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He’s 6 foot 3 and all muscle, with short brown hair, and dimples that his parents definitely paid for.

Ethan sits on Tiffany’s right, the dutiful boyfriend, and she incessantly plays with his hair, as if marking her territory.

The three of them are surrounded by a small group who make up the school’s wealthiest elite.

Either it was a remarkable coincidence that they all ended up in Hawthorn or, more likely, cleverly engineered by the quiet exchange of their parents’ money.

These kids are simultaneously the most popular and most hated.

Nobody likes them, and yet everyone wants to be liked by them.

Cameron is the only member of the elite in Sycamore.

Apparently something to do with his politician father’s insistence on ‘healthy sibling rivalry’.

That, and it’s rumoured that Ethan has always been the favourite.

His father allegedly called the day Cameron came out ‘a PR nightmare’ and, while there’s always been a lot of false rumours flying around this place, to me that one has the ring of truth.

‘I can’t believe it’s all over,’ Bec says with a heavy sigh, placing a hand on the glass.

‘I knew this day was coming, but now it’s actually here …’

‘There’ll be time to get weepy when we actually leave tomorrow,’ Chase replies.

‘Yeah, but today’s the last official day.

There’s no more celebration after this.’

‘We’ll see each other over the summer.

What about Zach’s birthday?’

‘Oh, that doesn’t count.’

‘OK, wow.’ I snort.

‘Why don’t you tell me how you really feel?’

‘You know I didn’t mean it like that,’ she says.

‘How long till your birthday anyway?’

‘Five days,’ I reply.

I’ve been counting down for a while now.

‘It feels like I’ve been seventeen forever.

It’s weird to think I’ll officially be an adult.’

‘An adult who still can’t grow facial hair?’

teases Bec.

‘I can grow facial hair.’ I scratch at my chin.

‘I just choose not to.’

Chase smiles.

‘Sure you do. I can lend you some of my hormones if you like?’

‘Can you imagine if the papers heard you say that?’ Bec laughs.

‘ Drug-pushing Transgender Immigrant! ’ Chase frames the headline in front of us.

‘Making the front pages twice before leaving school would be quite the accomplishment …’

‘Don’t even joke!’

I groan, remembering the hell he was put through last year.

Chase made national front-page news when he moved over to the boys’ dorm and somebody allegedly complained that him being in the bathroom ‘made them uncomfortable’.

It was an entirely made-up story, of course.

Chase has always preferred his privacy, so uses the accessible bathroom.

He even had permission from the school.

Nobody was bothered or inconvenienced, as there aren’t any students with disabilities on our floor, but that part was conveniently left out.

‘I still can’t believe Tiffany got away with planting that story,’ Bec says.

‘Well, we can’t prove it was her, so …’

‘Her father literally owns the paper, but sure …’

‘Even if we had proof,’ Chase says, ‘then what? The school’s hardly gonna do anything about it.

Imagine what Daddy would print then!’

‘Yeah, but at least we could expose all her bullshit hypocrite advocacy,’ Bec says.

‘That post on Trans Day of Visibility? “ In solidarity with my trans brothers and sisters! ” Give me an actual break. She will do literally anything to gain followers. Imagine how they’d react if they knew what she was really like …’

‘That sounds like a war I do not want to get into,’ Chase says.

‘I’m just glad it’s over.

We’ll never have to see her again after tonight.

She can fade into obscurity for all I care.’

‘ Fade into obscurity? ’ Bec scoffs.

‘With her connections? She’ll be making headlines until the day she dies.

And then one of her devil spawn will take over.

You know her and Ethan are already talking kids?’

‘Well, that’s ridiculous,’ says Chase.

‘They’re barely even eighteen!’

‘It’s not just them,’ she says.

‘I heard Kellen talking about marriage the other day.’

‘Marriage?’ I choke.

‘That’s ridiculous.’

I scan the room for him and see him heading down the stairs.

He looks like a younger Keiynan Lonsdale, all flawless skin and perfect cheekbones.

He’s got 24/7 resting bitch face, but when he smiles?

I can totally see why Rhys is into him.

He has a spring in his step today, and I don’t know why, but it irritates me.

He’s Sycamore, so he should be on our side of the room, but he heads into enemy territory, wrapping his arms round Rhys’s giant shoulders and laughing loudly at one of Tiffany’s jokes.

In return, she gives him a smile that comes nowhere near her eyes.

‘Astonishing. You could almost believe she likes him,’ Chase says.

‘Forced to fraternize with us lower classes,’ Bec replies.

‘I bet she’s furious with Rhys for slumming it.

