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I try to focus on Richard as he asks the receptionist where he can find Noah, but all I can think of is being six years old, holding my da’s hand as he walks me through the large, blindingly white corridors. The smell of disinfectant stinging my nose. The distant calls of strangers that put me on edge.

Rich speeds off, navigating the hospital signs until we find his dad Charlie, Jake, and Bailey in a waiting room. I stand awkwardly to the side while Charlie explains what happened.

I don’t hear a thing. My eyes dart to the patients’ rooms.

“Come on, Rob, your ma’s been excited to see you.” Da’s hand is large and warm as it surrounds mine.

I haven’t seen Ma in almost a week, and I have so much to tell her. I got a certificate in assembly yesterday for getting all my spellings right in a test, and Theo and Isla came over after school to play. Isla’s been learning how to plait her hair, and I let her practise on me while Theo and I played on the game console. My hair still has two plaits in it. I thought Isla did a good job, so I left them in to show Ma today.

The door opens, and my stomach flips as I rush into the room. “Ma, guess what—” I come to a sudden stop, and Da bumps into me. I look up at him, confused, but he’s smiling back at me.

I look at the woman, feeling strange. She has really short hair with some bald patches, and she looks really sick. I don’t like how it makes me feel, so I move behind Da, gripping his jacket tightly.

“Rob, tell your ma about your certificate,” he says softly.

“You got a certificate, Robbie? Did you bring it for me to see?” the woman asks.

I peek around Da’s side, curious, because she sounds just like my ma. My eyes search her face properly this time, and I recognise her blue eyes and the way she smiles at me. “Ma?”

“Yeah.” Her voice breaks a little, and she holds a hand out to me.

I shake my head, clinging to Da.

“Please, a stór …” she whispers.

“Please, Robbie.” A hand touches my arm, and I jump as I’m torn from my memories.

“What?”

“Can you come in with me? Everyone else has already been in to see him, and I …”

I nod before I’ve thought it through, moving on autopilot.

“Hey, Noah, I’m here,” Richard says, his voice wavering.

Noah looks lifeless. I knew I shouldn’t have come.

I stare at his chest as it moves up and down, my eyes following the wires and breathing tube in his nose. He looks far too small in the bed. His black curls splay out around his head, longer since the last time I saw him.

Noah’s storm-grey eyes flutter open, and I think both Richard and I breathe easier for the first time in eight hours.

“H-hey, Dick,” he rasps.

I look at Richard just in time to see his face switch from relief to rage. “What the hell were you doing?” he demands, keeping his voice low.

Noah blinks, confused, but Richard carries on, not letting him get a word in edgeways.

“You’re so fucking reckless, Noah. Do you think it doesn’t hurt us when you do shit like this?”

“What?” Noah frowns, trying to push himself upright on shaky arms.

“Rich,” I say, putting a hand on his shoulder.

He shakes me off and leans further into Noah, looming over him while he lies there, defenceless. I tense, not liking that one bit. I stay on alert, ready to drag Richard out of the room if I have to.

“It’s one thing after another with you. All the fights you started in school that I had to finish, getting in trouble and having the police bring you home, Bailey calling me in the middle of the night because you went to meet up with an older guy and didn’t come home.” He turns away, running a hand through his hair.

Noah doesn’t answer. He just glares at Richard.