Page 43 of Caught in a Bad Fauxmance
Without another word, I tuck my sketchbook safely back into my bag and head for a well-deserved shower. If I stay at the table, there’s a chance I’ll snap in front of Andy, and he doesn’t deserve my rage. It was an innocent mistake.
Besides, I need some alone time to pray to the art gods for some divine inspiration.
After I’ve scrubbed the cereal milk off my arms and the sweat from my hair, I get dressed and make the trek across the backyard to Julian’s. Alone time with my sketchbook is what I need to find my muse again, I tell myself. But even my internal monologue is a shit liar.
“Hey, we were just talking about you,” Julian greets as I walk into the Seo-Cooke kitchen.
I eye him and Stella warily as I settle down at the table, pulling out my dry, but uncomfortably sticky, sketchbook. “That can’t be good.” While Stella and Henry have begrudgingly accepted my presence as a semi-regular thing, it hasn’t kept them from making it clear how pissed they are about having to share their home with the enemy.
“We were talking about how you two should hang out at your house sometimes instead.” Stella hops off the counter and narrows her eyes at me. “Maybe then we can shove deli meat intoyourcurtain rods.”
I gulp. Well, they figured that one out sooner than expected.
“No, we weren’t,” Julian interjects, kicking her shin when she sits down beside him. If it weren’t for him, I’m sure Stella and Henry would be holding me down and shaving my head.Or drawing on my face with Sharpie. Whatever their twisted minds came up with as payback. “We were talking about the hike tomorrow.”
Right. The “I’d rather eat glass” hike. My stomach clenches at the thought of it. Hanging out with Julian and his family is intimidating enough without physical exertion thrown into the mix. And Ireallydon’t like the idea of being alone with them on a hike the day after they found out I hid salami in their house.
Julian pulls out a chair for me before crossing over to the coffee maker. “Do you have your own bike, or do you need to borrow one? Henry’s old one should still be in the garage. Might be a little rusty, though.” He sets a mug in front of me, pouring out the coffee, cream, and two sugars.
Before replying, I savor my first sip of coffee, giving Julian two enthusiastic thumbs-up. He may be a jack-of-all-trades, but his ability to make instant coffee drinkable is by far the most impressive thing about him. “Why would I need a bike?”
“The first part of the trail is on a bike path. Nothing too intense, just about a mile.”
I swallow hard around my coffee, nearly choking as it burns my throat. “Y-you didn’t mention biking would be involved.”
Julian tosses an ice cube into my mug before pouring another cup for himself. “Don’t worry, it’s beginner friendly.”
That’s great, but I’m not even a beginner.
Stella looks up from her oatmeal. “Please tell me you know how to ride a bike.”
“Of course he does,” Julian replies for me, sneering at hissister before turning to me with forced cheerfulness. “You do…right?” I shake my head, and Julian’s jaw drops as if in slow motion. “You can’t be serious.”
Stella hides a snort behind her hand, ignoring Julian’s glower.
“Why bother with a bike if you can drive?” I snap defensively. Learning how to ride a bike is just one of those things we never got around to. Sidewalks are basically nonexistent in our area of Tallahassee, and the paths in our local park are full of cracks. “Maya doesn’t know how to either,” I add, as if that makes the situation any better.
“Okay.” Julian exhales slowly, rubbing his temples before continuing. “This is fine. We can try to teach you the basics.”
“You can’t teach someone how to ride a bike in a day,” Stella replies, waving her spoon at the two of us. “You need a week, at least.”
“Couldn’t we just walk up the trail instead of biking?” I propose.
Julian and Stella shake their heads, finally looking away from one another. “It’s way faster to bike than to walk,” Stella explains. “Henry brought his ex last year. Huge mistake. Turns out she was afraid of heights and barfed the second she got off her bike. Dad almost gave himself a heart attack because she threw us fifteen minutes off schedule. She dumped Henry by the time we made it back to the car.”
Cool, another reason for Mr. Cooke to hate me.
Julian starts to pace around the kitchen, biting his thumbnail. “If Dad finds out you’re not coming, he’ll probably try to invite Liam again.”
“Well, you’re screwed,” Stella announces, patting Julian on the back on her way to the sink. “Have fun explaining to Dad.”
“What do you suggest we do, then?” Julian snaps at her.
She shrugs as she throws her bowl into the dishwasher. “You try to teach him to ride a bike in a day.”
My brows knit together. “Didn’t you just say that was impossible?”
“Yep.” She heads for the living room, turning around to give us a cynical smile. “Let’s hope this is the one time I’m wrong.”
