‘This fucking family.’ Jake hauls himself out of bed and slams a hand against the window as he peers outside. ‘Oh, look, Dad’s fucked off to the pub.’ The bedroom wall shakes again. ‘Oh, and Mum’s off too. Jesus Christ, Billy’s such a dick. Little twat. He can’t get away with this bullshit.’

‘Jake!’ I put out a hand to try and stop him from leaving the bedroom but he’s too drunk and angry to notice and charges out onto the landing.

‘Billy, you twat!’ he shouts as the stairs creak under his weight. ‘Oi! What the fuck are you playing at?’

I shove the phone into my jeans pocket, scramble out of the bedroom and crouch down by the banisters. I can’t see Jake or Billy but I can hear every word they’re saying in the living room.

‘Give me that!’ Jake shouts. ‘Arsonist, are you now?’

‘Well, it would teach Dad right if this house went up in smoke,’ Billy shouts back. ‘He’s an arsehole and a loser.’

‘No, Billy, you’re the loser. You want to know why Dad gives you a hard time? Because you’re an embarrassment. You think you’re the hard man with your spray cans and your stupid scribble, but you’re just a kid. Anyone with half a brain can see you just want attention.’

‘Is that right, golden boy?’ Billy laughs. It’s such a venomous sound all the hairs on my arms go up.

‘You need to grow the hell up, Billy, and stop being such a jealous brat.’

I pull myself to my feet and hurry to the top of the stairs. I need to stop this. I need to stop Billy saying one more word before—

‘Why would I be jealous of you, Jake? You’re going out with the town bike. Everyone’s laughing at you because she’s sleeping around behind your back and you’re too much of a mug to realize. She’s been fucked more times than a porn star.’

There’s an almighty crack, then a thump as something or someone hits the floor, and then Jake thunders up the stairs towards me. He stops right in front of me and stares, waiting for me to say something, but I’m so scared my mind has gone blank. Any second now Billy is going to shout up at him that we’ve been fucking and that’ll be it, game over.

‘Well?’ Jake leans in so close I can smell beer on his breath. ‘Is it true? Are you sleeping around behind my back?’