"Yes, ma'am." Sam grins at her widely, until his friend smacks him behind Sparrow's head to shut him up. Then they're outside into the cool night air, the breeze sharp and fresh on their faces. A little way away a blonde girl is hunched up on the kerb, her friend hailing a cab; there's a couple of nondescript party girls falling over themselves to chat up a guy in a black leather trenchcoat; a handful of guys sporting bruises are skulking off down the way.

Apart from that, they're just about alone out here. And the two boys don't let go of her, leading her firmly towards an alleyway where they'll be even more alone, both of them grinning openly now.