I crossed my arms and legs and scowled. How had we started out with me begging for my best friend back, and ended up here, with the Brooke-and-Ray team versus evil Darcy? Like I was the only one who made things weird—Ray had given me plenty of salty looks when I came in the room. So why was I completely at fault?

And as for “sweet,” and “supportive,” and “never doing anything to hurt Brooke”?

Hah. Hah.

“You have rose-colored glasses on,” I said stubbornly, “and you just can’t see you’re punching below your weight.”

I meant to say that she deserved better, but somehow those words had come out instead. Before I could backpedal, Brooke scanned my face up and down. “Seriously, what is your problem with her? I know you, Darc, and the person I’m friends with is not a catty bitch who makes other people feel awful. It’s like I don’t even know you.”

What?

“Wow,” I cried. “I’m a catty bitch? Because I’m not as madly in love with Ray as you are? It doesn’t make me evil if I don’t share your opinions, Brooke. Do you even like me anymore?”

“Well, I don’t kno—” Brooke started, but she cut herself off straight away as I wilted. “I didn’t mean that. I do like you, of course I like you, I love you. But I’m pissed off at you right now.”

My laugh was cold and harsh. “All because I’m the horrible bitch who sometimes gives Ray weird looks, and she’s the bundle of happiness and sweetness who never did a single thing wrong to anyone and so desperately needs your defending.”

“Yeah, you just about summed it up.”

“I am not the only shitty person in this situation, Brooke.”

“And yet I’m still waiting to hear a good reason to believe that.”

“Maybe you just need to trust me and my judgment.”

“Trust you? Just trust that you have a good reason for treating my girlfriend like a pariah? No, nope, doesn’t work like that. Either you don’t have a reason and you need to grow up and cut it out, or you know something I don’t and you’re not telling me.”

I bit my tongue so badly I cringed.

“You don’t have a reason,” Brooke said in a low voice, tinged with disdain.

I couldn’t help it; she was looking at me like I was nothing, and it wasn’t fair, and I hadn’t done anything, it was Ray who’d done something wrong, and it wasn’t fair. “I do.”

“You have a good reason?”

“Yes.”

“Then what?”

I hesitated, because I couldn’t, I shouldn’t, this was a bad idea, but Brooke shook her head and threw her hands up. “Knew it.”

“I can’t tell you.”