“Clover! I had no idea you were so worried. You should have said something. It’s your old friend Cliona, right? The girl who betrayed you?”

Clover stops painting her nails, twists the tiny brush back into the bottle, and looks at me, her eyes twinkling with tears. “What if I bump into her in college?” Her eyes widen. “Or him? I’d die.”

“Him? Who are you talking about, Clover?”

She gives a deep, raggedy sigh. “Kendall.” Tears start spilling down her cheeks. “Seeing them together will kill me.”

“Together?”

She nods, wiping the tears away with her fingers. “Cliona and Kendall were seeing each other, behind my back. That’s why Cliona and I aren’t friends anymore. I lost my boyfriend and my best friend in one fell swoop. I thought I was over it, but it still hurts so much.”

I’m genuinely shocked. Clover and Cliona were like me and Mills — inseparable. And Kendall was Clover’s first proper boyfriend; they were together for over three years. I can’t believe he’d do such a thing, especially after everything Clover went through. Clover’s mum (my gran) died nearly five years ago, and Kendall came to the funeral. He sat beside Clover and held her hand during the service — stayed with her the whole day, in fact. I remember thinking, When I’m older, I want a boyfriend just like Lucas Kendall.

“I can’t believe you didn’t tell me he cheated on you!” I say. “You said it was a mutual decision, that your lives were going in different directions.”

“I lied,” she says simply. “I couldn’t face telling you the truth. The fact is he betrayed me — they both did — the night of his seventeenth birthday. Kendall was having this huge party in a tent in his garden. A DJ and everything. It wasn’t supposed to start till eight, but I decided I’d get there early to surprise him. I wanted to give him his present before everyone started arriving. I knew he was getting a car for his birthday, so I’d bought him a GPS. Cost me a fortune. Anyway, I went straight round the back and walked into the tent, and there they were: Kendall and Cliona, their arms wrapped around each other, kissing.”

I gasp. “No! That’s horrible.”

“Tell me about it. I felt like I’d been stabbed. I got such a fright, I dropped the GPS. They must have heard it smash on the floor, because they both spun around. And do you know what Cliona did when she saw me, Beanie? She smiled. Just for a split second — but it was still a smile. I think she wanted me to catch them. Wanted for it all to be out in the open.”

“And then?” I ask, transfixed.

“Kendall started apologizing: saying how sorry he was, how he’d never meant for it to happen. I asked him how long it had been going on, and Cliona answered for him. A month, she said. And then I really lost it. I told him he was a useless good-for-nothing, and I threw the shattered GPS at him and stormed out.”

“Yikes. Did you hit him?”

“No, but I wish I had. Stupid pig.”

I whistle and shake my head. “That’s quite a story, Clover. I guessed you must have had some sort of falling-out with Cliona — one minute you guys were best buddies, and then you suddenly stopped talking completely — but you never wanted to discuss it, so I figured the subject was off-limits. But this . . .” I trail off. “It’s horrible. She’s some piece of work. And as for Kendall, I don’t know what to say. I know how much you liked him.” I put my arm around her shoulders.

“I loved him, Beanie. Really, really loved him.” She leans against me and starts sobbing; her eyes are waterfalls of tears, and snot is coming from her nose. I’ve never seen her in such a state — it’s very unnerving.

“It’ll be OK, Clover.” I hand her a tissue from my bedside table.

“How?” she wails. “How will it be OK? Knowing every time I turn a corner they might be there, holding hands, just waiting to laugh at me, is driving me crazy.”

“Maybe they’re not together anymore.”

She sniffs and blows her nose. “They are.”

“How do you know?”

“Headcount. I’ve been checking their profiles.” (Headcount is the new Facebook. You can find out all kinds of things about people, and, unlike Facebook, you don’t have to be a “friend” to search the info.)

“I’m so sorry, Clover.” I give her a squeeze, not knowing what else to do.

“Me too.” Her eyes well up again, and she dabs at them. Then she takes a deep breath. “Funny — it’s the first time I’ve actually cried about the whole Kendall drama-rama. What a mess. It’s too late to change colleges, and besides Trinity has one of the best English courses in the country. But seeing the two of them holding hands in the corridor might just tip me over the edge. I really don’t want to go. Any advice for me?”

“But you have Brains now,” I point out gently.

“I know. It still hurts, though.”

“You can’t shipwreck your whole college career because of two nasty, deceitful eejits, Clover. You just can’t. If you drop out, they’ve won. Maybe it will always hurt a bit, but you have to move on.”

“Move on? How exactly, Beanie? The mere thought of bumping into them makes my stomach churn.”

She looks so sad and anxious — I know I have to do something. The question is what? This one has me stumped — maybe some problems really are too big to be fixed. But this is Clover’s life we’re talking about. I have to help her!

“I’ll think of something,” I tell her. “And that’s a promise. But in the meantime, you’re going to college, and that’s that. I’ll drag you in myself, if I have to.”

“At least my toes look bootiful,” she says with a glum smile.

Her mobile bleeps then, and she reads the message. “Siúcra ducra” — she slaps her head with her palm —“the teen surf gods photo shoot! I was supposed to be on Killiney Beach ten minutes ago. Would you be a doll and write up Frizzy’s answer and file it straight to Saffy when you’re finished? I’m so over deadline, it’s scary biscuits. You have Saffy’s e-mail address, right?” She slides her feet carefully into her flip-flops. “I’ll be forever yours, Beanie. I’m so behind with everything. Saffy wanted this surfing piece like yesterday, and I haven’t even done the research yet.”

I roll my eyes and smile. “OK, just this once.”

I’m actually quite excited. It’s the first time Clover’s let me file a piece without checking it over first.

“Coola boola. Sorry for burdening you with all my woes. You feeling a bit brighter yourself now, babes?”

I nod — compared to Clover’s problems, mine are gnat-size. “Thanks for coming over.”

“You’re more than welcome. And I’m sure Mills will snap out of it soon — try not to fret.” She kisses her fingers and waves them at me. “Toodle-oo, babes.” She runs out of the door, then stops and dashes back in again.

“I told you about Friday night, right?” she asks.

“No.”

She gives a laugh. “I’m such a scatterbrain at the moment. I’ll pick you up at seven. Tell Sylvie I’m taking you out for pizza. But wear something hot! And there’s a slot for Mills, if you can tempt her away from lover-boy.” She lowers her voice. “And put on your dancing shoes. The girls are going capital O-U-T!”