Very unbecoming.’

They’re right.

You can practically see her clench from all the way over here.

Kellen is a scholarship student, like Bec, and if it wasn’t for him being coupled up with Rhys, there’s no way the rest of the elite would tolerate him.

‘And yet she has to accept the relationship or she’ll seem homophobic,’ Chase says.

‘That girl is made to be a politician. She knows the game and how to play it.’

‘She’ll slip up eventually,’ I say.

‘Every politician has their downfall. It’s inevitable.’

‘We can but hope.’ Bec shrugs.

‘Anyway. Enough about them . This day’s supposed to be about us .

Any idea what you guys are gonna write yet?’

She nods to the tattered old yearbook behind the glass before us.

It’s an Oakbrook tradition dating back more than a century.

Each year, for one night only, the headmaster (and it’s always been a ‘master’ – go, patriarchy!) takes it out of its cabinet so that the leaving class can write a message, and read those of the many that came before.

‘I wanna see what’s in there first,’ Chase says.

‘Like, is it meaningful words or just vulgar messages and gushing declarations of love?’

‘It’s probably the latter,’ I say.

‘I bet the kids in 1925 weren’t really all that different to us.

I’m sure it’s just pages and pages of “ Melanie loves Thomas ” and cartoon drawings of questionably large dicks.’

Humanity seems to have an obsession with those.

I’ve visited the British Museum.

I’ve seen the ancient crockery.

‘Well, I’m leaving a quote,’ Bec says.

‘Some song lyrics or something.’

‘You are not going to quote Taylor Swift in a one-hundred-year-old book,’ Chase says, scandalized.

‘Watch me! It’s supposed to be like a time capsule.

There’s probably lyrics in there from Elvis and Springsteen, and quotes from old black-and-white movies.

The point is to capture how it feels to be right here, right now.

So I think Taylor lyrics are entirely appropriate, actually .

I quite like the idea of kids looking back at this in another hundred years and trying to imagine what it was like to be a Swiftie.’

‘I’m sure that’s exactly what they’ll be thinking,’ Chase says.

‘You really think Oakbrook will still be here in a hundred years?’

Bec nods.

‘If we’ve not been killed by climate change.’

‘Or enslaved by malicious AI!’ Chase adds cheerily.

‘What a comforting thought,’ I say, imagining killer robots tearing through the dining hall, the class of 2056 fleeing for their lives.

Maybe I do watch too many movies.

I see Josh and Owen entering the hall then, heading down the stairs and parting ways to join their houses.

Josh is with us in Sycamore, and Owen is over in Hawthorn.

They’re the only two students who truly don’t seem to care about the house rivalry.

Like a modern-day Romeo and Juliet, except with less romance and significantly fewer stabbings.

Owen doesn’t really belong with Hawthorn anyway.

Like Bec and Kellen, he’s on a scholarship, and, with no Rhys Pass, most of them treat him like dirt.

They openly make fun of his size and his general clumsiness, but the irony is that if he wasn’t such a gentle giant he could easily flatten any one of them.

That’s the thing about Oakbrook – here, it doesn’t really matter how big and tough you are.

Money is power within these walls, and those without it are made sure they don’t forget it.

‘It’s gotta be one of them,’ Chase says as I watch Josh sit down with Cameron.

‘Huh?’ Bec says. ‘Who’s gotta be one of what?’

‘Someone voted Zach for hottest boy.’

‘Oh my God, I saw!’

‘Did you also see you won hottest girl?’ I grin.

‘I saw that Tiffany won hottest girl,’ she says.

‘And then the results magically changed about an hour ago.’ She looks at Chase.

‘Your handiwork, I assume?’

He smirks.

‘I don’t know what you’re talking about.’

Bec smiles back at him.

‘So this secret admirer, Zach? It has to be Josh, right?’

‘We were kinda hoping for lover boy over there,’ Chase says, nodding in Cameron’s direction.

I can’t take my eyes off him.

He and Josh are whispering now, and I swear they just glanced over in our direction.

Surely they’re not actually talking about me?

‘Can we just not?’ I finally say.

I’m getting carried away.

I don’t want Chase and Bec putting ideas in my head.

‘Let’s forget it. I feel like someone’s just trying to fuck with me.

Get my hopes up just to smash them right back down again.’

‘That’s ridiculous,’ Bec says.

‘Keep those hopes sky-high, Zachary. Someone’s into you!

And it’s gotta be one of the boys.

Right, Chase? The girls wouldn’t waste their vote on a gay guy.

They’d vote for someone they actually thought they had a shot with.’

‘Exactly,’ says Chase.

