Ezra

I wince when Mrs Dee dabs the cut on my lip.

“I’m sorry.” she sniffles as a tear falls from her eyes and drops on my knee.

“That’s okay, it doesn’t hurt so bad.”

What a goddamn lie.

Lizzy shakes her head. “There’s no need to be tough, VP. It’s just us.”

By ‘just us’, she means herself, Mrs Dee, Torch, and Clay.

They all just stare at me as Mrs Dee wraps me up one last time.

“Guys, I promise, I’m okay.” My lips try and fail to form a smile because ...