"I'm not protecting him." Maybe he was, but it wasn't something he would consciously entertain. He got out of the car with Ronan, not willing to let him go on his own, even going so far as to snatch the gift from his hands.

He met Ronan's gaze with one of his own. "You know what I meant. I go to Aglionby but I'm not a Raven Boy like you are. Raven Boys are rich kids who don't have to worry about money or bills and do whatever they want and have trust funds and can go to college without scholarships or good grades." An old bit of Adam edged into his voice, the insanely jealous part that both loved and hated Ronan at the same time, for everything Ronan was and everything Adam was not. A small part of him welled up in there and admonished him for thinking and believing that someone like Ronan could ever want him when this is where he came from.

Adam tried stamping it out before he could bring himself to look at his friend again. "At least take the sweater off." He then began to force himself the rest of the way down the dirt track, beyond the rusted old bank of mailboxes and toward the place that shaped who he was.