‘It’s either Josh or Cameron.

It has to be. Unless it’s one of the “straight” boys.

You know what they say …

everyone’s a little gay at private school.’

We all laugh at that, but I don’t actually think there’s any truth in it.

I doubt anyone’s actually closeted at Oakbrook.

This place has a long list of problems but, surprisingly, homophobia isn’t one of them.

Tiffany’s transphobia aside, people are generally free to be themselves without worrying about the consequences.

I’ve not heard anyone yell ‘ backs against the wall ’ since I got here.

It’s a much-needed change from my last school.

Things were very different there.

So when Mum’s business took off, and I was handed a fancy brochure offering me a ‘new life’ and a ‘better education’, it was the lifeline that I needed.

I joined after the start of the school year, so everyone already had a room-mate, and I ended up in a double room by myself.

I found it hard to make friends at first, but then Chase came out and moved over to the boys’ dorm, and we’ve been best friends ever since.

Me, Bec, Chase and Kellen.

That’s how it used to be anyway, but four became three when Rhys entered the picture.

Things haven’t really been the same since.

‘Think fast!’ Ethan yells, snapping me out of my thoughts.

He stands up from the table and hurls a rugby ball across the hall at Owen.

It lands directly in the plate of food in front of him, spattering his T-shirt to the sound of sniggering laughter.

‘So much for last-day camaraderie,’ Bec says.

‘They’re supposed to be a team.’

‘Are we really that surprised at Ethan being an asshole?’ I watch as he laughs along with his friends.

I glance across at Cameron, who’s now glaring at his brother.

‘I feel bad for Owen,’ Chase says.

‘You just know he’s going to be the target later.’

‘Shit, I forgot about that,’ I say.

‘I hate to say it, but I think you’re probably right.’

He’s talking about the leaver’s prank – a severely messed-up Hawthorn tradition.

Every year at prom, they carry out some toxic prank on an unsuspecting victim.

Generally cruel and intended to humiliate.

Usually a scholarship kid.

Always someone who can’t fight back.

‘We should probably warn him,’ Chase says.

‘I don’t wanna be the bearer of bad news or anything – nobody wants to hear that they’re a walking target – but …’

‘I heard they’re going to strip someone naked and throw them in the lake,’ Bec says.

‘Wow, so imaginative.’ Chase rolls his eyes.

‘Nothing says last day of school like sexual assault! Must have taken them hours of brainstorming to come up with that one. At least they’ve moved on from the stupid pig’s blood thing they usually do.’

‘ Vegan pig’s blood,’ Bec corrects him.

‘Beetroot and I don’t wanna know what else …

Apparently it stinks .’

‘Literally the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard,’ I say.

‘So now bullying is fine so long as it’s vegan?

And did they not actually watch Carrie ?

A film about a kid who’s bullied so badly she decides to murder her classmates.

They thought that’s an idea they should copy?’

‘Apparently it originated here,’ Bec says.

‘That’s where Stephen King got the idea.’

‘He did not ,’ I say.

‘The master of horror absolutely did not steal one of his most iconic ideas from a random British private school.’

‘Well, when you put it like that …’

‘Besides,’ I say.

‘In Carrie , it’s a reference to menstruation!

That’s why it’s so hateful.

Here they’re just dunking gloop over someone for no reason.’

I look across at Kellen reapplying lip gloss while Tiffany insists that everyone admire her nails.

‘Kellen must know what they’re plotting.

Why doesn’t he say something?’

‘I doubt he’s in on it, Zach.’

Bec shakes her head.

‘And, even if he is, would you say something if you were in his position? That boy is like a tuna in a shark tank.’

‘He chose the shark tank!’ I say indignantly.

‘It’s not like anyone forced him in.’

‘He’s just lovestruck.’

Bec shrugs. ‘He’s dating the hottest guy in school.

Can you really blame him for getting caught up in that?’

‘For the last time, Rhys is not the hottest guy in school,’ I snap.

‘How does an eighteen-year-old even get muscles like that anyway? I bet he’s taking steroids.’

‘He is not taking steroids, Zach.’ Chase laughs.

‘He’s just down in the gym every morning, while you’ve still got your hand down your pants.’

‘He’s got you there!’

Bec laughs. ‘Though I bet you could beat him in an arm-wrestle. They do say it’s all in the wrist .’

She does the jerk-off gesture for good measure.

‘Very funny.’ I follow them to join the Sycamore table.

We sit a few seats down from Cameron and Josh, and I can’t help but steal a couple of glances.

They’re talking about their prom outfits and Josh is catastrophizing.

