From A to Z - Angel Reyes

Chapter 5

*Wednesday Morning*

"What's up with him?" Coco asked EZ as they watched Angel sulk out of the front office.

EZ shrugged. "I don't know. You talk to him?"

"He said he's fine," Coco told him.

"That's not fine," EZ remarked.

"No shit." Coco jogged away from EZ. "Yo, Angel," Coco motioned for him to join them. "What's going on, carnal?"

"Working," he gestured to his Romero shirt.

"I know that look," EZ suddenly realized. "What happened with Zara?"

"Nothing," Angel snapped. "We spent all day Sunday together."

"Alright," Coco said suspiciously. He watched Angel walk away, even his gait looking angry, and then turned to EZ. "Still got her number?"

"Yeah," EZ nodded. "We've been texting off and on. She didn't say anything."

"You didn't ask." Coco laughed and shook his head. "You're right, Boy Scout. That's a love sick Angel. Could be good for you."

"Nah. She's into him, not me," EZ said.

"Plenty of girls around," Coco reminded him. "You got your pick."

EZ plastered on a fake smile and nodded. "Thank god for that."

Coco had stirred up both the Reyes boys. EZ had no idea anything had gone on between his brother and Zara but now he was interested and concerned. He knew Angel and he knew he fell hard and fast, EZ hated to see his brother so upset.

After a few hours, when the majority of the guys there were sitting with their lunch, EZ told Bishop he was running out for a few hours.

"That alright?"

Bishop nodded. "Yeah, you're good."

They assumed he would be going to his father's shop but he wasn't, he was heading over to El Centro. There were kids everywhere, early dismissal, and EZ hoped he hadn't missed Zara. He weaved through the kids until he got to her door, she was at her desk on her laptop, and knocked on the glass. She jumped but smiled when she saw him staring in at her.

"Hey," he said as he opened the door, "Sorry. Bad time?"

"No," she shut her computer. "What's up?"

"My brother," he said apprehensively.

"Did he send you?" She asked, instantly annoyed.

"No," EZ said quickly. "He won't even say what's going on. I can just tell."

"Well, he only called once," she said sadly. "Not like he tried really hard."

"What happened?" He asked her.

Zara clicked her tongue. "He lied."

"About?"

"Sunday we went out, like all day, and on the way back-"

"The tire," he said knowingly.

"Exactly," she nodded. "We were waiting for a call to go through or someone to pass by. Some truck came along, really fast and kind of out of nowhere, and he was talking to someone, I couldn't see who. Another guy from the truck came up to change the flat and he asked me how long I've known Angel. Like this dude used Angel's name."

EZ huffed, everything making so much sense now, and nodded. "What did you say?"

"I told him a few weeks. I asked him how he knew Angel and he said Angel plays a big role for her."