16. Sophie
SIXTEEN
SOPHIE
Thursday moves at a snail’s pace, but isn’t that always the way when you’re looking forward to something big?
After my final session on Thursday, I quickly change into my concert outfit and head to the staff room to wait for Foster. He’s meeting with one of his students’ parents and said he’d find me here.
“Hey Sophie,” one of the primary teachers says when she walks in. I think her name is Chanel, but I’m terrible with names of people I don’t deal with on a regular basis. “What are you still doing here?”
“Waiting for Foster.” Her eyebrows go up, and a knowing smile crosses her face. “It’s not like that. His sister is my best friend and gave him her ticket for the Nyx concert tonight. He’s being a good friend, stepping in at the last minute.”
“Foster is going to see Nyx… Avalon? Foster Walsh, that Foster?”
“You know another?” I cross my arms and lean against the counter.
“I’m starting to think I don’t know this one,” she jokes. “He’s a staunch classic rock guy, or at least that’s how he’s always presented. Maybe he’s a closeted pop fan.”
I shrug. “No idea. He’s been ‘studying’ Nyx’s backlist, apparently.”
“Please film him so we have evidence,” she begs.
“Will do!”
She washes her mug and sticks it in the drying rack before turning back to me. “He’s a really good guy.”
“Yep.” I nod.
“Like too good, ya know?”
“Can a guy be too good?” Everyone has their faults and their ugly sides, I’m sure even Foster. He sort of used to anyway, although at the time I was drawn to the rebellious side of him.
“Foster’s the kind of guy who goes out of his way to shovel snow from his neighbors driveways, walks old ladies across the road, volunteers at every school event, bakes for every kid’s birthday in his class in case they forget to bring something in…” Agrees to be your fake date to an alumni event so your ex doesn’t think you’re still a little broken.
Foster walks in while she’s still listing things really good people do. I’ve missed most of the list as I escape back into a world where Foster’s thumb slips beneath my dress and gently caresses my skin, comforting me during one of those good guy moments.
“Ready?” He’s wearing different clothes too. Tight distressed black jeans, a white T-shirt, white Converse that match my blue ones and the same dark green bomber jacket he wore to the barbecue.
“Yep!” I say a little too enthusiastically, and I catch Chanel hiding her smile by turning to wash something else.
“You two have fun,” she calls after us.
“Was Chantel talking about me?” Chantel . I was close.
“She was listing all the ways you’re too good,” I reply, walking through the door Foster holds open for me.
“Oh yeah? Did she mention my work with blind elephant seals on the ice floes of the Arctic?”
“She had not gotten to that one yet.”
“Pity.” He sighs, shaking his head. “It’s some of my most selfless work.” He’s so serious-looking it takes way too long for me to realize that he’s fucking with me.
“I’ll be sure to mention it first whenever you come up. ‘Oh yes, Foster Walsh, you know he works with blind elephant seals in the Arctic, don’t you’?”
“Don’t forget all the work is done on ice floes, it’s very important.” He flashes me a crooked grin, and my brain short-circuits.
“Riiight.” I nod. “It definitely sounds more dangerous with that additional information.”
“In this climate, it actually is,” he ponders solemnly. “Wow, nothing like climate change talk to kill a joke, eh?”
“Climate change kills, it’s a well-known fact,” I say, straight-faced before tossing my bag into the back of my car. “Now, let’s forget about our demise by singing along with a blue-haired woman as she jumps around an arena.”