Zeke sat in his class, bored as hell! Taylah wasn't in school and Zeke was stuck with Geography. He just sat there, not listening to a word the teacher was saying and daydreamed. Not about anything in particular. Things just entered in and out of his mind. Next thing he was aware of was the school bell ringing. It was time to go home. He was emptying out his locker and when he closed the door shut he saw Rachel. He jumped when he saw her and she smiled.

"Could you do me a favour?" she asked.

Zeke knew what was coming. Well, he didn't know what exactly but he knew he'd have to lie to someone.

"Yes?" he said with a droning in his voice.

"Could you tell Karl and Susan I'm doing extra studying?" she asked.

"Extra studying being "Sucking The Face Off Boyfriend." Zeke added. "I'm always having to lie for you" he started to turn away.

"Oh please, Zeke. I hardly ever get any time out, now" Rachel said catching up to him and standing in his way.

"That's because you're grounded" Zeke said.

"And besides, I'm not seeing any boy" she added, unconvincingly looking down as said it.

"Right. And how long will you" Zeke lifted his hands, lifted two fingers and brought them down twice as he said "be studying?"

"I don't know" Rachel said. "I'm going to Didge's house"

"Rach, what happens if Karl or Susan go over there to see you? Bridget will be there but you won't be" Zeke said.

"They won't" Rachel said. "And I'm seriously going to Bridget's house."

"Well, you're supposed to be grounded so they might and Rachel, I may be called a freak but I'm not dumb. I know you've got a boyfriend." Zeke said. He tried to walk past her but she stepped back in his way.

"Zeke, please"

"No. I'm always having to lie for you. I'm getting tired of it"

"I've lied for you in the past you know" Rachel retorted.

"Yeh, only because you'd had gotten in trouble as well if you didn't. It's always for your own sake. Never for someone else." Zeke said.

"What are you talking about?"

"It's just I've had enough of having to lie all the time for you. Karl and Susan are getting suspicious. Do your own dirty work" Zeke said.

"You know you can be a right jerk."

"And you're a two-faced bimbo"

Rachel stood there and looked down. She looked back up, glaring at Zeke.

"Fine" she said and she walked past Zeke, not forgetting to thump him in the shoulder with hers as she walked by.

"Look, Rachel,"

"Just go away." she said, continuing to walk with her back turned away from him.

"Hey" Zeke turned around and saw Declan behind him. "What's up?"

"Oh nothing" Zeke said.

"You're in a bad mood today. Is it coz Taylah's not here?" Declan teased.

"No" Zeke smiled. "I've been fine all day till Rachel asked me to lie for her. Again"

"Well, I was thinking, how about a lad's night out?" Declan said. "You, me and Ringo just hanging out. Its Friday so no school tomorrow. What do you say?"

"Why not? But, what are we gunna be doing?"

"Haven't got a clue" Declan said and started to laugh. They walked out of school just before Ringo had caught up with them.

"Hey guys." he said.

"Hey" Declan said. "How do you fancy hanging out tonight?"

"Sure. Who's coming?" Ringo asked.

"Just us guys" Zeke said. "No girls."

"Why?" Ringo asked.

"Cause, girls haven't been doing us much good recently" Declan replied. "What with you and Rachel and me and Bridget and-" Declan looked at Zeke thinking of what his girl troubles recently.

"Hey, I'm fine. I've got Taylah" Zeke said.

"Well, you're still coming." Declan said. "Rachel's been annoying you today. That can be your excuse for girl trouble"

"Alright" Zeke said.

"Shall I stop round yours later then?" Ringo said to Declan.

"Alright. Seeing as I came up with it. My parents are out. Well, Oliver's in but he's alright. Declan said. Why don't you come over at about 7?"

"Sure" Ringo said and as they came round to Number 30 he said goodbye and walked inside. Living next door it wasn't long before Zeke was saying goodbye to Declan himself and walked inside.

"Hey, Zeke." Susan said happily.

"Hey" Zeke replied. He looked around. "Rachel not back yet?"

"Not yet, no. Where is she?" Susan said.

