June, Reimagined (27)

“That’s different.”

“How?”

“Because, for the most part, my life at college is exactly the same as before. I’m exactly the same. But I have no idea what your life is like over there, or what you’re doing, or who you’re doing it with.”

“Honestly, Matty, my life here is pretty boring.”

“Just promise me you’re not going to come home with some lame-ass eyebrow ring, or a Chinese-character tattoo, or a venereal disease you caught from a weekend bender in Amsterdam.”

Matt didn’t realize how changed June was. She had morphed over the past few years, her lies slowly becoming her, occupying her body and mind, all while she kept up the appearance of her old self.

“What if I do?” June asked, poking at the sandwich on her plate. “Come home different.”

“Why would you?”

“I don’t know. People change.”

“Is there something you’re not telling me?” Matt said. “Has something happened?”

“No,” she lied, and then deflected. “Unless you count the boob job as something.”

“Call them by their medical term—shirt potatoes.”

June laughed, relieved to have dodged Matt’s suspicion. She was just about to take a sip of soda when Angus walked into the kitchen, shirtless as always, wearing only jeans. After having removed the tartan wallpaper in the dining room, he had spent most of the day painting the room Calming Cerulean. He looked tired and thirsty, covered in blue streaks from face to fingers. June froze, the glass of soda in her hand, her shoulder holding the phone to her ear.

“What the hell have you got there, lass?” Angus asked.

June set the glass down on the counter. “I only took a little, Angus.”

Matt’s voice came through the receiver. “June? Who the hell is Angus?”

Angus crept toward June like a stalking cat. “That soda had my name on it. You know there’s a penalty for stealing food.”

“This isn’t food.” June held up the glass. “It’s a drink.” But Angus only circled her closer. June backed away. “I just took a little.”

“That’s not a wee nip.” Angus pointed to the sizable glass June had poured. “What you’ve got there is a pint. And it’s time to pay the barman.”

Matt spoke again. “June, what the hell is going on? Who is that?”

Right as Angus lunged at her, June yelped and dropped the phone. She sprinted for the kitchen door and had almost made it when Angus caught her around the waist. He hoisted her over his shoulder, June dangling helpless and laughing.

“Put me down, Angus! I’m gonna puke!” Her body bobbed as he jumped up and down, which only made her laugh harder.

“That’s the point! I want my soda back!” Angus laid June on the counter and played her stomach like a keyboard as he sang, “I love a lassie, a bonnie Hielan’ lassie.”

“You have a terrible voice!” howled June. Angus only sang louder and played her stomach harder. June writhed and wiggled, but it was no use. Angus belted the chorus at the top of his lungs, finishing with a flourish of hands and a bow. June’s stomach hurt.

“Steal my soda again and I’ll be forced to do even dirtier things to you.” Angus winked and left the kitchen.

June sat on the counter, still laughing. Angus might be a self-centered meathead, but he was a funny self-centered meathead. A faint voice came from the phone on the floor. June jumped down from the counter and grabbed it. “Matty!”

“June, what the fuck is going on? Do I need to call for help?”

“No! I’m fine.” She was out of breath and still giggling. “I just got distracted for a second.”

“Distracted? It sounded like you got attacked.”

“It was just my housemate, Angus. He’s harmless.”

“Who the fuck is Angus?”

“Calm down. He lives at the inn with me. He’s a friend.”

“A friend. Is that it?”

“Weren’t you the one who just confessed to taking a dance class strictly to get laid?”

“That’s different.”

“How?” June asked, not caring to explain Angus’s infatuation with Amelia and his asexual relationship with June. The line went quiet. June waited, her laughter gone.

When Matt finally spoke, his tone was darker. “You’re lying to me, June.”

Everything inside June dropped toward the floor. She was frozen scared. “I’m not lying to you.” But her quivering voice betrayed her.

“If your life is so boring in Scotland, then why stay? Huh?” Matt was full to the brim with patience, but there was no more room for nonsense. He overflowed now, unable to hold himself back. “Jesus Christ! This is getting ridiculous.”

“I thought you were on board with this, Matt.”

“I thought you’d be home by now, June. I thought you’d get homesick or bored or come to your senses. Or, God forbid, miss me.”

“Come to my senses? I thought you understood.”

“I understand going a little crazy after what happened to Josh. I understand needing a break, but you’ve been in Scotland for a month.”

“You think I’ve gone a little crazy?”