Page 14 of Race to Me

As I walk away, Kate yells, “Bike Night. Don’t forget!”

I raise my hand, waving her off. “Not going!”

∞∞∞

Foster slides into his seat next to me in biology class, throwing his leather jacket onto the table. “Did you miss me?”

“Hardly,” I scoff, pushing it away. “You do know we live in Miami, right? It’s like a million degrees.”

He shrugs, a crooked smile playing on his lips. “Better to be hot riding than risk scraping your body if you fall.” He moves his jacket over the back of his chair. “Plus, girls love a man in all black.” Foster winks, and I roll my eyes.

With that, we dive into work. I handle the notes, and we spend a good portion of the class period working together in sync but in silence. Which is actually nice.

Foster’s eyes graze over my body, a crooked grin taking over his face. “You look pretty.”

“Huh?” I ask, instantly blushing. “No joke about my clothes?”

“You’re still pretty even though you hide it under your pressed shirts and skirts.” His inked finger grazes the thin straps of my dress. “At least you didn’t cover up your freckles.”

I can’t explain my immediate draw to him. Maybe I sense something in him that reminds me of myself. Maybe I’m envious of his freedom and the way he speaks his mind. Something I’ve never been allowed to do.

Foster takes a sip of my latte without warning. His lips curve into a smile when I glare him down. “What? I don’t have cooties.”

Rolling my eyes, I pull the cup away from him. “You don’t want to see me without my full dose of caffeine.”

“Fair enough,”

I tilt the cup, missing my lips. “Shit.” The remaining contents spill all over my bright white dress. “Damnit! It’s only first period. What am I going to do?”

“Clumsy,” Foster chides, reaching behind him to drape his leather jacket over me. It swallows me whole. “Yup, you’re so short it’ll be like a second dress.” He laughs, chucking my chin when I look over at him.

“Thank you,” I say, flustered by the strong scent of his cologne hugging me. “You won’t need it today?”

“I’ll meet you in the parking lot after school.” He pulls out a fresh notepad and an unopened pack of pens. “Please tell me you didn’t already finish the project while I was away.”

“Woah, I’m impressed you got school supplies just for this.” He ignores my remark with a scrunched nose, but the gesture is playful. Far from the usual stoic demeanor I’ve seen from him over my first week here. “Saturday night works for me.” My parent’s flight leaves during my first big game. Go figure. They’re going to Aruba. I could have gone, but they didn’t invite me.

He shakes his head, and black shaggy hair dances above his eyes from the movement. “While I’m impressed that you’re brave enough to have me alone with you in your room on a Saturday night, I’ll have to pass.”

“Why is that brave?” I ask.

He goes to speak but stops himself with a shake of his head. “I’m busy that night.”

Oh. “The race thingy?”

His back stiffens. As he straightens up, I’m reminded of his height. “How did you know about that?” The way he’s looking down at me, it feels like an interrogation.

I gulp, my eyes going wide. “Kate,”

He relaxes, returning to doodling in his notebook. “Okay, well, it’s called Bike Night, and you’re not coming.”

I didn’t say I was, but his harsh tone bothers me. “Why not?”

“You just don’t belong in that scene.”

Okay?“But you do?”

Foster nods. “Yes. It’s exactly where I belong.”

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