The Anatomy of a Parody Heart

perfect

Dan's house is big.

But the house next to it - Enzo's father's house - is bigger.

Much bigger.

It towers over Enzo, all huge green garden and sky-high gables and fountain. The walls are white, clean white, and there is no ivy, or weeds, or mould. It is spotless. Perfect. Disgusting.

Enzo eyes it in silence. There is a statue of a cupid in the fountain. It is holding a bow, and firing jets of water into the stone basin. There is no mould on the fountain, either.

It has been polished to perfection.

"He's rich," Enzo says. He says it flatly, like a fact - it is a fact - but it burns and twists inside him. Burns and twists like a curse.

"Yeah," Dan says. Softly.

Enzo looks at him. "How come?"

Dan shrugs. "He runs a business. A huge business. Sells cars."

Enzo scans the driveway. The empty driveway. "He doesn't drive?"

"His cars are round the back. In the garage. All seven of them."

"Izzy lives here, too?"

"Yeah."

"Do you know her?"

Dan shakes his head. "Not really. We've talked a bit. She's nice. You look like her."

Enzo is so surprised, the only retort that he can think of is, "I do?"

"Yeah." Dan laughs.

Enzo is really starting to think that he hates Dan's laugh.

"Are they home right now?"

Dan shrugs. "Should be. Do you want me to wait out here? I can walk you back."

"I'm not blind, Carter. I can find my own house, thanks."

Dan studies him. Carefully. "Sure. Whatever. You know where I am, anyway."

He starts walking back up the path.

Enzo watches him go. Watches him - then -

"Carter! Wait!"

Dan turns around.

"Thanks. For - you know."

Dan grins.

Maybe Enzo was wrong. Maybe he hates Dan's laugh. But he hates Dan's grin even more.

"No problem."

Enzo waits - waits until Dan is out of sight - before walking back up the driveway.

Towards his father's house.