Shortlisted for the 2021 Text Prize

When Dale stumbles into a bedroom at a party and sees a drunk girl being undressed by a group of guys, he backs away and runs. He’s pretty drunk himself, but he knows what he saw.

Why didn’t he stop them? Why did he run?

These questions haunt him. He wants to make things right but he doesn’t know how.

There’s no way he can talk to his dad. His mum walked out months ago. And his best friend, Kieran, wouldn’t understand. Dale’s not even sure Kieran would see a problem with what happened. Kieran is so casual about sex. And drugs. And life in general. The opposite of Dale.

Then Max arrives, Dale’s cousin. She’s older, smart, cool—with her own perspective on Dale’s problem, and her own problems. And there’s Brent. He’s a year older than Dale, and hot — everything Dale is looking for, but will he have the answers Dale is looking for?