Chapter 4

"Where's that bloody child," Michael fumed and he stormed into the garden. Ezra heard the annoyed voice, and stayed quiet, he was busy reading a book Lydia had lent him and was in the corner of the garden where he wasn't obviously seen. "Ezra," yelled Michael the moment he clapped eyes on him. "Mrs Abbotts said she saw you trying to set fire to the postbox at the end of the road last night."

Ezra peered up from his book. "A postbox. Made of metal, not known for being flammable!" Ezra told him in a deadpan voice.

"Are you trying to be facetious?"

"Oh no," Ezra replied with fake sincerity. "I am sure I would succeed if I tried."

Michael grabbed hold of the boy and yanked him from his seat.

"Who do you expect me to believe, Mrs Abbotts or you?"

"I don't care," Ezra replied immediately. "I didn't do anything. Why the hell would I try to set fire to a postbox?"

Michael released his grip on the teenage boy but still stared at him. "That is always your problem. You never do anything."

Ezra snorted. "Yeah, whatever!" Ezra turned towards the house.

"Don't you turn your back on me," roared Michael and Ezra ignored him. "You are nothing, Ezra. You will be nothing. You have no future."

Ezra turned and gave a wry smile. "What do you know?"

"I know you did eff all work for the last two years. You will fail your exams and will have nothing."

Ezra pushed Michael away as hard as he could, so that he tripped over a lavender bush and sprawled out on the floor.

Ezra sneered over the man and took a quick glance up and down the garden. He had dreamt of his stepfather laid helpless on the ground looking up at him. Ezra hated him.

"Fucking leave me alone."

Ezra barely spoke at the dinner table and Michael was still fuming. His mum had prepared a roast dinner, but he wasn't in the mood to be with his family; he had his results the following day and just wanted some peace.

His elder brother, William (who had taken his stepfather's surname when their mother got married) pushed his knife into his yorkshire pudding and splattered drops of gravy over to his right.

"Fucks sake," Ezra muttered and wiped the brown liquid off his shirt, scowling at him. "Eighteen for fucks sake and still eat like a fucking spastic."

"Get out of here," Michael thundered and banged his fist on the table causing everyone's plates to jump a few inches into the air. "You do not use that language in this house."

"Oh Jesus Christ," Ezra mumbled and threw his chair back, so it bounced off the wall. "Like living in a fucking concentration camp."

Ezra knew this would rile his stepfather, and he was correct; his family were Jewish, and any references to the war were met with an instant volley of unrepressed anger. "Don't you dare say that," he yelled. "You have no idea..."

"What people went through," he mimicked him. "Only I do, because after living here with you, fucking Auschwitz'll be a piece of piss."

Michael, already on his feet leaning across the table, went around, his fists raised ready to hit the abusive sixteen year old, but his wife stopped him.

"Let me go, Tara. I'll knock some respect into that little shit," he shouted, but Ezra didn't wait for a response. He turned on his heels and ran into the little village to sit in the park. He wanted some peace.

Ezra barely said anything to the people who passed him in the park, everyone knew him in the village and no-one approached him, he looked angry, and that was normally a bad sign.

"Susie, isn't it?" Ezra asked the girl in the centre of a throng walking through the small park and past his position on the wall.

She smiled and broke away from the group. "Yeah. How you doing, Ezra."

"Your brother was being a right spaz earlier. How did such an inadequate twat end up with a beautiful girl like you?"

She giggled and bit her lip. "I, er, don't get called beautiful very often."

Ezra's eyes glistened. "No? You are, well fit body, sweet smile, and I've heard ya, a dirty mind." Susie went red, but Ezra just smiled. "And I know you fake 'em, babe."

Susie's eyes narrowed and glared at Ezra who didn't seem to notice or care. "I do not. Not that it is any of your business."

Ezra sucked in his lips. "No it's not. But I want to know how he manages to get you and keep you. You are well fit, and he is ugly as fuck. You are brainy, and he is retarded. And he's shite in bed. Why do you stay with him?"

Susie shook her head. "Because he is a nice guy Ezra. He is a good guy." Ezra scoffed, and Susie shrugged. "And you know he does like you, you know, but he thinks you will ruin your life." Ezra scoffed again, and Susie smiled. "You are the only guy I know who has been arrested more than once. And the only one who has been in court. He wants you to sort your life out."

"Well I don't always make the right choices, but neither does my brother."

"Oh Ezra, he is a grade-A student. He never does anything wrong, he's never had a detention in his life."

"So he always does right?" Ezra asked, and Susie nodded. "So spending the afternoon with Kelly Morgan was right then?"

Susie's eyes widened for a moment. "What?"

"Kelly Morgan, you know the slapper with long black hair and big tits from the Lower Sixth. She came out of his bedroom stark naked two days ago with very ruffed up hair. Gave me quite a shock."

Susie shook her head and stared at Ezra. "You're lying aren't you, Ezra? You are lying."

Ezra shrugged and shook his head. "No, I'm not. Why would I like 'bout that? But I am sorry Susie. You deserve so much better than him. Here." Ezra dug in his bag and took out a small bottle of vodka he had stolen on the way out of the house.

"He can't be," she muttered. "He just can't be. I know I've made us be quite celibate during our exams, but he wouldn't cheat would he? I mean, I know he didn't like the idea, but he accepted it."

Ezra shrugged and passed her the bottle of vodka. Susie's eyes widened. "Where do you get that?"

Ezra grinned. "I think it's called the five finger discount, but I think you need it."

Susie, still shocked watched as Ezra unscrewed the top off the alcohol and passed it to her. She took a huge swig, and then another.

"Go on," Ezra gestured and Susie took another giant mouthful.

"It's strong stuff," she replied and grabbed hold of the wall Ezra was sat on.

"I know. Well, I only nick the best."

Susie gave a titter and Ezra encouraged her to down some more.

"You know. I loved him, Ezra. I really loved him. I did everything for him. I am even going to Colchester so we can be close when he goes to Cambridge. And what does he do, he fucks around?" Susie slurred.

"Yeah well. I said he was no good for you. I am sure Kelly isn't the first you know. He always helped a few girls with their homework, and he always had a thing for Jodie."

Susie hiccuped and let the words sink in. "Jodie? My sister Jodie? He said he was doing her maths wiv 'er, but those two are close," she muttered. "He's always said I'm being paranoid when I ask him 'bout all the girls he sees, but I know I'm not. God, my sister?"