Cameron is idly playing with his hair as he listens.

I could actually pass out from how cute he is.

‘You need to do something to get his attention,’ Bec says, noticing me staring.

‘Yeah?’ I don’t take my eyes off Cameron.

‘He’s ultra sporty …

maybe if I put myself forward as team captain?’

‘Absolutely not,’ Chase says.

‘Have you actually lost your mind?’

‘Yeah, I don’t mean to be rude,’ Bec adds, ‘but sport isn’t exactly your forte.’

‘Well, thanks for the vote of confidence!’

‘I love this energy, Zach. I really and truly do.’ Bec sighs.

‘But maybe try something that doesn’t screw the rest of us over?

I still wanna win today.’

‘Just because I’m not semi-professional like you two!’

‘Remember when you fell over trying to kick a football? Twice, Zach.’

‘It was slippery!’ I say.

‘And I wasn’t wearing the right shoes.’

‘Mmm-hmm.’ Chase nods.

‘I’m sure that’s what it was.’

Bec laughs. ‘There’s other ways to get his attention, Zach.’

‘Like, dare I suggest … talking to him?’ Chase adds.

‘And saying what?’

‘Just have a normal human conversation maybe?’

‘I’m not very good at those …’

Last time I tried to talk to Cameron, I gave him a lecture on the questionable ethics of fish farms. All he’d said was, ‘How are you?’

‘Oh God.’ Bec is suddenly distracted by something behind me.

I turn to see Tiffany heading right for us, her ponytail swishing with the precision of a scalpel.

‘What does she want?’ Chase says, gritting his teeth.

We all go silent as we brace ourselves for impact.

Three, two –

‘So I think congratulations are in order,’ Tiffany says brightly, smile fixed and unfaltering.

Everyone around us falls silent.

‘ Hottest girl … and Most likely to win gold at the Olympics …’ She reads from her pastel-pink phone.

‘You really did well, Bec.’

‘Thanks,’ she replies coldly, not giving Tiffany the satisfaction.

‘Though it’s funny –’ she ploughs on, her voice climbing up an octave – ‘Ethan said he could have sworn he saw my name against those results. Can you imagine? He said it was like they changed before his very eyes! Whatever could have caused such a thing?’

Chase sighs.

‘Let’s save ourselves the time, shall we?

Yes, I changed the results.

But you already know that, don’t you?

That’s why you’re over here doing this silly little routine.’

Tiffany’s smile twists into something more sinister.

‘So you admit it then?’

‘I saw that you’d won practically every single category.

So, yeah. I fixed it.’

‘I wouldn’t expect anything less from our resident hacker.’

She says it like he’s a criminal.

‘You really care that much about some silly little poll? Kind of sad, isn’t it?’

‘Almost as sad as creating fake accounts to vote for yourself.’

Tiffany scoffs.

‘It’s always accusations with you, isn’t it?’

‘No smoke without fire.’

‘And yet you never have any proof.’ She shrugs.

‘Doesn’t matter anyway.

I’m still gonna win Prom Queen.

That’s why we did that vote by paper ballot.

So your meddling cyber fingers can’t get at the results.

Democracy in action!’

‘You really think I care about who’s crowned tonight?’

Chase laughs. ‘I mean, it would have been nice to see Kellen and Rhys make history. The first same-sex couple to take the crowns! A real friend would bow out of the competition. Be an ally. Let them have it. I mean, Rhys is your best friend, isn’t he?

Or is that just for the likes?’

‘Of course he’s my friend,’ Tiffany snarls.

‘And that’s exactly why I’m giving them fair competition.

That’s the problem with people like you.

You want everything handed to you.

Well, not in my world.

I’m not going to patronize them by letting them win.’

‘No, far better to steal the crowns from under them,’ Chase says.

‘I’m sure you’ve already found a way to do that.’

He’s really on a roll today.

I hate to give Tiffany credit, but she’s hard to go toe to toe with.

‘So what was it this time? Blackmailed Mr Harrington? Bribed half the student body?’

‘How dare you –’

The sound of the double doors opening interrupts them and we all turn to see a tall Black woman striding into the room.

‘For what reason is it this hot?’ she demands of nobody in particular, and the hall falls silent.

Tiffany glares at Chase before sweeping back to her table.

Miss Madzikanda has a way of commanding a room just with her presence.

She’s the ‘head games mistress’ (which is rich-people talk for ‘PE teacher’) and she’s always been my favourite because she’s the only teacher at Oakbrook that doesn’t play favourites.

It’s rumoured she was on scholarship back when she was a student here, and I think that’s why she doesn’t bend to the rich kids.