Denial, Chapter 12
It's been 2.5 years since I've updated this story. I'm sure most of the people who were around on this site aren't even on here anymore. I'm going to try to finish this story. Right now I'm in a rut (obviously, lol). I don't know how I want it to end up. If you guys haven't read any of my other stories, here is information on the 2 new characters in the first few chapters:
Kristin-13, came to Horizon when she was 12, because her band teacher and Peter were close friends and her band teacher suspected that she was in trouble. She was abused by her father and brother, so finally her father gave up her rights and Peter and Sophie adopted her. I've done a lot of stories on her, the people use to refer to them as "The Kristin Series" lol, but I'm trying not to include her AS MUCH, unless it's a story all about her.
Cole-15. I forgot which story he comes in. He, too, was abused by his father.
Please review :)
As requested by his parents, Ezra decided to take Bren to the park. The park was only a few streets over, so Ezra declined his dad's offer to drive them. "Does Bren have a bike?" Ezra asked, trying to remember if even he had one.
"Oh, yeah, it's really cool and blue, wanna see?" Bren said excitedly, taking Ezra's hand and pulling him to the small garage. The garage brought back bad memories for Ezra. It was where he had done a lot of his huffing and other experimental things. It was where his first serious girlfriend had suddenly dumped him, just before he left for Horizon. He closed his eyes and began to remember...
FLASHBACK
"Hey, Jen," Ezra said, surprised. He had been sitting on the curb, writing a paper for history when his girlfriend had walked up. "Why aren't you inside?" She asked.
He shrugged, then grew red as the shatter of glass could be heard coming from his house. "Trouble in paradise," he laughed cryptically. She nodded as if she understood, although he knew she didn't. She lived with her father and stepmother, both of whom she loved. They were the perfect family that Ezra's parents had imagined when they had adopted him. Jen was an honors student and her older sister Jesse had just been accepted at Harvard.
"Ezra, I was wondering if I could maybe talk to you...?" Jen asked, very hesitantly. "Sure," Ezra said, jumping up. He took her hand and led her to the garage.
"Ezra. I'm just going to be very to the point. My parents really don't want me to be with you," she said slowly. She waited for a response, but Ezra's face just ever so slightly clouded. "And I mean, I kind of agree. I love you, you're so sweet, but I'm ready to move on. I'm graduating a year early, I'll be gone this summer. You...You barely passed 10th grade, remember? You've just been scraping by since I've known you, and that's not who I want. Not too mention..."
"What, Jen?" Ezra asked coldly.
"You're so down all the time. I try to cheer you up and it works for a moment but then you're right back to yourself. You can't let your parents keep you down all the time!"
"You're leaving me because my family isn't as picture-perfect as yours?" Ezra demanded, the tears creeping into his eyes.
"No! It's not like that! But I can't be with someone who takes school as a joke and who can't be happy besides a few minutes at a time! Not too mention, Courtney said Jake said that you've been doing drugs!" She accused angrily. "You promised me!" Now it was Jen crying.
"Just go. You wouldn't understand. Go back to your cookie cutter family. Go back to your American dream. Just...go," he said. He had been defeated this time. They had almost broken up tons of times before, but this was the first time she had given him explanations.
"I really loved you," Jen said quietly as she turned to leave. Ezra said something silver slip out of her hand. He reached to pick it up-it was the necklace he had given her. "Jen!" He tried to call back to her, but she just shook her head, and he realized that she had dropped it on purpose.
END OF FLASHBACK
"What's wrong, Ezra?" Bren asked, looking up at Ez, whom had gone white-faced. "Nothing, Bren," Ezra responded, forcing a smile.
Bren easily climbed onto his bike. "Daddy took off my training wheels just last week!" He boasted proudly. "That's yours," Bren pointed to a silver and red racing bike. It was almost identical to the one that Ezra had had before he left for Horizon. He hadn't ridden a bike in five or six years. It had lost it's appeal when his father had decided that going biking with his son took too much time away from work.
"You ready?" Ezra said, getting on the bike. They began riding. Ezra was embarassed by his shakiness, as Bren took off, grinning ear-to-ear. "You can do it, Ezra," Bren called behind him. Ezra wasn't as shaky, and caught up with Bren quickly.
Ezra had been thinking. It wasn't to bad, having a little brother. Especially one as cute as Bren. At first, Bren had called him "Ezza", but in less than a day, he was already pronouncing it right. He felt a strange connection to Bren. He wondered if maybe it was because he saw himself in Bren, although Bren was a lot more naive than Ezra had been. At five years old, Ezra already knew that his family was different. Maybe his parents were doing right this time. Bren didn't seem nervous, he never stopped to consider if his words might set off a fight. Ezra had perfected that at Bren's age.
They arrived at the park. After just thirty minutes of chasing around a five-year-old, Ezra was a little beat, so he convinced Bren to take a little break.
It was silent for a few minutes, then Bren looked up at Ezra. Bren had cuddeled against Ez, his body forming into Ezra's, his head resting into his armpit.
"Ezra, are you going to stay, and be my brother?"
