When Bree wakes up Tuesday morning, she immediately remembers yesterday and gets a sick feeling in her stomach. She's the first one out of her capsule and upstairs. Still in her pajamas, she finds her way to the living room. Tasha's already there watching the early morning news.
"Tasha?" Bree says.
"You're up earlier than normal," Tasha replies.
"I know, but I have to ask you something," she sits down on the couch with her.
"What is it?" Tasha mutes the TV.
"Do you think I could maybe, stay home today?"
"Are you feeling okay?"
"Not mentally . . ." she shakes her head.
"I don't know—"
"Just this once, please. I know Mr. Davenport won't swing for it but I'll go to school tomorrow and stuff I promise. Just tell him I don't feel well.
"I can't lie to him, sweetie."
"It's not a lie, Tasha. I don't feel well. You can convince him to let me stay home."
"Fine, but just this one time, Bree."
"Thank you, thank you," Bree leans over and gives her a hug.
"You're welcome, but this is going to be your only mental health day of the year so enjoy it."
"I will," Bree stands and heads back to the elevator to go back down to the lab.
During school at lunch, Adam, Chase, Leo and Sloane are at their regular table. Sloane hasn't been able to stop worrying about Bree staying at home today.
While they're talking with each other, Sloane notices Megan getting up from her table. She trudges over to theirs casually. Sloane gets a few butterflies of worry in her stomach. I know what you did to Bree, Megan, she thinks.
Megan reaches their table, placing both hands on the top of it and leaning over. Her chipped black painted nails are close to Sloane's elbow, and she's sure Adam and Leo can see right down her Megan's shirt with how she's leaning over. She smells like cigarette smoke.
"Hi," she says. "I'm Megan."
No one says anything. Sloane looks up at the side of her pale face.
"Why isn't B here today?" she asks.
Chase finally speaks up, "She's sick, I guess."
"Alright," Megan replies with a smile. "Let her know we say hey."
Chase just gives her a nod, and then she heads back to her table.
"I'm not letting her know a thing," Chase says to them.
"Good," Sloane says.
"Why aren't you telling her?" asks Leo.
"Because," Chase snorts, "That girl is just causing problems."
"Why do you guys think Bree is so easily influenced? She's making her own choices."
Sloane is surprised at Leo's outburst. "We know that, Leo. But it doesn't change the fact that Megan and her 'group' are giving her the leverage to be influenced."
"I don't think we should tell her either," Adam inputs.
"Oh, please," Leo says. "You think Megan's not going to text her or something. And all she said was hey—not meet me in the boiler room."
Chase almost chokes on his food with laughter, but Sloane doesn't find the joke funny after what Bree told her last night.
Sloane sighs, "Don't make jokes like that."
The kids get home from school around three, and Sloane finds Bree in the lounge room on the couch with a blanket. She's watching Project Runway on TV. She looks all cuddly and cute.
"Hey, B," Sloane says sweetly. Bree told her to call her that, so she's willing to do it. However, Bree tries her best not to cringe at hearing it.
"Hey, Sloane," Bree smiles a little. "You can just call me Bree, by the way." She shakes her head, "Forget what I said the other day."
Sloane breathes out and smiles, "Awesome." She closes the door and sits down on the couch after Bree moves her feet up.
"How was school?"
"Fine," Sloane answers simply. "You weren't sick today, were you?"
Bree sighs, "You know me too well."
Sloane laughs, not knowing what to say. "I think it's good you stayed home today. You seem more like yourself."
Bree instantly looks over at her, "What do you mean?"
"I don't know," Sloane shrugs. The end of Sloane's sentence gets interrupted by Bree's phone chiming.
Bree ignores and moves over closer to Sloane and puts the blanket over her too.
"Want to know why I didn't go to school today?" Bree shuts the TV off.
"Why didn't you?" Sloane asks even though she thinks she already knows why.
Bree goes what feels like a minute without saying anything. "I don't want to see Megan . . . ." she fiddles with her thumbs instead of looking at Sloane.
Sloane rubs her lips together, not knowing what to say again.
