Chapter 4
Audrey was trying to understand what had just happened. The killer wanted her inside the school for this, but it didn’t make sense, unless…
“Move over!” it was the paramedics, they’d arrived at the school and were rushing past Audrey to get to Miss Lang. “Is she- is she gonna be ok?” Brooke asked as they pushed her aside so they could attend to Miss Lang.
Audrey rushed to her then, pulling her out of the way. “Come on” she said holding Brooke’s hand and guiding her to the side with her other hand on the small of her back.
“Oh my God” Brooke said holding onto Audrey’s hand “Do- Do you think this was him? Do you think Branson did this?”
“We’ve got a pulse!” one of the paramedics said before Audrey could respond. “Hurry we’ve gotta take her to the ER” they started to move her then and Brooke hugged Audrey holding tightly the back of her shirt.
“Shh” Audrey held her and Brooke hid her face in the crook of her neck taking deep breaths “Stop worrying, she’s gonna be fine.” Audrey rubbed Brooke’s back.
This was so messed up, Brooke calmed herself down enough to raise her head and look into Audrey’s eyes “Why- Why would he do this to her?”
Audrey grabbed either side of Brooke’s head then “I don’t know ok? We don’t even know if it was him, or- or someone else, it might’ve just been an accident ok?” Brooke nodded and Audrey stroked her hair. “None of this is your fault.”
Audrey’s gaze was honest and it almost convinced her. Brooke looked down, she couldn’t help feeling guilty, if Branson did this, she was the one who brought him here. She noticed she still had her arms around Audrey’s waist and her hands were still gripping her shirt so she loosened them, not quite letting go just yet. Audrey sighed and hugged her again, and Brooke closed her eyes leaning her head on Audrey’s shoulder. It was nice, having someone hold her. She missed it.
The paramedics were moving Miss Lang out of the school and into an ambulance and Audrey stroked Brooke’s shoulder “Come on, let’s get out of here” they moved but didn’t let go of each other, Brooke’s arm still around her waist, and Audrey’s still around her shoulders.
There was a big puddle of blood on the floor and they had to move around it, it seemed now that wherever Brooke went blood seemed to follow.
They got to Brooke’s car and watched as the ambulance took off to the nearest hospital, they parted then to get inside the car.
“I’m so tired,” Brooke said “and it’s not even four o’clock.”
“Yeah well, given everything that’s happening, I think you’re allowed to be tired.” They looked at each other and Audrey had to admit she was also tired, of everything. Were their lives ever going to be normal again?
“I don’t know how I could’ve gotten through this day without you” Brooke gave her a small smile “So you know, thank you”
Audrey felt an urge to just tell Brooke everything, make her stop thanking her for things, but she couldn’t, how would she even start? How could she look into Brooke’s eyes and tell her she knew about Jake’s death and didn’t tell her? She straight up lied to her and watched her be pissed at him when she knew why he wasn’t responding to her texts. And as a result watched Brooke find out about it in the worst way possible. “Stop thanking me Brooke.” She said instead, ashamed of herself.
Brooke sighed “Ok, ok I’ll stop.” she said, looking at Audrey, she looked sad for some reason, but then again given the day they just had, sadness was pretty standard. “What do you want to do now?”
“I should probably get a hold of Noah, tell him what just happened. Can you drop me off at his house?” Audrey thought she saw something like disappointment in Brooke’s expression, but it was gone so fast she wasn’t sure she hadn’t just imagined it.
“Yeah sure.” Brooke gave Audrey another smile, she didn’t know why that had bothered her, she’d already spent the whole day with Audrey. Maybe she just didn’t want to be alone.
Brooke started driving and Audrey thought again about what had happened at the school. The killer wanted her there, maybe he was trying to frame her for whatever happened to Miss Lang, it was the only thing that made sense, but he hadn’t tried to contact her yet, something just wasn’t right.
Audrey was so lost in thought she didn’t even notice the time until Brooke was parking the car and she saw they’d arrived at Noah’s.
She looked at Brooke “Are you gonna be ok?”
Brooke nodded “I’ll be fine” she looked into Audrey’s eyes “Are you?” there was real concern at her voice, and Audrey couldn’t take it.
“Yeah, of course, don’t you worry about me.” She wasn’t sure if she should but decided to go for it and leaned towards Brooke kissing her on the cheek. “Call me if you need anything ok?”
Brooke was a little surprised but she closed her eyes and smiled when Audrey kissed her, she was still smiling
when she answered her “Ok, I will, you do the same.”
Audrey was a little flushed, so she gave Brooke a salute and Brooke smiled brighter giving one back, only then she remembered doing the same at Brooke’s party that first time they actually talked, just the two of them. She got out of the car and Brooke waved before driving off.