Zeke sighed. "She asked me to tell you she's studying at Bridget's"

"Again?" Susan said. "She's always studying but never gets any smarter."

"Tell me about it" Zeke said putting down his bag and joining Susan on the sofa. "By the way, is it alright if I go to Declan's later? He's invited me and Ringo. It's gunna be a late night"

"Well, I can't see why not." Susan said. "What time?"

"Seven" Zeke replied.

"Its alright by me." Susan said. "You know I'm just going to pop next door. See what Rachel's actually doing"

"Alright" Zeke said. He didn't try to stop her. Zeke had warned Rachel and she knew she had it coming. He thought it was about time too.

A short while later and Susan came in alone. "She's not at Bridget's. She knows nothing about studying."

"Well, that's what Rachel told me" Zeke said as Susan punched in Rachel's number in her phone and waited. "Rachel, it's Susan. I want you back home now. I know you're not at Bridget's. Call me when you get this message"

Rachel walked in the door and saw Zeke and Susan sitting on the sofa. It was almost seven and Zeke was on the play station and Susan was reading a magazine.

"Where have you been?" Susan said.

"Nowhere" Rachel said.

"What made you think I wouldn't find out you were at Bridget's?"

"I didn't think you'd bother to check" Rachel replied.

"Well I did" Susan said.

"Told you so" Zeke said.

"Zeke, I need to talk to you" Rachel said. Zeke ignored her. "Zeke" she said again. Zeke sighed and walked past Rachel into his bedroom.

"What?" he said.

"Why did you tell Susan I wasn't at Bridget's?" Rachel said.

"First of all, you weren't and secondly I didn't tell Susan. She went to see you and found you really weren't at Bridget's."

"Well, why didn't you stop her?"

"It's not my job to make sure you stay out of trouble" Zeke said.

"I know but I would appreciate you showing some consideration for me" Rachel said. "Now I'm even more grounded!"

"Well, you got what you deserve." Zeke said. "I'm not covering for you any more." Zeke turned around to walk out.

"You know, you're such a-"

"A what?" Zeke said.

"A freak!"

Zeke glared at Rachel. It was bad enough everybody called him a freak in school and now Rachel. Zeke turned around and walked away letting Rachel know that she went too far. He opened the front door and stormed out. Susan watched Rachel as she slowly walked forwards into the living room.

"Well done Rachel" Susan said.

"She's just getting on my nerves today. She just expects me to lie for her." Zeke said. They were sitting in Declan's lounge with Ringo and Declan was getting them drinks.

"Yep, and we all know how much you can't lie" Declan said.

"Oh, ha ha. It's not that I just hate lying." Zeke said. "There's a difference"

"Well who's lying to who?" Oliver said as he was coming in the living room.

"Rachel's constantly asking Zeke to lie to Karl and Susan" Ringo said.

"Bad idea. Zeke can't lie" Oliver said as he was sitting down.

"Hey leave him alone. He can when he really needs to" Ringo said. Someone knocked on the door. Declan put down his drink, stood up and walked across to answer the door. Several men barged through making themselves at home. One of them leaned on the back of the sofa coming level with Ringo and two others sat either side of Zeke. A man sat in between Oliver and Ringo and another stood by Declan and closed the door. A few other men stood around the living room. All men were very intimidating. They wore black woollen hats and were all quite large.

"Hey, what on earth-" Oliver began.

"Oliver Barnes?" said the one next to Declan.

Oliver hesitated.

"Yes?"

"We want a word with you" said the one behind Ringo. "Alone"

"Why?"

"Just talk with us" said one next to Zeke "and no harm done"

"We'll take care of the kids while you're talking" said the one on the other side of Zeke.

"No" Oliver said. He didn't like leaving Declan, Ringo and Zeke alone with them. He didnt have a clue who these men were but he knew they weren't friendly.

"Now!" said the one next to Declan. The men behind and next to Ringo grabbed Oliver by his shirt and forced him to go into another room with them. The man standing next to Declan stared at him until Declan noticed at was looking back. He pointed to the sofa which instantly told Declan to sit there. He sat down next to Ringo.

