The Footstagram

chapter four

SALVATION. "Nope! Nope, I just sat in my car and thought about ... stuff. Lots of stuff."

"Right," he says slowly. "So, Fonkey Monkey?"

"Fonkey Monkey it is. I'm driving?"

"Duh. I'll get your drink this time."

"My good sir, you have a deal."

###

Fonkey Monkey is one of our local coffee shops. Super overpriced drinks, but the vibes are undeniably the best in town, so it's kind of worth it. Also, they make a most excellent dirty chai, so—even though I seem like I should not have caffeine—I'm satisfied.

There are dark green hanging plants all over the shop, leafy and viny and long, laid over rustic wooden shelves and chipped brick walls. There's art from local artists all over the place, and a mismatching of tables, seats, and armchairs all over the place. There's also a massive record collection on the back wall. You can pay to have them play your recommendation, although it's stupidly overpriced. I usually like whatever the baristas are playing on Spotify, anyways. Also, I am so incredibly broke that it's not even funny.

Romano waves at the sophomore behind the counter when we get in, the bell tinkling behind us. I'm wiping the sludge off my boots when I see her, sitting in a booth near the records.

Asha. With Emma Niels, and the top of a dusty mop of hair that is probably Emma's boyfriend, Ryan June. He's not a bad guy, I think. Probably. He was nice to me in our child development class, but maybe other people have beef with him that I don't know about. Romano says he's chill though, so my impression of him is likely correct. If something was wrong with the guy and someone knew about it, that someone would be Leo Romano.

Romano orders for both of us, because he knows my order by heart. "Can I have a large dirty chai with a shot of maple syrup, and a ... hmmm, let's see. What do you recommend, Bernice?"

Bernice is young and dirty blonde and freckles, wearing an oversized crew neck and loose jeans that still somehow manage to make her look skinny. I could never get away with that. I'm shaped like a lowercase b, because my butt and hips are disproportionately larger than the rest of me, making jean shopping a nightmare. I usually just wear leggings because of it.

"Have you tried our lavender matcha?" she asks, blinking and smiling with her "I just left the dentists" teeth. It feels like she might be flirting, but what do I know? Maybe she is. Maybe Romano likes it. He's bisexual, something everyone knows not because he shoves it in peoples' faces, but because he's proud, and it's a small town. He's more into guys than girls, but says he's out of Montrose peoples' league, so he hasn't dated much of anyone. Maybe Bernice is his type, though. Who knows at this point?

"I did, yeah. It tasted like clean sheets, but in a really weird way."

The way Bernice laughs really loud makes Asha's head turn. I duck behind the Fonkey Monkey merch shelf, nearly knocking over a stack of glass tumblers but managing to steady the reclaimed wood before disaster strikes. I peek back around the shelf.

"Oh noooo," Berice says, covering her mouth and giggling. "I'm so sorry. Maybe someone messed it up?"

If Romano notices she's flirting, he doesn't seem bothered. "Who knows. But if you're not suggesting anything else, maybe I'll try it again." And then he smiles, wide and daring-like. "Even if I'm a little apprehensive."

Bernice blushes. What on earth am I watching? "I mean ... I could give it to you for free if you're really scared."

"Aw, Bernice, I'd feel bad."

"No no no! It's okay, I want to."

"Well, thanks. That's really sweet of you." He smiles again, and it's giving way too much of Flynn Rider's smolder, especially as I see him place six dollars on the counter. "I'll see you in zoology?"

"Yes! Okay, yeah. See you!"

Romano searches a few seconds for me, then spots me hiding. His look is quizzical, but I can't let him spot Asha and Emma, so I point to the giant doorway into a second eating area. "Over here?" I ask him.

"Yeah, sure," he says, shrugging. "Whatever floats your boat."

There's a round little table next to one of the large front windows of Fonkey Monkey. Looking out, there's mainstreet, with its little short brick buildings and lingering fairy lights from Christmastime. I sit down in the blue, puffier chair, leaving the mustard yellow armchair for Romano.

He sits down across from me with a sigh. "So," he says, "what were you really doing during last period?"

a/n - the idea of having to find internships next year stresses me ouuuuut