Page 14 of Falling Like Leaves (Bramble Falls #1)

“Why are you so gross?” I ask, popping a waffle fry into my mouth. Jake and I are sitting in a corner booth at the diner, having arrived just before the dinner rush, both of us with smash burgers on our plates. Jake’s is half gone even though it only arrived ten seconds ago.

The jukebox is playing some country song as the booths along the walls begin to fill. The shiny black-and-white checkered floor glints from the low-hanging lights above. The walls are covered in photos of celebrities who have eaten here over the years.

“Just got done with football practice,” Jake says after swallowing. His hair is wet with sweat, and his cheeks are flushed. “Was about to shower when you texted.” I dip a fry into my ketchup, nodding. “It was a good surprise, though.”

“Wish I could say the same about your smell,” I say.

Jake laughs. “Sorry. Someone gave me an unrealistic amount of time to get here.” He picks up a fry. “So, why did you text me?”

“What do you mean? Am I not allowed to eat with friends?”

“Are we friends?” he asks. His expression says he’s serious.

I stop with a fry halfway to my mouth, a blush painting my cheeks. “Oh. Are we not?”

“I don’t know. You blew off my party. And you never text me back.”

“It was just a party,” I say with a shrug. “And you’ve only texted me, like, once.”

“Three times, and you haven’t responded to any of them,” he says. “I was convinced you gave me a fake number.”

“Probably should have,” I joke, trying to push away the prickle of shame that crawls up my neck at the realization that I really have been an asshole.

But Jake doesn’t laugh. “Okay, I’m sorry about the party.

And about not texting you back. I’ve just been busy.

Usually, I’ll see a text and plan on responding once I’m done doing whatever, but then I forget about it entirely.

Still, it was messed up to ignore you but then text you when I wanted something. I’ll try to do better.”

And I mean it. Jake’s the only person who’s gone out of their way from day one to befriend me in Bramble Falls. He deserves better than me using him as an ice pack for my bruised ego since Dad apparently finds me so easily replaceable.

Jake nods. “Okay.”

A grin creeps across my face. “But I texted you today because Sloane couldn’t come.”

Jake barks out a laugh. “Ah, I see. I’m your second-choice friend. Sounds about right.”

“More like my only friend. I love Sloane, but she’s got a whole life here, with her own friends and her own stuff going on.”

“You’ll make more. You just got here.”

We both take bites of our burgers and chew while we people-watch. I don’t bother telling him I’m not great at making friends. Or at least not at keeping them.

“It’d probably help if you got out and did things with people, though,” he says, leaning back in the red vinyl seat and wiping his hands on a napkin.

I shrug. “Maybe. But I’m not here long enough to really worry about it.”

“When do you leave?”

“Sometime before Thanksgiving.”

“That’s plenty of time to make friends and have some fun. You don’t have to stay holed up in your room studying all the time,” he says.

“I leave the house. I’ve been helping with the fall events,” I remind him.

“Yeah, that’s a start. But it’s still work .”

“Okay, and what would you suggest I get out and do here in Bramble Falls?”

Jake ponders the question. “For starters, I’d say come to my parties.”

I roll my eyes. “I think we’ve established that already.”

“Football games.”

I scrunch my face. “That does not sound like fun. I don’t know the first thing about football.”

“I’ll teach you, and then you can come cheer me on.” I continue grimacing at him, and he laughs. “Listen, Taylor learned a thing or two about the sport, and now she loves it. So, don’t knock it till you try it.”

I arch an eyebrow. “Taylor…?”

“Swift. Obviously.”

“Right, obviously. I guess I just didn’t realize you two were on a first-name basis,” I laugh. “I’ll think about it, okay?”

“That’s all I ask.”

“All right. What else?”

“Homecoming’s around the corner. That’s a great place to have fun and hang out with friends.”

“I’ve never gone to homecoming. It’s not really a thing in New York.”

“Tell me you’re joking,” Jake says.

“Nope. Kids usually just party in the penthouse of whoever’s parents are away on business that week.”

“Ellis. You have to go, then. It’s your last high school homecoming.” He bites his lip and casually shrugs a shoulder. “I could take you.”

My eyebrows lift. “Take me… to homecoming?”

He lets out a nervous chuckle and looks at the table. “Yeah, why not?”

“I, um…”

I try to imagine that night. Everyone else will be there. I’m sure Sloane will go with Asher. Cooper will go with Chloe. Jake and Slug will be there.

And I’ll be sitting at home. Alone.

My brain does a quick catalog of my grades, my upcoming tests, my schedule. I have nothing going on that weekend, and teachers have purposefully not put a test near the big dance. I have no reason not to go….

