We stood before I turned back to my 'meal'. I drained it. Every last drop. Then I turned back to Pearl.

'You know what time it is?'

She consulted her phone screen.

'Nearly one.'

'You should go to bed.'

'So should you.'

'I don't need to.'

'Hm.' She snorted. 'I should've known!'

We had school the next day, she couldn't be falling asleep.

'I'll walk you home.' I offered. She looked stubborn, before seeing my point and giving in, allowing me to lead her away.

'What do you do with that?'

I knew what she was referring to.

'Leave it.' I walked faster; she had to run to keep up. Once we were where I deemed safe, I slowed, Pearl was out of breath. 'Not something I have to worry about.' I winked.

'You're lucky!'

'No, I'm not. This ain't the great life, you know.'

'You never have to die. That must be good.'

'Not when you have nothing to live for.'

'You have me now.' She smiled innocently and I thought, for the thousandth time how much like Toby she was.

'So trusting and innocent.'

'Yes. I do.'

There was a silence for a short time, only time to take about six steps, before Pearl spoke again.

'Who are you?'

'You what?'

She grinned, she loved the way I talked and that made me feel good.

'Who are you, really?'

'Oh. I understand you.' I checked the street, all clear. 'I really am Anna. Anna Lovett. That really is my name.'

'I thought you made it up, as you must have to change it sometimes.'

'Yeah, I do. Back to being me for now, though.'

'Ahh, see, I thought you got it from like 'Sweeney Todd and Mrs Lovett', kind of appropriate, really. You know, eating people and all.'

'No.' The next part I blurted out without thinking 'they chose it for me.'

Pearl stopped.

'What?'

'Pearl keep walking. I'm covered in blood here!'

'Sorry, but what do you mean they chose it for you?'

'I didn't choose my name, did i? My parents chose it!'

'So, your parents are…'

'Oh God, love, I forgot you didn't know!' I laughed, more than a bit hysterically. 'Yeah, my parents, at least I think so.'

'What are you talking about now?' She asked, breathlessly. I slowed my speed again, I hadn't even realized I was walking faster than normal.

'Oh, it's complicated. The point is I don't know who my dad is, there's a choice of two.'

'Sweeney Todd and…'

'Albert Lovett. My mum's husband.'

'Oh.'

'He died before I was born. I don't know how it came to be that she didn't know who it was, I think a drunk New Year's Eve party saw to that but she was always straight with me about it, no messing about or nothin'.'

'So, did you really have a brother?'

'You what?' I said again.

'Your brother. You told me that you had a brother and that he was…dead.'

'You can say it, love.'

'Did he really exist?'

'Yeah, but he wasn't my brother, not really. My mum took him in kind of thing, an' he called her mum, and called me his sister, so I rolled with it.'

'That was nice of her.'

I burst out laughing. Bless Pearl, always trying to see the good in everybody. Once I'd started, it was hard to stop. I made my laughing quieter as we got near residential areas and put a finger to my lips to keep Pearl quiet.

We got to her door.

'See you tomorrow.' I whispered.

'Do you want to come in for a bit? I can lend you some clothes to go home in.'

'Errm, no I better no-' I caught sight of the look on her face. 'Oh go on, then!'

I passed her pictures in the hallway. A family of three.

'That's my parents, she used her phone to illuminate the framed image.

'I can see it, anyway.'

'Good night vision, Anna?' She asked cheekily.

'Better believe it.' She didn't look like either of her parents, I noted that immediately.

'This way, my bedroom's round here.' Pearl instructed, her bedroom was on the ground floor. An unusual set up. I liked it for that. And the fact that her bedroom was separated slightly from the rest of the house.

She lent me some clothes. Jeans and a top. I washed my face and stuffed the dress into a bag. We stared at each other for a bit before I turned to leave.

'You need to sleep, it's late.'

'Yes, I know. Can you meet me here in the morning-'

'It is the morning.' I grinned at the look on her face, I liked being pedantic sometimes.

'Before school.'

'Sure.'

'So there's time for a lay in!' We said in unison. Then laughed.