your plan?”
I didn’t know whether it was going to work, so I didn’t say a word. I headed down the hall for Brandon’s room.
“…she had the most massive rack you’ve ever seen, I mean she was stacked!!” said Brandon. I heard him doing the loud drunken guy thing all the way down the hallway until I walked into his bedroom. He had a bottle of lager in his hand and I saw he was happy-drunk. Until he saw me that is. For a split second I felt like the jealous housewife, wondering which girl had the giant rack. Then I remembered I really didn’t give a shit whose body Brandon had been looking at.
“What do you want?” He said.
“I want to talk to you,” I said.
“Now?”
“Now.”
Brandon looked at Luke. Luke looked at Brandon. Which way would the wind blow? We all waited, and then Brandon turned to me and laid his beer on his desk.
“Well it’s about time, sweet cheeks.”
Luke stood up to leave the room.
“As far as I’m concerned Luke can stay. My whole life is an open book right now, so what’s the point in anyone pretending otherwise. I don’t mind if Amanda hears too.”
“Yeah? So what is this? You want to cause a scene?” said Brandon.
“No, that’s your speciality. I just want to talk to you about what you’ve done.”
“Snap, Ashley. I want to talk to you about fidelity and betrayal.”
“What the hell?” I was dumbstruck. “You want to talk to me about being faithful? Get the hell out of here.” I laughed.
“No. As far as I remember we were a couple. Lovers. And then you ran out on me for Cody. Then you go and dump that poor sucker and come back here. Then you go and fuck Ridgley. I mean who the hell haven’t you been screwing?”
“That’s the official line, right? That’s the story you’ve cooked up and you’re sticking to it? Do you remember beating that ‘poor sucker’ half to death, and threatening to break him in half? Brandon, you tell so many lies these days you don’t know which way is up and which way is down.”
Amanda appeared in the doorway behind me. I turned to see her face. She looked concerned. Her voice was weak and careful
“Is everyone okay..?” she said.
Luke moved to the door and took Amanda by her shoulder.
“We need to leave these two to it. Come on,” said Luke.
“No you don’t, Luke. You don’t need to do that at all,” I said.
“ Yes we do !” Luke shouted and pulled the door against the jamb. It was almost closed. But I’m glad it wasn’t. I wanted people to hear everything that was said from here on in.
“Do you like having everyone in fear of you, Brandon? Look at those two running away. Is that how you like it?”
“They are my friends, Amanda.”
“You know, I’m not sure they are. Unless maybe I’m in the same category of friend as those two. Am I your friend, Brandon? You threaten me and control me, spread lies about me… is that how you treat all your friends.”
“I didn’t lie. You were fucking Ridgley, weren’t you?”
“No, I wasn’t.” Technically, that was true. Not then I wasn’t. “But you told people I did. You and Penny, working like a couple of playground gossips, slinging mud. Why did you do it, Brandon? What good can it possibly do you, hurting someone you say you care about?”
“You weren’t seeing clearly. You were acting strange. Supposed to be here with me, you’re my girl, but you’ve been screwing around. Again. Of course I’m going to react. I’m your boyfriend, I have a right to react.”
“My boyfriend? You’re not my boyfriend. You were my boyfriend when I didn’t know you. I thought you were so cool, such a nice guy, such a hero - for all of five minutes until you started changing on me. But you were the one screwing around the whole time, first with the red haired girl at the gig, and then every chance you get…”
“So you were jealous, is that it? Is that what all this song and dance is about? You’re cheating for revenge?”
“No, Brandon. It’s
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