“Yes.”
I leave the massage room like I remember leaving all those weeks ago. That day, I’d been running. I want to run now too.
I return to the gym, then climb onto one of the stationary bikes, in case I accidentally do something silly like collapse again.
Finn and Noah are on one side of me, and Vinnie and Evan lift weights together on my other side.
I force my gaze forward.
Mateo
Florian knocks on my door at precisely 12:55, so that we can be at lunch at exactly 1 PM.
“Hello, Mateo,” he says.
His demeanor is formal, even for him, and my smile is too wide and bright, even for me.
We walk down the hallway to the lunchroom. This time, Florian does not take my hand, and when I step closer to him, his entire body stiffens.
It is… well, it is not wonderful. It is awkward and strange. The man whom I cuddled with is gone, and he has been replaced with a robot who only tolerates me.
I shouldn’thave lied to him.
But he is so incredibly understanding, and he seems to want this pretend relationship, despite everything, so that is what we do. We walk into the cafeteria.
“Hi, Florian!” Finn says cheerfully. “Do you need any help? I can show you around!”
“Mateo is showing me around,” Florian says. “Mateo is my boyfriend.”
“That’s right!” I say extra enthusiastically.
Finn’s gaze moves from Florian to me. His lips twitch. “I am aware.” He steps back. “I’ll leave you to the meal exploration.”
Florian gives a curt nod. He looks like he’s about to collapse. Maybe food is a good thing to give him.
Florian picks up a tray, then hands it to me. He then picks up a tray for himself.
“Excellent boyfriend move,” I say.
He smiles slightly, though his eyes have a terrified expression I hate. Florian and I take various food items, then we join Finn and Noah at a dining table.
Finn and Noah grin at us.
“It’s so wonderful to meet another couple,” Finn says. “You should totally come for dinner!”
Florian attempts what I think is a smile.
“You can tell us all about your secret romance,” Finn says.
There is no pink in Florian’s skin, only white and green.
“He swept me away,” I say. “We were secretly dating!”
Florian looks sad.
“Not secret now,” Noah says.
I shovel some food into my mouth. So does Florian.
