Page 10 of Chase

“From now on, you leave me the hell alone or I.Will.Hurt.You!” I snarl as I deliver this threat into Tilly’s ear.

Suddenly, large hands pull me off Tilly and I feel a sharp blow across my cheek. I turn around to find Ethan standing over me, his hand poised for another attack. I instantly grab hold of my burning cheek and submit to the evil look on his face; I’ve always been afraid of my brother, he’s unhinged. He belongs in one of the many violent video games he likes to play.

“Get to your room, Isobel! Now!” Mum shouts, and even though I have a natural urge to scream at all of them, I do as I’m told, slamming the doors as I go.

I don’t sleep that night. Instead, I’m forced to listen to Mum and Dad coming home during the early hours of the morning, talking and laughing with one another.

“Oh, what are we going to do about Isobel?” Mum complains to my father. “She’s a nightmare; you should have seen poor Tilly’s face! It was lucky Ethan was around to sort her out. You need to be more involved and have a firmer grip on her.”

“I know, sweetheart,” he answers, sounding like a starry-eyed boy in puppy love. “I’m so sorry; you know I appreciate everything you do around here, and so should she. It’s probably just hormones wreaking havoc with her.”

“That’s no excuse, Craig,” she snaps, “I won’t have her upsetting her sister like that, nor her brother for that matter. I’ve done all I can to try and rein her in, it’s your turn to talk some sense into her.”

“Alright, darling, I will…tomorrow.”

“Good, the sooner the better!”

“I know you only wanted two, but can we at least try to get along with her? She is only a kid, after all,” he practically begs.

“Yes, well, no point crying over upset milk now,” she sighs, all the while I die that little more inside. “Just remember to have that talk before you go to work.

“I promise.”

He never did have that talk with me. He rarely ever talks tome; I don’t think he knows how to. With Tilly, he knows how to buy her love with money and compliments, and with Ethan, he can talk shop. Ethan’s already been earmarked for a top spot in the family business, so it stands to reason they should talk about such things. I once feigned interest, asking what exactly it is they do, however, I was told, ‘Not now, Isobel, I’m late.’ I asked Nonna in the end, seeing as it was passed down through her family. I gathered the part about money, finances, and it being a more acceptable form of gambling, but I didn’t hear anything that was remotely human in it. So, I gave up trying to be interested and came to accept I would never have more than a conversation of a few words with the man. Because that’s all he is to me – a man. There’s nothing fatherly about him toward me, nothing at all. As for the others, I simply don’t belong.

Chapter 4

Theo 17

Izzy 15

Theo

Finally, I get to leave school!

My last day is complete, my uniform ceremoniously burned… Actually, Mom made me donate it, but I was sincerely tempted to hold a mass bonfire for all my school stuff. And the reason for all of this? Dad’s contract is finally at an end.

We’re going home!

I’ll be leaving for California at the end of the month, and I can’t fucking wait. I’ve already got my name down for the high school I would have been attending had I not been forced to come to England. I’m returning home to guaranteed hot weather in the summer, days full of surfing, nights full of partying, and friends to catch up with. I’ve kept in good contact with all my friends back home so it should be like picking up where I left off.

First things first, I’m off to the school library to hand in my schoolbooks and leave this place for good. I’m not saying I haven’tenjoyed parts of my school life here, especially some of the friends I’ve made, but there’s no way I’d choose this place over my Californian home. I’ve just never belonged here; I’m an American boy through and through. Besides, some of them left at the end of school, choosing not to attend sixth form and take up apprenticeships instead. One or two signed up for army training. It just seems right for me to finally be returning home.

My dad seems really keen too, but Mom…I don’t know. Something tells me she’s reluctant, which is weird. America is her home and I know she’s missed it; she’s made little to no effort to branch out and make new attachments here, and she calls her friends from back home nearly every day. However, when Dad said he was finally getting the go-ahead to return to the mothership, she wasn’t exactly jumping for joy.

Lost in my thoughts over it all, I almost miss the sound of a familiar giggle coming from the table behind the bookshelves. Most people like to make out there because it’s cut off, which makes it virtually hidden from snooping eyes. However, if it is who I think it is, she wouldn’t be caught dead making out. Especially somewhere even remotely public.

Before I go and confirm my suspicions, I thank the librarian with my usual good-boy act. I then saunter over to the corner in question where I find Izzy sitting at the table with her long blonde waves hanging down her back. Her petite frame is leaning over the table to write notes in her folder, right alongside a boy with short, light brown hair. She keeps her eyes focused on the book in front of her, completely missing the fact that he keeps glancing her way, practically drooling over his study partner. Her ignorance to his unsubtle lusting is hardly surprising; she’s completely innocent when it comes to boys. Something about that has me feeling insanely protective over her. She has no idea how beautiful she is, and I love that about her. I always have. In fact,she will always be one of the coolest chicks I have ever met. It’s a shame our friendship ended the way it did, otherwise, who knows where we might have ended up.

Contemplating my regrets, I find myself tensing up over this guy ogling her, especially when she’s so oblivious to it. Without invitation, I march myself over to one of the empty seats and slump into the chair, leaning back and lacing my fingers behind my head. The guy looks me up and down, clearly annoyed, but when he notices my clenched jaw and the fact that I am older, taller, and broader than him, he decides to keep his mouth shut.

“Can we help you, Theo?” Izzy asks with a theatrical sigh, not even looking up from whatever it is she’s reading. “Bradley and I are working on a project together.”

“Bradley, huh?” I reply, being just as over-the-top theatrical as she is, then turn to face the guy in question. “Well, gee, sorry,Bradley; I didn’t know I was disturbing you,Bradley;am I making you feel uncomfortable there,Bradley? Am I interrupting your view of my cousin’s rack there,Bradley?”

His mouth drops open at the same time as Izzy leans back in her chair and studies him with confusion. As I said, she’s clueless when it comes to sleazy guys staring at her. I’ve seen it enough in passing when walking around these school corridors. But I know Izzy can handle herself, so I’ve kept my distance. At least, that’s what I like to tell myself. The alternative means having to admit I treated her just as badly as her horrible family. I was wrong, but the thought of having to say those words out loud makes me want to hit myself. Bradley actually does me a solid by distracting me from that thought; he jumps to his feet, quickly picks up all of his crap, and begins backing away with no grace whatsoever.

“Sorry, Izzy, I, er, have to get going,” he flusters, “perhaps we can pick up tomorrow after school?”

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