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Dad holds me until I can breathe properly again, but after a while, the weight of his arm becomes unbearable. I wriggle away from him and climb back into bed.

“I’ll talk to Jamie. You go back to your book,” he says gently, heading to the door. “Dinner’s in an hour. And Noah—” he waits until I look at him before continuing “—have a think about what would have happened if you’d hurt someone when you threw the truck, yeah?”

I nod and pick up my book, slipping right back into a world where the fairy prince saves the tiny human.

“Richie, you got everything for school?” Mum fusses over my older brother’s shirt, tucking it into his trousers and tightening his tie.

I don’t want to go to secondary school if I have to wear one of those around my neck. Luckily, I still have three more years of primary school. Maybe by then ties won’t exist.

I look back at my cereal, scooping the Coco Pops to the side of the bowl and letting the milk drain out before bringing the spoon to my mouth. My mouth turns down at the soggy texture. I force a swallow and push the bowl away, unable to finish.

“I’m fine, Mam, get off.” Richard bats her hands away. “I gotta go—the bus’ll be here in a minute.” He turns to grab his backpack.

“Excuse me,” she says, tapping her cheek. Richard huffs and stomps over to her, pecking it. He pauses to scruff Jamie’s hair as he walks past the dining table and out of the room.

“Right, kids, finish up breakfast, then go get dressed and brush your teeth. You’ve got—” Mum looks at her watch “—fifteen minutes.”

We climb into our blue car seventeen minutes later. Mum helps Jamie into his booster seat while I buckle myself into mine. I pick up my book and settle in for the twenty-minute drive to school.

“Noah?”

“Noah?”

“Noah!” Jamie shouts, poking my leg.

“Answer your brother, Noah,” Mum says, frowning at me in the rear-view mirror.

“What?” I close my book and glare at him.

He shoves his black curls out of his face, blinking his grey eyes innocently. I hate that we look so alike. The hair, the eyes, the fact that he’s two years younger and already as tall as me. Everyone mistakes us for twins.

“Um.” Jamie looks at Mum, probably checking whether she’s listening. “What ya reading?” He gives me a wide smile, pushing his tongue through his missing front teeth.

My face screws up in disgust. “Thumbelina,” I mutter.

“What’s it ’bout?” He raises his brows.

“A tiny human is kidnapped and almost made to marry a toad and a mole.”

“That’s gross!”

“Eventually she marries the fairy prince.”

“Sounds stupid.”

“It’s not stupid. You’re stupid.”

“I know you are, but what am I?” Jamie shouts, face turning red as he folds his arms over his chest.

“Why won’t you just shut up!” The anger builds again, and I remember what Dad told me.

“Mam! Noah told me to shut up!” Jamie yells.

Mum looks in the mirror again, opening her mouth to tell me off, but I block her out. Closing my eyes, I start counting to five in my head.

One.

Two.