Mama noticed. There was a long pause.
“Ava, is something else going on?” Mama sounded very worried. “It’s not like Ezekiel to go off like this, and I know the two of you spoke not too long ago.”
I had to lie. If I told the truth, it’d make everything worse.
“Everything’s fine,” I said. “I don’t know why Ez would act that way.”
“Hm.” Mama mused for a time, before she said, “Well, I called because I want you to keep an eye on Ezekiel, show him around and explain how things work at the Institute. You know he has a gentle heart. I’m worried he’ll get eaten alive in there. He can’t stand his ground like you. At least, I thought he couldn’t, until today.”
Ezekiel was basically a marshmallow. He’d attacked John to protect me, and not for any other reason. Up until this point in his life, he couldn’t hurt a fly. I worried about how he’d handle prison, too.
“I’ll watch over him,” I promised. “He’ll be okay.”
“Good.” The shouting between Daddy and Ez grew louder, and Mama said, “I have to break this up. Stay safe, Ava. Your brother will be there by tomorrow.”
The phone clicked, and I hung up the receiver. Dread grew in my chest with every passing moment, and I couldn’t do anything to suppress it.
My little brother had been sentenced to the Institute. And for what? Defending me?
It was like I’d told Charlie months ago. The people around me were collateral damage. I was a blazing star that torched everything in my path, and Ezekiel got burned.
Though a tiny bit of me felt justified. I hadn’t been able to get back at John for what he did, but my brother had. He’d taken justice into his own hands and fought for me.
I just wished there wasn’t a price he had to pay.
* * *
I was nervous all throughout class the next day, waiting for my brother to arrive. I figured he’d be there early in the morning, but when I checked for new arrivals, the prison bus still hadn’t shown up.
I suffered through a long ass morning, then rushed back to the Elementai cell block before lunch. My legs nearly became water when I slid to a stop at the end of it. Ezekiel stood in the hallway of the cell block, looking like he didn’t know what to do. He wore a new Institute uniform, and was completely lost. He must’ve just gotten back from the Warden’s welcome speech.
“Ez!” I shouted, and he turned. Relief shone on his face when he saw me. I flung myself on him. Ezekiel squeezed me so tightly it felt like my lungs were going to burst.
“Ava,” he gasped. “I’msoglad you’re here.”
He almost sounded near tears. I looked around. There was no one here, but it was better to have this conversation in private rather than out in the open.
“What cell are you in?” I asked. “We should talk.”
Ezekiel led me to a cell only a few doors down from my own. After he closed the door behind us, we sat on the bed. His face broke into a smile.
“I know it’s only been a few weeks since I saw you, but it felt like forever,” he confessed. “I hate being away from you.”
“But now you’re away from the rest of our family,” I pointed out, and Ezekiel’s smile slunk away. “Ez, why did you do that? What I told you, I said in confidence. I didn’t want you to go after John.”
“I couldn’t stop myself. The first time I saw him after you told me what he did, I just lost control,” Ezekiel admitted.
“But what happened to me ismytrauma,” I said. “It wasn’t right for you to take it into your own hands.”
“I really didn’t want to invalidate you, or anything like that,” Ezekiel said. “After it was all over, I felt really bad about what I did— not because I hurt John, because fuck him, but because I worried you’d think I was trying to blow your secret, or that I wasn’t letting you handle what happened to you on your own terms. I really fucked up, Ava. I broke your trust because I couldn’t control my emotions, and I’m sorry for that.”
I sighed. It was really hard to be mad at Ez for beating the shit out of my rapist. When Mama had told me John was in the hospital, I felt like cheering.
But not at the expense of my brother’s freedom.
“I understand,” I said. “Your feelings got the best of you, and I know my past doesn’t affect just me. I only wish it hadn’t come to this. I feel like I put you in here.”
“Don’t say that. It’s not your fault. None of this is. My actions were my own, and he fucking deserved it,” Ezekiel raged. “Do you think I would just sit around and let him attack other girls? If he’s done it to you, who’s to say he won’t try to hurt somebody else? The bastard got what he deserved. Maybe he’ll think twice next time.”
