Idiots to Lovers (bxb)

48 | Practice is Overrated

A/n: Hii y'all, I have more exciting news!! A couple months ago Idiots to Lovers was shortlisted in the Wattys, and last week it actually won a Watty! I'm so excited and so so grateful to all my amazing readers who have supported me along the way ❤️

Here's to all the disaster gays! :D

❤️🧡💛💚💙💜

A long queue was lined up at the desk after the workshop. I sat with Everett, carefully pencilling in the names and details of everyone signing up for classes while he did all the talking.

"Benji loved the gingerbread decorating," a mum gushed, pushing forward a little redheaded boy. "Didn't you, darling?"

He muttered something shyly and ducked behind her, sounding out a muffled 'yes.'

"That's great! We're having Christmas cookie making and decorating for the next class," Everett said as I took down their details.

"Sounds fantastic!"

She signed up her kid and waved goodbye. We had about ten more customers to talk to before our desk was finally empty, the majority of whom wanted their kids to join as an afterschool activity.

"Woww...we got so many signups," Everett exclaimed once we were finally alone, shuffling through the dozens of contact cards. "It went so much better than I thought." He paused, glancing at me. "Were you feeling okay, babe?"

"I was a little nervous at first," I admitted. At one point I remember just staring out a sea of faces. I knew I had lines to say but my mouth refused to open and spill the sentences my brain was screaming through my head. But then Everett had come to the rescue, getting me into the flow of baking till I forgot that we were in front of an audience, and it was just him and I. "But it got okay as it went on," I added, my lips slightly curving.

"You were so good up there though," he exclaimed. "You were amazing! Especially with the kids, the gingerbread house was such a hit."

"So were you! You were really good at interacting with the audience." I turned to face him. "I was thinking we might have to open up another slot for the kids?"

"Yeah, after New Year's let's split up the class and do two days a week," he said. "More than half of them are under twelve."

I hummed in agreement, smiling at him. The Christmas tree lit up in red and green lights behind his curly black hair.

"Anyway, I'm not done gushing about workshop yet." Everett's spangly eyes shone bright with a billion stars. "Everything worked out perfectly. That bowl drop wasn't even an accident!"

I grinned. "I know."

"I think it's good that we didn't practice so much, or it would've felt rehearsed."

He looked a little too pleased with himself. I spoke out in alarm, "Maybe we should prepare in the future—"

"Hey!" Before I could argue the merits of practice, Jenna sallied towards us with Alex in tow. "That was awesome! Congratulations!"

"Thanks!" I glanced some distance behind her, noting with relief that Rowan wasn't there.

"It was funny!" Alex added enthusiastically. "And you both looked really natural up there."

"Where's Rowan?" I asked at the same time as Everett thanked them.

"Oh." Jenna looked back in surprise as if just then noticing his absence. "I don't know what happened to him."

I had never been that close with Rowan; I only hung out with him because he was friends with Jenna. I had to admit that he gave me the creeps sometimes, though I couldn't figure out why. His vibes were all off. If Everett thought so too, he didn't say anything.

"Hey, are those Bon-Bons empty?"

My thoughts were interrupted by Alex's question. "Um...not all of them?"

I turned to look at the tree he was staring at. A kid had pulled out a destroyed cracker and was shaking the torn half. "Mum...it's empty." His high voice sounded out clearly around the cafe.

"Try another one, sweetheart," I heard her suggesting.

Of course the next one was empty too, and the one after that. Some of the other kids were also coming to realize that the crackers they had received were suspiciously lightweight.

The ruckus got loud enough for Mr. Jones to notice and shoot a look towards our booth. Everett quickly ducked his head.

He caught my eye, a guilty expression flitting across his face. "We should probably get out of here."

I glanced up to see one of the louder kids who had helped decorate the gingerbread house running towards us with an empty cracker in his hand. "That would be for the best."