“Were you guys close?” “Uh,” he says uncomfortably. “We weren’t…not close, I guess?” I blink, frowning. What kind of answer is that? It was a yes/no question. I turn around, intending to clarify, but my words die when I see Gus. He’s not smiling. I repeat: he’s not smiling. “Gus?” I say, my voice hesitant. This is brand new territory. Nothing I learned when I got certified to teach yoga prepared me for a non-smiling Augustus Flanders. And I get it now—I get why he’s constantly smiling. Because he’s terrifying when he’s not.
