And found me.
The color drained from her face.
I looked at her for a long moment.
My hands were shaking. I didn’t know when that had started. I pressed them flat against the bench and breathed through it, the memory of that alley, the cold brick, the way I’d had to fight my way out of something I never should have been in. All of it suddenly very present and very loud.
She opened her mouth and closed it, the excuse of what she did dying on her tongue as we stood there.
In response, I turned back to my containers, pulling them out and organizing them once more. And then I heard her heels clicking against the floor.
Coming toward me.
My heart raced in my chest as she stopped beside me. “Uh,” she began, “hey, Ingrid.” I didn’t answer as my eyes slowly drifted over, barely reaching her gaze.
There was an awkward beat of silence and I watched as she pushed her hair back in a familiar irritated gesture.
“Look.” Her voice shifted into something softer. “I’m sorry for what happened. With you and Brandon. He wasn’t supposed to… I didn’t mean for it to go that far.”
At her words, my brows furrowed.Thatwas her apology? No remorse or explanation? I’d heard Amber’s version of apologizing before.
It was always like this, vague, dismissive, never thinking she was in the wrong. If anything, she treated apologizing like it was an inconvenience.
I knew now, though… it was the best I was going to get.
I didn’t reply, not at first. So after a beat, Amber turned to leave. She was done. All tied up in a neat little bow, as far as she was concerned.
Before, I would have let her go.
Not now, though.
“That’s it?”
Amber paused, her jaw tightening as she looked back over to me. “I don’t know what else you want from me, Ingrid.”
Everything I had been holding in came rushing out. “You were supposed to be my friend, Amber. And because of you… I had to fight my way out of an alley?”
“Brandon wasn’t supposed to take it that far.” She doubled down. “He was only supposed to—”
“I’m not talking about Brandon.” I cut her off, my voice sounding more steady than I was on the inside. “I’m talking about you. I trustedyou, Amber.”
“Then you know I wouldn’t have sent him if I thought you’d actually get hurt. You know me, Ingrid.”
The way she looked into my eyes told me a different story. Made a small chill run up my spine as I replayed her words.
Even if she didn’t give him the green light to attack me, she gave him the chance and opportunity to do something awful. She knew what hewas capable of, and I knew right then that if he’d done it and gotten away with it… she would’ve just looked the other way.
“I thought I knew you…” I said, and shook my head. “Turns out I don’t.”
“Ingrid. Look I’m sorry, okay?” She spoke quieter, something almost desperate creeping in as her voice shook. “The police came to my apartment this morning.” I looked away, holding back a flinch as she stepped closer, trying to meet my gaze. “If you could just… tell them it was a misunderstanding. Drop the charges, we can fix things, work something out—”
“My father asked me to throw him a rope when he was arrested.” I didn’t look up as I cut her off. “He thought he knew me, thought I would give in like I always do—but he’s still going to prison.” Finally, I gave her one last glance, seeing the mix of emotions behind her eyes. “I’m not the same girl I was a few months ago… and it seems like you didn’t get the memo.”
The awkward silence lingered for what seemed like hours, but I snapped out of my trance, continuing to arrange the containers for the guys as she watched me silently.
She stayed quiet for a short while, and then I heard her heels against the floor, walking toward the exit before I couldn’t hear them anymore.
I let out a slow breath, calming my nerves as I tried not to replay the last five minutes in my mind. Neither she nor Brandon could hurt me any more than they already had. Never again.
