Maisie is sitting cross-legged in your mother's kitchen, reading a paperback as you work on a school science project. You're standing on one side of the kitchen island, whilst she's on a bar stool on the other side.

She's one year older than you, so she's already left school, but she's happy to sit with you whilst you work.

It's summer right now, but school starts again for you in about a week. You planned some dates for the sunny days, but today is rainy. She likes the way you think about the weather forecast.

Even with the rain though, Maisie's presence manages to somehow make the dull, grey kitchen feel so big and bright. She takes your breath away. Fills your head with dreams.

Your bag's already packed with your school books and the stuff you need. She wishes she could have so many more sleepovers, because she's barely been at her own house at all this summer.

She can't ask you to stay though, she knows that. School is important. But no one knows her better than you.

You show her how much love she deserves. She'd let you break her heart. And every day she wears the gold jewellery that you bought for her birthday that she loves so much.

As you work, you sing quietly to yourself, and she smiles softly in amusement, looking up from her book.

"How are you getting on with that, love?"