Page 88 of Breaking Matt
She continued to frown as she considered my request.
"All I need you to do is drive me out of here. I'll hide in the trunk," I added.
"You know this sounds nuts." In her shoes I wasn't sure if I would trust as blindly as I was asking her to. "Why do you need to sneak out?"
"I can't tell you."
"You're asking me to help you without knowing anything about why."
"Please," I said, putting all my hope in my friend. I was afraid if I gave her too many details she would refuse.
She studied me for a moment before she said, "I don't like it but I'll do it."
Mark entered the kitchen and I felt like a five-year-old who had been caught stealing a cookie out of the cookie jar. My cheeks heated as his eyes fixed on me. It was difficult to read him.
"Everything okay?" he asked, looking from Brandy to me. His eyes were far too perceptive for my liking. He'd probably been informed of Brandy's unannounced visit.
"Yeah," I said, trying to calm my voice, otherwise he would know I was up to something. "I invited a friend for a visit."
He studied me for a moment. "I'll leave the two of you to it, then."
As he left I turned to Brandy and let out a nervous breath.
"Who is that?" my friend asked with obvious interest.
"It doesn't matter."
She nodded. "When do you want to leave?" she asked.
I bit my nails as I contemplated whether to leave straightaway or wait a little while. I decided the sooner the better. At the moment everyone was preoccupied in the study and not watching me. If I waited, my opportunity to slip out unnoticed would be gone.
"Now. Let's go."
Outside, she opened the trunk to her car and I did a quick check, knowing the angle of the video wouldn't allow the security watching the cameras to see me before I got in. Darkness surrounded me as she carefully shut the trunk.
I closed my eyes, trying to keep myself calm. Her car still smelled new. Brandy's father was super rich. He worked in finance and was apparently really good at it.
She started the car and my nervousness increased. I held my hands tightly together as I listened carefully when she came to a stop by the gate—my last hurdle. My body was rigid with nerves as I waited to see if my plan to escape unnoticed would succeed.
It was only a few seconds before the car moved forward and I felt relief—I'd made it out of the estate. But then again Matthew and Mark had put security in place to keep the danger out, they had probably never even considered I would try to leave. Why would I leave a secure place to put my life in danger? To save the one I loved, I was willing to risk it all.
After a few minutes of driving, Brandy pulled over and switched the car off. The trunk opened, blinding me slightly as I got out.
"What now?" Brandy asked, closing the trunk before she turned her attention to me.
"I need to use your car." It was asking a lot but I didn't have any other options. Time was running out.
What if you're already too late?I asked myself. I refused to even contemplate it. Matthew had to be fine; there was no other alternative.
"Where are we going?" she asked, but I shook my head. I couldn't drag her into this. Danger and even death lay in the path ahead of me.
"I can't take you with me," I told her. I dragged a hand through my hair as my agitation grew.
Her forehead creased as she watched me. And just when I thought she would refuse, she handed me her car keys with a defeated sigh.
"I have a really bad feeling about this," she said, holding my gaze. "But you're my friend."
It was a tough choice. In her shoes it would have been difficult for me to agree as well. Even without telling her more she could tell whatever I was going to do wasn't going to be easy. And at that moment I was so relieved she hadn't pushed me further for details. We'd been close friends in high school and even though we hadn't talked a lot since I'd left for college, we still shared a close bond.