“All right, yeah. Let’s do it,” I tell him.

Jake beams and says, “Really? You’ll be my date?”

“Yeah, why not?” I say, grinning at how his face has lit up.

Then I pause, considering the possibility that Jake might think we’re heading in a direction I have no interest in going with him.

Just in case, I add, “Why do you seem so surprised? We’re just going as friends. People do that all the time, right?”

“Sure. They do.” Jake reaches over and takes one of my fries. “I guess I sort of figured someone would have already asked you.”

“Because I’m so popular here in Bramble Falls?”

He shrugs. “Because you’re hot.”

I laugh. “Well, I’ll let you know if I decide to trade you for some other, more appealing suitor who might ask me in the coming weeks.”

“More appealing than me? Yeah, right,” he scoffs, and I toss a fry at him, which he catches in his mouth.

Attending my first high school homecoming my senior year is not something I had on my bingo card. Especially not in Bramble Falls. And especially not with Jake Keller.

But I have to admit, even if making friends here is pointless, I’m sort of excited.

Jake and I walk around town, sipping harvest spice lattes while he shows me places I’m already familiar with.

Places that hold memories with Cooper.

But I don’t say anything because Jake’s excited to share his small town with me.

We stop by the bookstore, where Cooper and I used to sit in the kids’ fantasy section while he’d read to me—until an employee would tell us to either buy the book or leave.

We visit the candy store, where Cooper once choked on a jawbreaker. It was the one and only time I’ve ever had to save someone’s life, and the one and only time he ever hugged me.

We check out the record store, where Cooper and I bought stacks of ninety-nine-cent used CDs by artists we’d never heard of, then listened to them on his mom’s old stereo, sorting them as either “cool finds” or “trash.”

I push the memories aside and try to be present. Because that summer is long over, and so is whatever Cooper and I had.

I made sure of that.

When the sun begins to set behind the Bramble Falls Public Library and an evening chill sets in, Jake and I part ways.

When I get back, Aunt Naomi’s house is dark from the outside, but as soon as I open the door, three women come running at me.

“Ellis!” Sloane screams, grabbing my arms and jumping up and down.

“Uh, yeah…? What’s happening right now?”

“You have a homecoming date!” Mom squeals like a teenager.

“Oh my god, is that what all this is about?” I ask. “How’d you even find out? I just left him ten minutes ago.”

“It’s a small town, honey. Everyone knows everything within five,” Mom says. “So, tell me all about this boy.”

“He’s eye candy,” Sloane tells her. “And he’s on the football team.”

“Okay, this is a good start,” Mom says, bobbing her head.

“You’ve actually met him,” I tell her. “He’s the guy who was working the register at the apple orchard.”

“Oh yeah! He was a sweet kid,” Mom says. “Very cute.”

“Jake is great,” Aunt Naomi adds. “He’s goofy and a bit irresponsible, but he’s a good egg.”

“He’s fine.” I shrug.

“You said you’d go to a dance with him,” Mom says. “You’ve never gone to a dance. You must think he’s more than just ‘fine.’?”

“Okay, you’re all being weird about this,” I say, taking a step backward. “It’s just a dance, and we’re going as friends.”

Mom nods. “Well, I’m just glad you’re making friends and doing things.” She reaches up and softly runs her thumb over my cheek. “I just want to see you happy.”

“I know.” I bite my tongue. I don’t have it in me to fight right now, but I’m dying to tell her that if she really wanted to see me happy, she wouldn’t have made me leave New York.

She would have let me stay with Dad. I’d be taking more challenging classes at a more impressive school, some other girl wouldn’t have my internship, and Dad wouldn’t have forgotten I exist.

“I really don’t think you two will just be friends for long,” Sloane says, giddy.

“Even if I liked him—which I don’t—I’m not here long enough to start anything with someone. Plus, my focus is still on getting into Columbia. Not on boys.”

Aunt Naomi turns and heads toward the kitchen, calling over her shoulder, “I got Chinese. Come eat and tell us all about how he asked you.”

Mom follows her, and just as I’m about to head to the kitchen, even though I’m stuffed from dinner with Jake, Sloane steps in front of me.

“Did you run into him there or did you text him to meet you?” she asks.

“Why does that matter?” She raises her eyebrows, looking at me expectantly. I sigh. “I texted him.”

She squeals and runs toward the kitchen. “I knew it!”

“You three are exhausting,” I mutter, laughing as I follow behind her.

I sit in the empty spot at the table with my second dinner in front of me, and I rehash my entire afternoon with Jake as if I’m talking with girlfriends. As if we’re the town Gossip Girls.

And it feels… nice—even if they are excited for no reason.