Cassius followed Julie, dragging his feet with the energy of a man who'd already survived more than his fair share of nonsense for the day.
It had been a long day already, and he knew, deep down in his bones, that the night wasn't going to get better anytime soon.
After all, teaching Julie anything was already a nightmare in itself.
Maybe if I fake a stomachache, I can get out of—
His thoughts were cut short when something completely unexpected happened.
Julie, who was walking ahead of him with all the grace and confidence of someone who thought she owned the night, suddenly...slipped.
There was no rock. No branch. No bump in the ground. The forest floor was as smooth as a polished floorboard.
And yet, out of nowhere, her heel shot forward, her arms flailed for half a second, and she let out a startled,
"Ahhh—!"
Thump!
She landed flat on her butt with a sharp oof, her legs bent awkwardly and her hands flying to her backside.
