As I slid into the back, Derick barely glanced in the rearview mirror, his face hardening into an expression I barely recognized. Becky settled comfortably in the passenger seat, as though she belonged there. I closed my eyes, brushing off the unease weighting me down.
Then, my favorite love song from the ’80s started playing—a tune that had been a big hit back in the day, one I’d often heard at community events and even weddings.
“Oh my god, you listen to this crap?” Becky scoffed, immediately turning off the music and casting a look of disgust toward Derick. “Only hillbillies listen to this tacky melody. We’re supposed to be trendy. This is far from it. Ever thought about rock? Or at least pop?”
Derick chuckled. “Penny picked everything in there,” he replied, his voice laced with sarcasm. “She’s a country girl, anyway. Doubt she’d know what’s trendy.”
My nails dug into my palms. Yes, I was a country girl, raised in the simplicity of nature, without a grasp on city folks’ lifestyles. I remembered how people had laughed at me during our university dinner event when I used a spoon to eat my salad. Derick had taken it from me quietly, replaced it with a fork, and told me not to care what people thought. He’d said that the way a person eats has nothing to do with character. That night, I’d learned just how cruel the world could be. But I hadn’t cared back then, because I believed I could be myself around him.
Now I was being myself, and the words country girl rolled off his tongue like an accusation. I didn’t blame him for feeling differently. I only resented how time could twist things so easily. His protection had once felt real, and now, so did his betrayal.
Maybe I’d stayed silent for too long.
Derick’s lips pressed together in irritation. “What’s with the attitude? You’re mad again just because a song?”
Becky pretended to defend me, putting on a show. “Oh, come on, that’s not nice. Girls’ heart are delicate. Even a simplest thing could make them upset. You should’ve said that to your fiancé.”
“You’re a girl. But you don’t get upset so easily. What was the deal?” Derick replied.
Becky covered her mouth, laughing quietly. Her eyes gleamed with a smug satisfaction as she glanced at me, savoring her small victory.