My Roommate Framed Me for Crashing Car—It’s Owner Was My Brother Chapter 02
Dozens of bikes rolled to a stop around us.
I thought at least one person would speak up after seeing I’d been slapped.
After all, everyone in the club normally hated switching bikes.
Seat height, gearing, shifting rhythm; every rider had their own setup and habits.
Swapping bikes without warning could easily get someone hurt.
But I’d underestimated people.
Ethan went straight to Ryan, the club captain, and spun an exaggerated story about how selfish I’d been for refusing to switch.
Ryan’s face hardened, and the others followed his lead, closing in around me.
“Grace, you’ve been in this club long enough to know better. Why can’t you think about the group?”
“We’re all out here together. Helping each other is basic courtesy.”
The others were quick to pile on.
“Seriously. You usually seem easygoing. Why are you being so nasty when it matters?”
“She’s your roommate. Is switching bikes for a few minutes really going to kill you?”
A few girls who were close to Madison were nastier still.
“She probably gets stingier the broker she gets. She’s guarding that beat-up commuter bike like it’s priceless.”
“Madison’s willing to ride her old piece of junk and she’s still acting ungrateful.”
With everyone rushing to defend her, Madison played it up even more.
Her eyes reddened as she tugged weakly at Ethan’s sleeve.
“Ethan, forget it. I don’t want to make things harder for Grace.”
“I’ll keep going. If I pass out on the road, just leave me and stay with the group.”
“I don’t want everyone falling behind because of me.”
Then she covered her face and started crying.
I saw crocodile tears. Everyone else apparently saw a helpless victim.
“Madison, don’t cry. She’s switching bikes today whether she likes it or not!”
“Exactly! Why should she get to treat you like this?”
Ethan looked at me with open disgust.
“Grace, I can’t believe how disappointing you are.”
“How did I ever fall for someone this cold and selfish?”
Still berating me, he stepped closer and grabbed my handlebars.
“If you won’t switch today, don’t call yourself my girlfriend anymore.”
I looked up at him. So this was what he’d been waiting for.
Fine. They’d already put on quite a show. I might as well let them keep going until the whole thing blew up in their faces.
If they wanted a game, I’d see it through to the end.
“Fine, Ethan. I’ll switch.”
“But I have one condition.”
I pointed at Madison’s bike. “We take pictures of it first.”