Back to the present:
A stunning silence followed that announcement.
A heavy one too.
Brooklyn stood poised in her heels, a faint smile on her lips, arms resting neatly at her sides. She was used to altercations like this so she wasn't at all flustered or nervous.
Ileana however… Ileana stood still.
Straight-backed. Quiet. Hands clasped neatly in front of her. Eyes not quite meeting anyone else's. She was dressed in her usual black turtleneck and dark slacks, and though her expression was calm, there was a hesitation in her posture.
As if the moment her shoulders dropped, something inside her might come undone.
Rachel stared at her, and then at Darren, utter shock painted on her face. She felt a familiar feeling of being left out.
'He's joking...' she thought. 'He's not joking,' she reminded herself, knowing who Darren was.
