Page 32 of Alphas Like Us

“It’s not hailing,” Farrow says matter-of-factly. “You’re fine. Stay in this lane until you feelcomfortable.”

Farrow backseat driving is infuriatinglysexy.

Anyway, we have no destination, but my phone keeps vibrating in my pocket. Uncle Ryke and Aunt Daisy, Winona’s parents, are concerned since she’s past her curfew. When it hits 1:00 a.m., I expect the same onslaught of messages from Uncle Connor and Aunt Rose aboutBen.

Once Ben leans back slightly, less edged, I ask, “So Xander met some guys through you at these soccer and hockeygames?”

“Yeah,” Ben nods. “And I thought it’d be good for him. I didn’t think…I mean, I couldn’t haveknown…”

Winona drops her head,upset.

Ben scratches at his hair. “People at school knew that Xander is on antidepressants—rumors about that are all over theinternet.”

Itense.

“Why is security’s car changing lanes?” Ben asks, almostpanicked.

“Security is playing defense with the other vehicles,” Farrow explains. “SFO is stopping some cars from reaching yours. Don’t worry about them. Oscar is a gooddriver.”

“Okay…” Ben adjusts his grip on the wheel. “At the games, students asked Xander if they could have some pills, and Xander actually started giving them his meds—and I should’ve looked out for your brother, Moffy. It’smyfault.” Ben talks fast, the words rushing out of him all of a sudden. “He’s susceptible to peer pressure, and he didn’t ask for money or anything in return. He just wanted to belikedby thesedudes.”

My heart is in my throat. He was only fourteen. “That’s why you had a falling out?” Irealize.

“Yeah.” Ben flicks his blinker but decides not to switch lanes. He tries to ease back. “I figured if I stopped inviting Xander out with me, he couldn’t give anyone his pills. Since he’s homeschooled, it made it easier…” He wafts hisSave the Planetshirt from his chest. “After a while, we stopped talking, and hejust…”

Retreated.

My brother retreated and barely leaves thehouse.

I rub my jaw, my muscles searing. “Who knows about the pills?” I ask and eye Farrow who touches his earpiece. He checks over his shoulder, on the lookout for paparazzi traffic that steadilyamasses.

Ben lowers the volume of his stereo as Charlie turns the radio on. “Some kids at school, me, Xander, and Nona know,” Ben says. “And now youthree.”

Winona twists her otter pendant necklace. “Moffy,” she says to me. “We thought hestopped.”

My stomachcaves.

“A kid in the neighborhood started texting me about it,” Ben finishes. “This morning.” He extends his arm backwards to pass me his phone, and the one gesture causes Charlie to stare out the window. He must feel like Ben just chose me overhim.

My ribs shrink mylungs.

I could hand the phone back to Charlie, but with my little brother at the centerfold of this, I have an aching need to be incontrol.

So I do the shitty thing and keep the phone. I already know Ben’s passcode: the date his pet bird Pip-Squeak died. And then I open the most recent message from the neighborhoodkid—

Farrow drops his foot to the floor. His nonchalance suddenlydepletes.

When that happens, I feel like someone needs to hoist the Bat Signal in the air and call for the Avengers toAssemble.

“Farrow?” I whisper, catching his gaze. I lean back while Winona bends towards the middle console to speak to Ben inSpanish.

Farrow leans back with me, and he whispers, “Eight more cars, four are SUVs, and they most likely have cameras. Oscar can’t block them all. Ben’s about to get bombarded unless he can speed up and make anexit.”

I move into damage control mode. I pull Winona back so she’s not bent forward. “Buckle,Nona.”

“I alreadyam.”

But it’s too loosened, and I don’t need to ask. Farrow already pulls the strap to her belt, tightening herin.