Chapter 2
They left the motel and got into Brooke’s car “What now?” Brooke asked annoyed and slightly desperate.
“Well, we’ve got two hours to kill. Let’s go to my house, I gotta at least change out of this sweater, been in it since last night.” Brooke looked at her then “I’ll try calling Noah again, and we can plan this right. There’s no way you are meeting that creep alone.”
“Wait, where did you spend the night?” Brooke asked intrigued, glancing at Audrey.
“Stop giving me that look, I was just at Noah’s.” Audrey said “And eyes on the road.”
“Boo. You know, I think it’s time you get some action again, it’s been what? Like months already?” Brooke teased her “I’m sure a lot of people at school would want to jump you. You’re a catch Audrey Jensen.”
“Ok, I am not having this conversation with you. Besides, who even has time to think of hooking up when there’s a killer after us?” Audrey was blushing and that was just too embarrassing.
“Hey, Noah is interested in Zoe, and Emma is getting some from Kieran, why shouldn’t you find someone?”
Audrey looked at her then, Brooke was clearly trying to distract herself from all the shit they were in, and if talking about Audrey’s pathetic love life was doing the trick then so be it “Look, I don’t know ok? I’m not you, I don’t exactly have much experience, I’ve only ever been with Rach. I wouldn’t even know where to start looking.”
Brooke looked at her for a second, Audrey had become someone she really cared about, and she’s not really used to caring this much about people. Back when she was Nina’s shadow, all she cared about was herself and her status, or at least that’s who she wanted people to think she was, the cold bitch just like Nina. Losing Riley was probably the first time she understood what having a friend meant, and how much she actually missed having her around. Riley and Emma had always been different. They were genuine and kind, and now trying to be like Nina seems like such a stupid thing to do. After all this tragedy, at least Brooke’s finally able to be herself “I’m sorry Audrey” Brooke blurted out and Audrey looked at her confused “I just, I think I never actually apologized to you for everything, you know, the video and the bulling.”
“What? Brooke come on that was ages ago, you don’t have to apologize…”
“Yes, yes I do,” Audrey was still looking at her “I was such a bitch back then like seriously all I cared about was getting Nina’s approval and basically I was the Gretchen to her Regina.” Audrey huffed a laugh “I’m serious Audrey you are so great and I regret everything I did back then, I love being your friend, you are seriously one of the best people I know.”
“Are you sure you’re not just saying that cause you have a terrible frame of reference? You know having Nina as a friend and all?” Audrey was starting to feel like shit, she didn’t deserve that compliment nor Brooke’s apologies, What she did was so much worse, if Brooke and Emma found out they’d never forgive her. This shit was all her fault.
“No, I mean it.” Brooke said with a smile.
Audrey didn’t know what to say “Ok this is the most sappy you’ve ever been around me, and it’s starting to creep me out.” Brooke laughed at that and Audrey smiled back. She couldn’t help it, Brooke’s smile was contagious. “Oh, and you are so much cooler then Gretchen come on.” Brooke laughed again and that was starting to become one of Audrey’s favorite sounds.
“I know right?” Brooke joked still smiling and Audrey knew Brooke was hot but damn, Brooke smiling was just so beautiful it could make you forget everything bad in the world.
And where did that thought come from? Brooke was her friend, Audrey needed to put an end to those kind of thoughts right now, she did not need one more thing to worry about.
They arrived at Audrey’s house and got out of the car, Brooke had never been there but she knew where Audrey lived, in a small town, everyone knew where everyone lived. “Is your dad home?”
“Uh no, no I think he’s at church” Having a Pastor as a father was just Audrey’s luck. They went inside and upstairs to her room. “I’m gonna change real quick, make yourself at home.”
“Your place is nice.” Brooke said sitting at the edge of Audrey’s bed.
“Yeah well, it’s not exactly the Maddox’s mansion,” Audrey looked back at Brooke as she made her way to the closet “but it’s ok.”
Audrey had left the door to the closet open and Brooke caught herself starring as she took off her sweater and went to find another one. ‘She has nice arms’ Brooke thought just as Audrey decided on a red cropped sweater and turned towards Brooke. A little flushed at being caught starring Brooke shook it off “Oh, look who’s out of the closet.” She joked.
“Haha” Audrey said unamused.
“That sweater looks cute though.” Brooke said honestly and Audrey looked at it surprised
“Whatever” Audrey was blushing again, and that was unacceptable, she crossed the room trying to hide her face and picked up her phone “Are you hungry? We should probably eat something.”
“Uh, I don’t think I can keep anything down until we get this over with.” Brooke said
“Brooke what have you eaten today?”
“I had coffee this morning.” Brooke said sheepishly.
“Yeah ok, I’m ordering us pizza, and you’re eating” Audrey pointed a finger at Brooke
“Ok mom.” Brooke retorted.
When the pizza arrived they ate it mostly in silence, they were both hungry and the worry of meeting Branson in less than an hour was getting to them.
“Do you think we should call Emma?” Brooke asked as she finished eating.
“No, she’s got too much to worry about, we’ll tell her later.” Audrey started putting everything away then. “I’ll try calling Noah, let him know what’s going on and then we’ll go.”
“Yeah ok, good idea.” Brooke was getting nervous. She didn’t know what Branson was capable of, especially after what she did to him.
“Hey it’s ok.” Audrey held Brooke’s hand “We’ll fix this” They looked into each other’s eyes and Brooke found comfort in Audrey’s gaze, something in it made she believe her.
They went back upstairs and Brooke started pacing the room as Audrey laid on her bed.
“Uh I think I ate too much pizza.” Audrey complained rubbing her belly.
“I ate the same amount as you, and I’m fine”
“Yeah but you didn’t eat anything all day, I had a huge breakfast” Audrey said as she took her phone to call Noah.
Brooke looked at Audrey, comfortably spread out in her bed and thought again ‘God, she really looks good in that sweater’.