SCHIZ (completed)

CHP - 16

CHAPTER 16
Hated With Passion

^[Jax in media]^

Jax looked over at Ezra and then down at herself. Her face flushed.

"Um... I-I'ma get dressed." She mumbled and left.

Ezra sighed and started to clean up the mess she made. She wiped the sink and floors down with bleach then washed out the bloody towels and tossed them in the laundry. She tied her bandanna back on and left the room.

It'll probably smell like bleach for hours, hopefully no one will have to use it.

Jax walked out of her room, fully clothed and quickly ran down the steps.

"Sorry, ma! What'd you want?!" Jax yelled as she dashed her way down the stairs.

"Your daddy's coming home in a few and I want to get started on the cake." Mom said.

With a small sigh Ezra walked down the carpeted steps, with her head down. She stepped into the kitchen to see Mother and Jax getting out the ingredients for dad's cake.

She put her hand on the doorknob and was opening it when Mother stopped her.

"And where you think you going?" She asked.

Shit! This was the second time! Why'd they care?!

Ezra turned around to look at her. Mother had her manicured hand placed on her hip.

"I need a specific reason why you wanna leave when you should be here for your dad."

Who knows, maybe because he hates her?!
Ezra stared at her like she was stupid.

Mother narrowed her eyes at her.

"Why aren't you talking?" She huffed.

Ezra again, refused to answer. She walked over to her and pulled back her sleeves. Then she sighed softly. She didn't look angry or sad. She looked... disappointed in her.

Ezra pulled her sleeves back down so she wouldn't have to see it anymore.

She sighed, "Can you just stay?"

Ezra didn't answer her but moved past her and sat at the table. She walked over to Jax, running a hand through Ezra's curls as she passed.

"You wanna help, Ez?" Jax asked.

She laid her head on the table and closed her eyes. Jax pouted but gave up.

* * *

"Here, Jax. Write his name." Mother said, handing her the bag of red icing.

Jax wrote a "James" on the bottom of the cake. Once she was done she had a big smile on her face. "Happy Birthday" was written above it, perfectly in cursive. Despite this, Jax was still proud. She looked really adorable at this moment. Her big grin was showing off her bottom grills and there was icing on her face. You could see the accomplishment and excitement in her eyes.

Ezra heard the familiar sound of a car pulling into the driveway and stiffened. Mother smiled and wiped her dirty hands on her apron before taking it off and hanging it on the hook nearby. Jax, after some failed attempts, took hers off too and placed it on top of hers. Ezra stared at the door as it opened and Father walked in.

"Daddy!" Jax smiled big and ran over to him, engulfing the man in a hug.

Father chuckled and surprisingly lifted Jax up for a moment, causing Jax to laugh. He set her down and smiled at her grinning.

"Happy birthday!" Jax yelled.

Father's smile faded as his eyes met Ezra's. He glared and she shrunk a bit, looking at the table instead of him. Mother walked across the room and gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"I picked up Chinese. I know that's your favorite." She said and left his side to serve it.

Father walked over and sat down opposite of Ezra. Jax sat down in between them. Mother placed a plate in front of each of them and took her place beside Father. They all started to eat except Ezra. She didn't feel hungry.

Her body was probably close to shutting down from malnutrition but she didn't feel hungry. She didn't even know when she last ate.

The silence was painful but it was even worse once it was broken.

"You gonna eat Ez?" Jax asked her, innocently.

Silence happened again. But this time it was worse. No scraping sliver ware or slurping, or tapping on the table. It was horribly eerily quiet. And again, even worse once broken.

"Yeah, Ezra, I'd like to know, too." Father spoke up. "Why ain't you enjoying the wonderful meal your lovin' mother laid out for you?"

Ezra didn't answer, wouldn't answer. She heard the scraping of a chair legs on the floor and knew Father was walking towards her.

She leaned down as he glared down at her.

"You going to answer me?" He hissed.

Ezra didn't react to his words.

A loud slap echoed throughout the room as a burning pain hit her. She hissed and held her cheek, looking away from her.

"Answer me." He hissed.

Ezra growled out of anger.

"Daddy!" Jax yelled. "Stop it!"

"James!" Mother yelled at him. "You better stop that shit right now! We celebrating!"

"What we celebrating!?" He shouted. "Me, turning forty five! And what do I gotta show for it?! This!?" He asked as he grabbed a fistful of Ezra's hair and pulled her out of her chair. Ezra hissed in pain, forced to meet his eyes.

His eyes widened as he noticed the bloodstained sleeves of her sweatshirt and he threw her.

Ezra groaned as she hit the floor.

Jax screamed. "Why!? Why does he keep hurting Ezra!?"

"What is wrong with you!?" Mother screamed. "She's your daughter!"

"I wish she wasn't!"

There was silence after that and Ezra quickly got to her feet. Before anyone could say anything, she rushed out of the dining room.

She dashed upstairs and into the bathroom, sobbing. She tended her bleeding cuts, but it was so much harder by all the tears falling.

TBC
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