Evol

chapter twenty

Tuesday 11th June, 2019

I trudged down the stairs on Tuesday morning.

Eyeing my parents clustered around the dining table, I tried to make a break for the door. . . Only to trip on the couch corner, grabbing the back of it to avoid face-planting.

"Honey?" Dad called.

"Brooke!" I turned to see my Mum start buttering me a croissant. "Come and sit down."

"I'm kind of late. . ." I mumbled, knowing it was a waste of breath.

"Spend five minutes with us," Dad said. I repressed rolling my eyes and went over, sitting down.

"Now, young lady," Mum said, putting the croissant on my plate. "Me and your Father wanted to talk to you."

I looked into her sharp brown eyes and gulped. "About what?"

"Well. . ." Dad started. "Me and your Mum have noticed some things."

I felt my stomach drop. Shit. They can't have seen, right? The injuries? I gave them the same lamppost excuse as Brendan the last time. They seemed to believe it - it wasn't the first time that had happened. And the mustard turtle neck I wore today covered the bruises. . .

"What things?"

"Strange behaviour."

"What? I don't understand."

Mum gave me one of her 'don't play' stares. It pinned me to the seat. "You've been going out a lot, and coming in late."

Relief washed over me. "Mum, I'm seventeen. I'm making friends!"

"We know that. . . But we're concerned it might affect your school work."

"It's not." I smiled reassuringly. "I'm on top of my work. I'm allowed to have a social life."

Dad coughed. "Of course you are. Just make sure you're making friends with the right people."

Julian came to my mind, with the appearance of a heartbreaker who'd come and smash the family car for kicks. Then, I saw Brendan, my parents' ideal friend.

"I am." I said.

"And be careful when you go out." Mum warned.

"I'm paranoid. You don't have to worry about that." I wrapped my croissant in tissue and stood. "Can I go, please?"

"Yes," Dad put his newspaper back up. "Have a good day, darling."

"Thanks, you too." I murmured, and made a beeline for the door.

My yellow Beetle was back on the driveway. I smiled, chucking my backpack inside and climbing in.

Strangely, the texts from people at school had stopped yesterday afternoon. It was a relief, but still unsettling. My mind couldn't even think of how to face another dreadful day of gossip; I was too pre-occupied with giving myself pep talks.

They all told me I could do it - I could pretend that I thought of Julian as nothing more than a friend. I could match his feelings.

I couldn't afford to fall any further. It already hurt enough.

When I arrived, Brendan was getting out of his car next to me.

"Brooke!" He grinned.

"Brendan!" I met him at the front of his car. "Hey, thanks so much for sending me the video."

"No problem," he said warily. "I still haven't seen it. Is it bad?"

"It's not good."

"I won't be watching it, then." Brendan said, pushing blonde hair back as we started to walk toward school, melting with the rest of the students.