Though she doesn't know any more about Regan's relationship with her brothers than the other girl knows about Rosie's relationship with her own, Rosie still feels a stab of sympathy when she sees them mentioned. It's difficult to be separated from family, even family you might not miss overmuch on any given day.

Yes, in England, she writes, then stops, tapping the eraser end of her pencil against her lips and considering her answer to Regan's other question. To say no is no more honest than saying yes would be; the true answer lies somewhere in the uncertain middle.

There are some things I miss and some things I don't. I had a neighbour there who was sort of a friend and I miss him (and his cat, even though Jenkins was always a bit grouchy), and I miss having a proper cup of tea, and I miss the parks and how beautiful the university buildings are. Every so often, I even miss my old school, even though the teachers here are much nicer and my classmates aren't all girls, like it was back home. Rosie draws a little smily face next to that, a simple dash of lines, before turning the paper around again.