Page 11 of Falling Like Leaves (Bramble Falls #1)

When Sloane and I walk into school on Monday, homecoming posters line the walls of Bramble Falls High.

The excitement is palpable. Whispers of dates and dancing fill every classroom.

In classes, homecoming dinner plans are already being made, and girls are scrolling online shops, searching for the perfect dress.

By Wednesday, however, the buzz has mostly died down as everyone begins the wait to see which brave soul will be the first to initiate an invite.

Meanwhile, I’m just trying to get from point A to point B on a bum ankle without being late.

Jake sets my lunch tray on the table and lets me slide into my seat before sitting down beside me.

“Wow, how chivalrous of you to carry the lady’s lunch,” Slug quips.

Jake gives him the middle finger. He’s been carrying my backpack and my books for me all week, following me around while I limp from class to class.

The swelling in my ankle has gone down, but it still hurts.

I could probably carry my own stuff, but Jake insisted.

I don’t know how much chivalry has to do with it, though.

Helping me has been getting him out of the first few minutes of his classes.

Cooper shows up to lunch late, but when he does, he joins farther down the table with the cute blond girl he sits next to in calculus. In class earlier, he stayed on the opposite side of the room. When I passed him in the hall, he didn’t so much as glance my way.

I try to forget the fact that I caught a glimpse of the boy I used to know on Saturday because, apparently, we’re back to pretending we don’t have a history. He’s not being snarky toward me anymore, but he’s still aloof. Detached. Avoidant.

Which I guess is good, because the more I think about this past weekend, the more embarrassed I become to have put myself out there only to be rejected.

“I’m having a party on Friday,” Jake says. “My mom’s going on a business trip.”

“Cool.” I take a bite of my food.

“You going to come?” he asks.

“No.”

He chuckles. “Not even going to think about it, huh? Just no?”

“There’s nothing to think about,” I tell him with a shrug. “I have to study for physics.”

He furrows his brow. “But it’s on Friday night.”

“Yeah, I heard that part. Still, I’ll be studying.”

Slug laughs and shakes his head.

Jake’s face contorts. “Freak.”

I laugh. “Listen, we can’t both be slackers. How will you pass physics if I don’t study?”

Jake looks away guiltily, probably figuring out that I caught him copying my pop quiz today. “I don’t know what you’re talking about. But even if I did, I’d say I’d rather you come to my party and we fail physics together.”

“Not going to happen.” I put my hand on his shoulder as the bell rings. “Sorry, Jakey.”

“Aw, you have a little pet name now,” Slug says.

“It sounds like a toddler name,” Jake grumbles.

“Well, if the shoe fits…,” I say.

Slug laughs and Jake stands, frowning at me.

“I’m so nice to you, and yet this is how you treat me,” Jake says.

I laugh. “You’re nice to me so that I’ll let you copy my quizzes.”

“No, that’s just a perk.” He sighs and grabs my tray. “Maybe you can study extra hard tonight and tomorrow, then you won’t need to study Friday.”

“Maybe. But probably not.”

“Just tell him you’ll think about it,” Slug tells me. “I can’t listen to him bitching and moaning about it all week.”

I laugh. “Fine. I’ll think about it.”

Jake’s whole face lights up. “Hell yeah.”

I wait while he dumps our trays, and when he comes back, he holds out his hand. I take it—even though I don’t need it—and he pulls me up.

“You sure you don’t just want me to carry you to class?” he says.

“I’m sure. I’m fine.” I don’t need any more boys carrying me anywhere.

He loops his arm through mine. “Okay, then let’s get you to art.”

I nod and let him lead me through the throng of seniors in the commons.

But feeling eyes on me, I glance over to find Cooper watching us.

I offer him a small smile, but with a twitching jaw he turns away and pushes through the set of double doors leading outside.

“Hey, Ellis,” Dad says when he answers his phone on Friday night.

We’ve exchanged a few texts since my move to Bramble Falls, but they’ve been brief and half-hearted, a quick Hope you had a good day at school or I forwarded your mail to your aunt’s or Do you know where Mom keeps the iron?

I miss having actual conversations with him, but he’s always so busy, it’s been impossible to get him on the phone. Until now.

“Hey, I can’t believe you answered,” I say, grinning as I curl up in my bed.

“Yeah.” Something clinks in the background, and he sounds distracted when he says, “Just got home from work.”

