‘He told you not to come back. He didn’t want anything of you left here.’ She said coldly, eyes looking everywhere but my face.

I shifted slightly, focusing on her, trying to understand what she was saying. This had been my home. For the first time in years I had a home and now it had all crumbled down around me.

‘What about you, you want rid of me too?’ The words sounded harsh, choked out through my bruised throat and past my fear at the answer she might give. Her hand drifted unconsciously to the bruise on her face and she stayed silent. Her eyes closed, eyebrows scrunching together as she fought with the thoughts in her mind. Her mouth opened but she quickly closed it again, shaking her head and turning away from me. She started to walk away but stopped and turned her head slightly as she gave me her reply.

‘Just go Shane, there’s nothing for you here.’

She pulled something out of her pocket and tossed it backwards onto the floor in front of me. I reached out and grabbed the envelope she had thrown, opening it carefully and reaching for the photos inside. I looked up, eyes full of tears and thanks, but she was gone.

I dragged myself out into the hall and through to David’s room. Cadie’s older brother, he was away at university. His stuff wouldn’t be missed, not for a while at least. I found a holdall and started stuffing in jeans, t-shirts, hoodies. Everything he had grown out of and left behind. The back of the closet provided some old sneakers and boots, a little too big for me, but close enough that they would stay on my feet. His old sleeping bag was shoved in a corner behind a stack of CDs. I’d met enough kids to know the things I would need.

I was working on autopilot, still too confused by everything to really pay attention to what I was doing. I needed to talk to her, sort out my head, say goodbye. Anything but leave things as they were. I was too afraid to think about what Jack had said or done after I left. He was a nice guy, those words running through my head again. He really was, and I never thought he could hurt Cadie like he had. It was all on me, this whole thing. I’d pushed him too far, reached out and held onto something worth so much more than me.