The F Word

Chapter Seventeen

Brooke:

Brooke was curled up on her bed, lost in thoughts of Tanner, when she heard a soft knock on her bedroom door. “Come in.”

When the door opened, Bethany stood on the other side.

“What do you want?” Brooke asked.  

Bethany stepped inside, but she didn’t sit down. “I heard about what happened, and I know you’re probably mad at me.”

“Why shouldn’t I be mad?” Brooke asked. “Tanner lied to me, and you covered for him. Do you have any idea how that feels?”

“Try to think about Tanner’s feelings.” 

“Why should I? He didn’t think about mine.” 

“That’s all he ever thinks about, and you know it.”

“Then why didn’t he tell me the truth?”

“It’s not that simple.”

“Lying never is!”

“Does his disability make a difference?” 

“It’s not fair to ask me that now after everyone’s spent the last five months lying to me about it.”

“Look at you,” Bethany said. “Everything about you is perfect. You have perfect parents, and you live in a perfect house and drive the perfect car, and you’re beautiful.”

“That doesn’t make me shallow,” Brooke said.

“No, but it makes someone like Tanner think he's not good enough for you,” Bethany said.

“Maybe it did five months ago, but things are different now,” Brooke said. “Tanner said I was his best friend. It seems like that’s something you would tell your best friend who also happens to be the girl you said you wanted to have sex with.”

“What are you going to do?” Bethany asked.

“I don’t know,” Brooke admitted. “I just need some time to think.”

Bethany’s shoulders sagged. “Okay, I guess I should go then.”

She turned to leave, and Brooke didn’t try to stop her. Bethany paused when she reached the door.

“I’m sorry, Brooke,” Bethany said without turning around. “I never wanted to lie to you. It’s just that Tanner was finally happy, and I couldn’t be the one to ruin that for him.”

Tanner’s the one who ruined it, Brooke thought.

When Brooke didn’t respond, Bethany let herself out. Brooke expected her friend to slam the door, but she didn’t.  

Once Bethany was gone, Brooke changed into her pajamas. Maybe a good night’s sleep would give her the answers she needed. She’d just crawled into bed when there was another knock on her bedroom door.

“Go away, Beth!” 

The door cracked open. “It’s me,” her father said. “Can I come in?”

“Sorry, Dad,” Brooke said. “Yeah, you can come in.”

Her father pushed the door the rest of the way open and came to sit beside her. “Your mother told me you had a rough day.” 

“Did she tell you about Tanner?”

“She didn’t have to. I already knew.”

Brooke’s jaw fell open, and she just stared at her father. How was that possible? How could he know something like that? Was it that obvious? Was she stupid to have missed it?