Henry’s eye. “Not you.”
I laugh as he pulls a face. “Why not him?” I ask.
Sinclair looks like he’d been waiting for that question. “He listens to the stuff at the top of the charts.”
I frown. “So? So do I sometimes...”
“No, not sometimes, Emma,” says Sinclair. “Always. All fucking day.”
“You only listen to chart stuff?” I ask Henry.
“And the top one hundred on Spotify sometimes.”
“Which is basically the same thing,” murmurs Sinclair.
“But why? I don’t get it,” I say.
“I don’t get it either,” says Sinclair. He turns to me. “I’m telling you, count yourself lucky your room’s in the other wing.”
“Hey, I practically always have headphones on,” Henry says.
“Yeah, but I still see it in your friend feed on Spotify. Minging.”
“But Emma can do that from the girls’ wing too, if she adds me.”
“Oh, yeah, true. Whatever. Anyway, it’s a disgrace.”
“Hey, that’s taste-shaming.” Henry sounds genuinely insulted.