“Oh wow. Another late night at the office. Have any fun plans tonight?” I ask, knowing he never does anything fun—except work, because that’s his idea of a good time.

“Not really. But, hey, did you need something?” he asks. “I’m about to go grab some takeout….”

“Oh,” I say, my smile falling. “Yeah, no, I don’t need anything. Just wanted to talk. I miss you.”

He sighs. “I miss you, too, Ellie Belly. But you and Mom will be home soon. It’ll be like you never left.”

But we did leave. Mom dragged me away from my life there, and I won’t ever forgive her for it. “Yeah. You’re right. I just wish ‘soon’ wasn’t so far away.”

“I know, but it’ll fly by.” Dad’s keys jingle. “All right, well, give me a call tomorrow. Have a good night, Ell.”

“Okay,” I say, even though I know he likely won’t answer when I call tomorrow. “Love you.”

“Yep. Love you. Talk soon.”

Dad ends the call, and I toss the phone on the bed beside me as Sloane flings open my curtain and drops a large pile of fabrics in various colors and materials onto my bed, offering the perfect distraction from my disappointing phone call.

“Good grief, how are dresses so heavy?” she says.

“Um, why are you bringing me a pile of fifty dresses?” I ask, eyeing them.

“Because the apple cider tea party is tomorrow. I already got my dress months ago, but we have to pick one of these for you to wear.” She sits on the edge of my bed. “All of them have fancy matching hats and gloves, but I would have needed another two arms to carry those up too.”

“And why do you have so many dresses?”

“Mom takes tea party dress donations whenever someone is done with one they’ve worn in the past. So these are all pre-owned but also very cute, in a very specific sort of way,” she says. “I’ll hold them up so you can pick one.”

“Can’t I just wear one of my own dresses?” I ask, even though I know I didn’t bring anything remotely suitable in the pared-down basic wardrobe I squeezed into my two measly suitcases.

She shakes her head. “Nope. These are tea party appropriate—big and fancy and outlandish. You have to embrace the absurdity, though. As long as you don’t mind wearing secondhand stuff? I know you’re big into fashion in the city….”

“No, it’s fine. I go thrifting all the time. Or at least I used to.” I maneuver my way to the other end of the bed.

“Okay, cool. I’m sure at least some of them will work.

” Sloane stands and holds up the first option—a puffy dandelion-yellow dress with squared shoulders and a V neckline.

“This one looks like it’ll fit.” I scrunch my face, and Sloane laughs.

“Okay, so that one’s a no,” she says, tossing it to a new spot on the bed.

“A big no,” I confirm. “Even if I’m embracing absurdity.”

We continue through the pile, laughing and cringing at some of the options. I ultimately select an off-the-shoulder A-line dress in pistachio green. It’s satin and tea-length and, honestly, showstoppingly adorable.

Sloane picks up the pile of dresses. “Okay, so I was waiting until we were done to say anything, but…”

“But…?”

“I’m supposed to make sure I get you to Jake’s party.”

“Oh yeah? Says who?” I ask.

“Jake, obviously. He’s texted me six times in the last twenty-four hours to remind me. And since you’re not actually studying tonight…”

“I don’t know. I just don’t really feel like going.” Spending the night at a party where I know almost no one doesn’t sound that great. “Are you going?”

“I will if you want me to take you. But I wasn’t planning on going otherwise.”

“Then my vote is no, we don’t go.”

“Okay, do you want to watch a movie?” she asks.

I glance at the old TV and even older DVD player my aunt dragged up here a couple days ago. It sits on a small stand, not hooked up or plugged in.

“What movie?” I ask, trying to remember the last time I sat down and actually watched a movie. I honestly don’t know.

Sloane shrugs. “ Practical Magic ? ’Tis the season, after all.”

“I’ve never seen it,” I tell her.

Sloane gasps and drops the pile of dresses on the floor. “Ellis, how are we related?” She grabs the unruly cords and plugs the TV in, then tosses the remotes on the bed. “I’ll get the DVD and popcorn. You turn everything on.”

“Okay.”

“Be prepared to fall in love with these two sisters and their aunts,” Sloane calls as she hops down the stairs.

Twenty minutes later, my cousin and I are lying on our bellies on my bed, getting crumbs and kernels in my sheets, and watching Sally take measures not to fall in love.

It’s the most fun I’ve had in a really long time.