‘I know.’ Her whispers strained into an excitable hiss. ‘And then Max was like, “Watch where you’re going,” and shoved him back. And Jason grabbed Max’s collar and said, “You stay out of my way,” or something like that. But anyway, by this point Jackie had inserted herself between them, and then this other customer escorted Max out of the café and apparently he was going on about “You’ll hear from my lawyer”， or something.’
‘Sounds like Max,’ Pip said, pushing the words through her gritted teeth. She shivered. The air felt different now she knew he’d been here too. Stuffy. Cold. Tainted. Little Kilton was just not big enough for both of them.
‘Naomi’s been wondering what to do about Max,’ Cara continued, so quiet you couldn’t even call it a whisper any more. ‘Whether she should go to the police, tell them about New Year 2012 – you know, the hit-and-run. Even though she’ll get in trouble, she’s saying at least it will get Max in trouble too, as he was the one driving. Maybe it’s a way of putting him behind bars, at least for a short while, so he can’t hurt anyone else. And put an end to this ridiculous lawsuit thi—’
‘No,’ Pip cut across her. ‘Naomi can’t go to the police. It won’t work. She’ll only be hurting herself and nothing will happen to him. Max will win again.’
‘But at least the truth will be out and Naomi –’
‘The truth doesn’t matter,’ Pip said, digging her nails into her thigh. The Pip from last year wouldn’t recognize this one today. That lively-eyed girl and her school project, na?vely clinging to the truth, wrapping it around herself like a blanket. But the Pip sitting here was a different person and she knew better. The truth had burned her too many times; it couldn’t be trusted. ‘Tell her not to, Cara. She didn’t hit that man and she didn’t want to leave him, she was coerced. Tell her I promise I will get him. I don’t know how, but I will do it. Max will get exactly what he deserves.’
Ravi stretched an arm around Pip’s shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. ‘Or, you know, instead of revenge plots, we could focus our energy on going off to university in a few weeks,’ he said brightly. ‘You haven’t even picked out a new duvet set; I’m told that’s a very important milestone.’
Pip knew that Ravi and Cara had just flashed each other a look. ‘I’m fine,’ she said.
Cara looked like she was about to say something more, but her eyes drew up as the bell jangled above the café door. Pip turned to follow her gaze. If it was Max Hastings, she didn’t know what she might do, she – ‘Ah, hello gang,’ said a voice Pip knew well.
Connor Reynolds. She smiled and waved at him. But it wasn’t just Connor, Jamie was here too, closing the café door with another chime of the bell. He spotted Pip a moment later and a grin split his face, wrinkling his freckled nose. Frecklier now, after the summer. And she would know; she’d spent that entire week he was missing studying photos of his face, searching his eyes for answers.
‘Fancy seeing you guys here,’ Jamie said, overtaking Connor as he strolled towards their table. He placed a fleeting hand on Pip’s shoulder. ‘Hey, how’re you doing? Can I get you guys a drink or something?’
Sometimes Pip saw that same look in Jamie’s eyes too, haunted by Stanley’s death and the parts they’d both played in it. A burden they would always share. But Jamie hadn’t been there when it happened, he didn’t have blood on his hands – not in the same way.
‘Why is it whenever I’m on shift, the whole bloody circus turns up?’ Cara said. ‘Do you guys think I’m lonely or something?’
‘No, mate.’ Connor flicked her topknot. ‘We think you need the practise.’
‘Connor Reynolds, I swear to god if you order one of those iced pumpkin macchiatos today, I will murder you dead.’
‘Cara,’ Jackie called cheerily from behind the counter. ‘Remember lesson number one: we don’t threaten to kill customers.’
‘Even if they’re ordering the most complicated thing just to annoy you?’ Cara stood up, with an exaggerated side-eye at Connor.
‘Even then.’
Cara growled, calling Connor a ‘Basic White Bitch,’ under her breath as she made her way towards the counter. ‘One iced pumpkin macchiato coming up,’ she said, with the fakest of enthusiasms.
‘Made with love, I hope,’ Connor laughed.