Page 43 of Wrath

"I thought I was angel."

"I said angel face. Andangryangel."I roll my eyes at my own stupidity as I back out of my parking spot.

"I'm not angry." He says it so quietly that I almost don't hear.

"Are you hangry?" I'm not sure what else to say. My face is still hot from stepfuckers.

"No." He leans his chair back more, lowers his arm, and folds a hand over his eyes, rubbing his temples lightly with his fingertips.

I see his face twist in a grimace as I pull onto the main road."You okay?"

"You shouldn't give me a ride."His voice is low and groaned.

My stomach flips at his tone. "Why not?"

He shakes his head, and then his other hand comes to his face. "Pull over."

"What?"

"Stop the car!NOW."

I pull over on a grassy shoulder, and he lunges out, slamming the door shut before bending over in the grass.

“Damn.” I feel almost sorry for his stubborn ass. That he's new, and he’s a freak dickface who's also clearly miserable. At least I think he is. I guess I could be wrong.

I make a mental note to ask my mom more questions about him. Then he's straightening up. I watch as he pulls his sweat-soaked T-shirt off and wipes his face with it. He moves slowly toward the car and pulls the back door open.

"Sorry," he rasps as he leans his head against the headrest. He puts a hand over his face, clutching the T-shirt to his bare chest. He's breathing hard, and I can see the muscles of his abs flex.

I jerk my eyes away.

"You should drink some water." I'm holding his drink out, but he doesn't take it. He cracks his window first.

"Are you hot?"I ask.

"What doyouthink, DG?"

He takes his drink from my hand, and I watch him chug some in the rearview mirror as I point us toward home.

"You need to get looked at. Seriously, dude."

"What will they do for me?" He lowers his hand from his face, so I can see his dark eyes and flushed cheeks. His hair is damp. He runs a hand back through it, swiping it out of his eyes. "I'll sleep it off."

"I don't think you're supposed to sleep. Also—"

"I'mnotgoing."

I sigh as I turn onto our street. "What am I supposed to tell your dad and my mom? Nothing? What if something happens to you?"

“What if something does?” He smiles weakly at me in the rear-view. "Nobody dies from a concussion, DG."

"It's like...unethical for me to not tell them."

"Ah, ethics. An Eagle Scout is always ethical."

"Don't be a dick. I know it’s your thing, but it won't work. You need to let me take you. Or you need to go with your dad."I hang a right into our driveway, and he sits up straighter.

"How about this, then? If you tell, I'll tell." Ezra arches one of his dark brows. "What do you think about that?"

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