Exposition

D+15 (Wednesday)

But Addie was wrong. Calling Mrs. Benson 'mommy' was not the worst thing that could have happened. On the way to Wednesday's club activities, one of her drawings slipped from her folder and Brienne who was walking behind her picked it up. It was a rather graphic depiction of a blowjob with a word bubble saying 'the other guys on the team were right about you. You are a good kisser'. All life ceased for Addie: sound stopped, time stopped, her breath stopped.

"Is this how you see me?" Brienne asked quietly.

Addie started to deny that it was even Brienne in the picture – that it was clearly two boys in the drawing - but the likeness was too realistic.

"And here I was thinking that I was being friendly," Brienne continued, her eyes raking over every detail of the picture: the green eyes in a half lidded gaze, the cropped jet black hair in the other's fist, the fat lips overstretched on a large, veiny dick, the spittle dribbling down to the mole on the right side of the neck.

Brienne looked...hurt and for some reason that made Addie angry.

"Friends isn't what you want us to be," she accused Brienne, remembering their phone conversation where it sounded like Brienne was getting off on her voice.

Brienne took her eyes of the picture and looked at Addie. "Maybe," she said quietly. Was that an admission? "But for the most part I hoped -" she didn't finish what she was going to say because it seemed like she was about to cry. She handed Addie her picture and walked away.

"SHIT!"Addie breathed harshly when she could no longer see the back of Brienne's hair whipping through the air.

...

Addie didn't think Brienne would pick up her call but after the third ring, she heard Brienne's familiar breathy tone on the other end of the line; only this time there wasn't a smirk in it.

"Hello?"

Addie hesitated. "Um, hi! It's me. It's Addie."

"I know," came the response then silence.

"You weren't at club, "Addie fumbled. She heard a rustling sound in the background and a heavy sigh but Brienne said nothing. "I wanted to apologize for the picture. It was an extremely gross mischaracterization. I want you to know that I've shredded it."

All Addie would hear was Brienne's stilted breathing.

"Brienne?"

"I'm still here."

"Why aren't you saying anything?"

"Just wondering if that's how other people see me."

Addie's heart felt heavy and she started to apologize again.

"You've said that already," Brienne interrupted somewhat irritated. "Doesn't change the fact that that is the impression I give."

"It's not," Addie insisted pleadingly.

"Then why did you draw me like that?"

Addie sighed. She would have to tell the truth - she wanted to degrade her so that she could get over these weird feelings she'd been having of Brienne. It wasn't the first time she'd had these kinds of feelings towards a girl. There was her best friend in primary school but that ended very badly and Addie wasn't keen on a repeat. "I wanted to hurt you...to bring you down."

"Why?"

"I-I don't know." Strange, but Addie could feel the glare through the phone. "Because the way you look at me scares me. You make me feel strange and I don't like it."

"Strange how?"

Addie was getting flustered and she didn't want to continue the conversation. She had apologized twice so it should just end there. "Just strange and I don't like it," she repeated angrily.

A measured silence followed before Brienne apologized.

"For what?"

"For making you feel weird," and she hang up.

"FUCK!"Addie cursed, pressing her face into her pillow.

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