"So, this is cosy" said the man next to Zeke. Zeke refused to look at the men. He was terrified and from the look on Ringo and Declan's faces he could tell they were too.

"What's your name?" one of the men asked Ringo.

"R-Ringo"

"You know, Ringo, he's gunna have to accept our offer. Coz otherwise someone's gunna have to pay. And it won't be him. You know who it's gunna be?"

"It's gunna be you" said the man stood by the doorway. "One at a time, until Oliver there accepts our offer. But we're not gunna tell him that"

"And if you tell anyone" one of the men sitting next to Zeke edged closer threateningly and said "then you'll pay anyway. So we were never here. Got it?"

The door opened from the other room and Oliver was pushed out. One of the two men grabbed him but his collar and said "He's not accepting our offer."

"You what?" said the one by the door.

"He's not agreeing."

"Well, there's always time to think about it isn't there boys?" the one by the door said. "And we can help with that too"

There was an eerie silence. The man by the door walked down to Declan and another from the other side of the room walked sat next to Ringo.

"W-what are you doing?" Oliver said.

The two men next to Zeke grabbed him by the arms and forced him to stand. Ringo and Declan shot up but two men restrained them. The other man who was just standing around ran towards Zeke. Two of the men forced Zeke's arms back whilst the other tied them together and then grabbed his hair and pulled his head back. One of the men holding back Oliver went over to stand in front of Zeke.

"Hey, what is this?!" Ringo shouted.

"Stop it" Declan said.

"This is just a taste of what'll happen if you don't accept our offer" said the man who was standing in front of Zeke. Zeke swallowed. The man faced Zeke and smiled a very intimidating smile. He raised his arm back and swung it forward. All the breath shot out of Zeke as he felt a horrible crash in his stomach. Ringo and Declan was shouting and trying to break away from the men holding them. Zeke crouched down from the pain and the three other men let him go and he collapsed to the floor.

"You think long and hard about this offer we're making." he said. "Or else a lot more than that'll happen."

The men surrounding Zeke slowly walked out of the door not forgetting to give evil looks at Declan, Ringo and Oliver. The man holding Ringo slowly let Ringo go and walked to the door. Ringo ran over to Zeke and untied him. Zeke starting to massage hid stomach. The man holding Declan let him go and Declan joined Ringo to help Zeke. Oliver was still being held back and one of the men walked up to him. "You better think it through"

Oliver was let go but he stood there watching them leave. They left the door open. Once they'd left Oliver speedily shut the door and locked it. He breathed in heavily and leaned his head on the door. He looked round at the boys. Zeke was now sitting the sofa taking deep breaths.

"What the hell was that?" Declan shouted walking over to Oliver. " What do they want?" Oliver hesitated.

"Nothing" he said.

"If that was nothing then why would they just do that?" Ringo said standing up but staying with Zeke.

"I-I don't know"

"What are you hiding from us?" Declan said. "We deserve a right to know. Especially Zeke"

"I can't tell you" Oliver said. "You can't tell anyone about this"

"We know. They threatened us while they were talking to you." Declan said.

"They said if we tell anyone about this then they'll pick us off, one by one" Ringo said.

"Look, I know. I am so sorry about this Zeke. I don't have a clue who those guys are" Oliver said. "I just need to get out of here"

"With those guys out there?" Zeke said for the first time in a while.

"I just…need to think" Oliver unlocked and opened the door. "Lock the door" and he left.

Declan turned around. "Are you ok, Zeke?"

Zeke nodded. "I'll be alright"

"We can't let this happen again" Ringo said.

"That means we can't tell anyone" Zeke said.

"Do you think we can crash here tonight, Declan? Ringo said.

"Yeh I think that'd be a good idea yeh." Declan said.

Zeke was still breathing deeply. Ringo noticed this. "Does it still hurt?"

Zeke nodded.

"I'll get a couple of painkillers. Are you all right with them?"

"Yeh, thanks" Zeke said. Zeke sat up, paused before standing up and walking to the bathroom.

"Where are you going" Ringo asked.

"To throw up" Zeke said.