“It’s not something I talk about. It would be ostentatious and obnoxious to brag about something that has nothing to do with me.”
“Nothing to—!” Bennie’s voice rises, then as though he’s realized that they aren’t in private, he lowers his head…and hisses forcefully, “You were born to aristocracy!”
“It doesn’t define me.”
“You know what? Forget it. You don’t get to decide how I feel.” Bennie shakes his head. “You’ve talked enough. Just go. Go back to London and your…your life!”
He spins around. I step backward into the shadows, and he doesn’t notice me as he storms out. I sigh, my heart breaking. Poor Bennie. This explains so much.
Bennie doesn’t do well when he feels inferior. Although Drew’s right about what he said, Bennie won’t see it that way because he is keenly aware of where he came from—a messed-up family with an alcoholic dad and a clingy mother who just couldn’t recognize how toxic the marriage was, not only for her but for her child. She even lost a baby when her husband got wasted and pushed her down the stairs in a violent argument. To this date I don’t know how Bennie’s dad avoided jail.
Drew curses under his breath as he sticks his hands into his hair. I wave at him from where I am. He jerks back but recovers his aplomb quickly. “Lurking in the shadows, are we?”
“Sorry. I was coming to say hi to Bennie.”
“I suppose you got more than an earful.”
“Sort of.” I walk slowly toward him. “Sorry,” I say again.
His shoulders droop. “It doesn’t matter. He would’ve told you anyway.”
I stop a few steps away from him. “Actually he didn’t say a word about what’s been going on between the two of you.”
“He would have eventually. You’re like the sister he never had.”
“Maybe. He’s really upset about…” I gesture around. “This.”
He sighs roughly, digging the heel of one palm into his brow.
“He cares about you, Drew.” I pat his bac
k. “He worries that he may not be good enough.” The exact type of fear I understand all too well.
“I know, but he’ll never know that he is good enough if he never gives us a chance.” He shakes his head, then forces a grin. “Look at me, whining about my love life when you’re going home. Big change, eh?”
I smile. Drew is popular, and I’m certain he’s heard about the fiasco at my school. Osaka is a large city, but its expat community is small.
“It is, but I think it’ll be good for me.”
“I hope everything works out for you.”
I hope so too. “Thanks.”
We go to the main area where the crowd has gathered. Lucas watches me and Drew questioningly, and I give him a quick shake of head. Before I can introduce them to each other, Drew makes his excuses, hugs me and leaves. He’s probably not in the mood to mingle after that fight with Bennie, who is at the bar glaring at him like he’s the reason polar bears are dying.
Lucas hands me my beer. “What happened?”
“Too long to get into now,” I say. “Let me talk to Bennie for a moment. We didn’t get to say anything.”
“I thought you went back there to talk to him.”
“That was the idea, but he and Drew got into a fight, so I sort of cowered away.”
Lucas kisses me on the mouth. “I doubt that. You aren’t the type to cower.”
“Thanks, but I generally try to stay out of people’s love lives.” I press my lips over his chin, then walk toward Bennie.
My best friend is sitting on a stool. He knocks back a shot, his wary gaze on me. Maybe he did see me in the back, but didn’t want to blow his dramatic exit by acknowledging me.