Page 64 of Choose Us

“Why won’t you tell me what happened yesterday?” Takara sounded angry. Like really angry, which didn’t sit right with me. What did she want to know about yesterday? Brooke was with me all day. Why would she be angryabout that?

Unless—

No, it wasn’t possible.

I desperately wanted to clear my throat, but that would alert them to my position. Was Brooke getting closer to me?

My pounding heartbeat could be felt in my temples. My body was as flat up against the pillar asit could be.

“There’s nothing to tell,”Brooke said.

“You’re lying,” Takara yelled loudly enough to project above the rumble of the nearby engines.

“Seriously, you want to do this now, in the middle of the carpark?”

Brooke sounded furious. She raised her voice to match Takara’s. I’d never heard her shout. It was strange to hear her usually calm and cool voiceso agitated.

This wasn’t just a fall out with a friend. My gut told me different.

“Maybe you’ll tell me because there’s an audience.”

Takara hissed. There was venom in her voice. I wanted to protect Brooke. I wanted to stand by her side and shield her from whatever this encounter was, but my brain rejected that idea.

“Do you know me at all, Takara? Do you think this is going to get me to talk to you? You’re out ofyour mind.”

I heard footsteps on the concrete.

“I’m going to get thetrain home.”

Brooke was getting closer. There was no way out for me. Brooke lowered her voice. Spectators were gathering.

“She’s not an old friend, is she?” Takara asked.

This was about me. Shit.

“Admitit, Brooke.”

There was silence and then a longer than necessary pause. She was composing herself for whatwas to come.

“No,she isn’t.”

My muscles tightened. My vision blurred.

“I knew it,” Takarasaid coldly.

I couldn’t hear footsteps anymore. I glanced towards the car on my left. The reflection in the paintwork showed Brooke standing still. She didn’t turn around, but I watched her pinch the bridgeof her nose.

“Takara, please. Not now.”

This wasn’t Brooke’s scene. She didn’t like large public displays of the good or the bad kind.

Should I step out and say something? No. That would only make things worse.

“What then? Was she another closet relationship you refused to tell your father about? You swore to me you’d never done this before.”

My chest stopped its rhythm. My breathing slowed to a halt.

“Takara!” Brooke shrieked.