"I thought a lot about what happened yesterday, and I'm really not okay with it."
Sloane stays quiet, silently urging her to finish what she started.
"I don't like girls," Bree shrugs. "I just don't."
"Tell Megan that," Sloane finally says as she grabs Bree's right arm with her left hand.
"I'm afraid she's not going to want to be my friend at all, Sloane."
"If she doesn't still want to be your friend then it's her freaking loss. You're amazing," Sloane says with a smile. "She or anyone who doesn't want to be friends with you must have some serious issues."
Bree looks at her and silently laughs.
"Honestly," Sloane pulls herself closer and lays her head on Bree's shoulder.
Bree wraps her arms around Sloane, hugging her. "You really are my best friend."
Sloane hugs her back, "I really am. Now, let's go do something," she sits up.
"We can't leave the house. Davenport thinks I'm too sick to go to school, so I'm too 'sick' to go anywhere."
"That's okay. We can hang out here."
Bree smiles to herself, happy they went five minutes without fighting.
"Want me to go grab a DVD?" Sloane asks.
"Yeah, but pick a chick flick," Bree laughs.
Sloane tilts her head at Bree with a slightly exasperated face after standing up. "Really?"
"Yes," Bree laughs again.
"Fine," Sloane gives in. "I'll go find one."
After Sloane leaves the room, Bree reaches over to the side table and picks up her phone. The screen reads Megan's name on the lock screen and Text Message underneath.
She slides the notification across the screen to unlock it and open to the text.
Megan: Hey B where were u today?
Bree: i didnt feel very well but im better now
Megan: thats good. Are u gonna be in school tmrrw
Bree: Yea…but i have to tell u something
Megan: What is it?
Sloane walks back into the room John Tucker Must Die in her left hand. "This okay?" she holds it up for Bree to see.
"Yeah, that's fine," Bree answers then looks down at her phone. She quickly types.
Bree: ill tell u at school
Megan: ok..
Bree locks her phone and sets it back on the side table.
Sloane sits back down next to Bree, "Who texted you? Megan?"
"Yeah . . ."
"Did you tell her?"
"No," Bree shakes her head, "I'm going to tell her tomorrow at school."
Sloane raises an eyebrow at her.
"I will. Seriously," Bree nods once.
"Okay," Sloane retreats and presses play.
Later that night after they eat dinner, Adam, Chase and Leo go for a boys' night out to the movies. The Amazing Spider-Man 2 is still playing, so they decide on that. Leo wanted to see it before, but Janelle insisted on seeing The Other Woman . . . Leo almost fell asleep. Chase is the only one who already saw Spider-Man with Sloane.
Adam drives them to the theater in the mall. Adam driving still makes Chase nervous, but he did pass his driving test. They arrive just before seven, which Chase complains about since the movie starts at seven. There's practically no one there considering it's a Tuesday night, which makes it very easy to notice Trent outside of the theater entrance with some blonde guy. He doesn't look much older than twenty, not a far distance from Trent's age. Trent makes eye contact with Chase, and points at him. The other guy looks at him too, but smirks. Chase looks away and ignores them after giving the stranger a weird look for smirking. He knows for sure Trent wouldn't ever try anything on him after what happened at Sloane's birthday party. He hasn't even given Leo any trouble at all since the incident.
Adam, Chase and Leo walk into theater 5 after getting their snacks and find a seat a few rows from the back. There's only two other people in the room—an old couple, who decided to sit awfully close to the front.
After the lights dim a bit and trailers start playing, the blonde guy who was talking with Trent before walks in alone. Of all the seats in the room, the guy decides to sit right behind the three. Directly behind Adam, who is sitting in between Chase and Leo. He doesn't say anything to them, but Chase was on full alert the whole movie. Who knows why he was talking to Trent? Or sat directly behind them? That guy is sketchy, Chase thinks, and I'm not taking my chances.
Notes: Heyy everyone! It seemed like chapter 6 reactions were half and half. Some people liked it, some didn't, and that's okay. Let me know what you think of this one. Any idea who this mysterious blonde guy is?
