𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐑𝐈𝐓𝐘||𝐌𝐈𝐊𝐄 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐆𝐎𝐌𝐄𝐑𝐘

𝟏𝟑. 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐞

SLAMMING THE CAR DOOR BEHIND HER,
Brooke couldn't have been more glad to be out of her mothers presence, the two Bentley siblings having fled the house as soon she had returned from her work trip with the announcement that she would shortly be going on another one in a few days. She had returned in a sickly sweet mood that the siblings knew would only last so long and Brooke had an inkling as to why.

The pictures on her camera had been stowed away on a memory card at the back of her wardrobe, inside a shoe that she hadn't put on since she was fourteen. She hadn't even told Mason about the pictures that she had been sent by A, not only because it would undoubtedly lead to a million questions about where she got them, but also maybe because she didn't want to admit what she had seen. Because she blamed herself.

Thus to get out of the way, she was heading to Spencer's before they both left to meet the rest of the girls bar Aria for breakfast. As far as she knew, Mike had said that their dad wanted to gather them for a family breakfast to discuss something. He hadn't spoken to her since which for some reason told her that it probably didn't go well.

"Spence?" Brooke called as she wandered into the brunette girls house, taking her bag off and dropping it onto one of the stools around the kitchen island, hearing a shout telling the Bentley girl that she would be right there and to help herself to coffee.

She sighed, wandering over to the counter with the coffee machine and grabbing herself a mug from the cupboard, pouring herself a mug with no cream and taking a sip. As usual it was perhaps three times stronger than necessary but nonetheless she still took a large gulp hoping it would wake her up enough to get through the rest of the day.

Soon enough she heard Spencer's foot falls on the stairs, the girl appearing from around the corner with her bag in hand. "Hey, thanks for coming over." She breathed out, also heading straight for the coffee machine and filling her travel cup to the brim.

Brooke swallowed before replying, "Yeah, it's fine. What's with all the boxes?" She asked, looking around at the Hastings living room which was usually perfectly neat and was now strewn with boxes, pictures and sporting equipment.

A bitter look over took the Hastings expression as she glanced at the state of her living room. "Ian." She answered bluntly, the name alone making Brooke want to shiver. "I don't know how he expects it all to fit in the barn." She muttered unhappily.

"Morning." A voice came from behind the pair, making them jump, the coffee in Brooke's hand sloshing over the side and scalding her hand, muttering a 'shit' she quickly shook it off. "You okay? You're both a little jumpy." He chortled, missing the look that both girls sent one another when he turned to grab plates from the cupboard, turning back and looking at them both expectantly since neither had replied.

"Yeah, you surprised me, thats all. I didn't know you were back." Spencer explained, leaving Brooke to cover the grimace on her face with another gulp
of coffee. "We were just getting ready to leave." She excused, screwing the lid onto her cup and stuffing it into the pocket of her bag.

He nodded, eyes flitting over to the brunette who was unusually quiet. She always was around him. And they both knew why. "We didn't wake you last night? I mean, you didn't hear us?" He asked, turning his attention back his sister in law.

The brunette quickly shook her head, almost too fast. "No. Like I said, I didn't even know you were back?" She stammered out, glad that her best friend was present during the interaction so that she wasn't facing him alone, although she got the inkling that the Bentley girl was more uncomfortable than she was.

Ian nodded, heading over to the fridge and reaching for a couple of eggs from the holder. "So, Brooke, you got your cast off." He nodded to her arm that was now free from the ugly green plaster that had been covering it for a few weeks.