Page 34 of Falling Like Leaves (Bramble Falls #1)

“Sloane, wake up.” My cousin grumbles as I shake her.

Her eyelids flutter open. “What? What time is it?”

“Three a.m.”

I tried to keep playing the game. I tried to pretend like nothing happened. But that proved to be impossible, and ultimately I trekked the two miles back home in the freezing cold after everyone was searching for the ghost after me.

“Three a.m.? Go away, you psycho,” she says, throwing a pillow over her head.

“I need you,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice from breaking the way my heart is.

She bolts upright, making me jump as she throws the pillow off her face and swings her legs over the bed, suddenly wide awake. “Let’s go.”

“Um, what? Where?”

“I googled how to get rid of a body years ago, specifically for this occasion. I’ve got you, girl. No questions asked.”

Despite my shitstorm of a night, a deep laugh unexpectedly rumbles out of me. “Shut up.”

“I’m not kidding. I’ve got three pretty legit ways and two questionable ones. I’m willing to try any of them.” She worries her lip. “One way might require more Mountain Dew than we have on hand, though.”

I lay my head on her shoulder, unable to stop the embarrassing snort-laugh that escapes. “I don’t need to get rid of a body. Well, not yet, anyway.”

“Okay… Then why are you waking me up at this hour? What do you need?”

I lift my head and look at her. “Can I sleep in here?”

“Um, okay?” She draws her eyebrows together as she scoots back into bed and pulls the comforter over her.

I crawl in next to her. “Sorry. I just don’t really want to be alone right now.”

“You gonna to tell me what’s wrong?”

My eyes follow a crack in the ceiling until it dead-ends into the wall. “You were right.”

“Of course I was.” She pauses. “But about what?”

“About Cooper.” I swallow. “About me liking Cooper.”

“I knew it! But why’s that bad?” She gasps. “Wait. Did something happen?”

“You could say that.” I turn my head to face her. “We kissed.”

She screams, and I slap my hand over her mouth. “You’re going to wake up our moms.”

“Sorry,” she whispers. “But also, oh my god!” She throws her pillow over her face and squeals into it. “Okay,” she says, putting it back under her head, “I’m ready. How was it?”

I don’t have to think about the answer. “Perfect.”

“So what’s the problem? Or did you just wake me up to tell me about it? Because I am here for it. Spill.”

“He told me to forget it happened.”

“What?” She sits up. “Why?”

I tell her about his Jake concerns. And, as she settles in next to me again, I explain his reluctance to let me break his heart a second time.

“He has a point,” I say. “I am leaving soon—it’s been part of why I was trying to talk myself out of liking him. But he’s going to school in the city next year. In less than a year, we’ll be living in the same place again. This doesn’t have to be some monthlong fling where everyone ends up hurt.”

“Is that what you want? Something serious and long-term with him?”

“I… think so.” The reality of that slams into me like a tsunami. He’s the exception to the rule. I lay my head on Sloane’s shoulder. “I really like him.”

“It sounds like he really likes you, too.”

“Maybe, but it doesn’t matter.” I sigh. “He doesn’t want to be with me.”

“I’m sorry.” She leans her head against mine. “But there’s still time—you don’t leave for another month. Maybe he’ll change his mind.”

“Yeah,” I say. “Maybe.”

But I know he won’t.

Sloane takes my hand beneath the blanket and holds it. “It’s his loss, cuz.”

I close my eyes and try to tell myself she’s right.

But if that’s the case, then why do I feel like I’m the one who lost tonight?

I don’t know how to face him.

That’s all I can think as I pull up my Khaite jeans, tug my beige Rowe turtleneck sweater over my head, and slip into my Stuart Weitzman boots.

Nothing feels worse than knowing I screwed up our friendship, too.

Things will never be what they were before last night.

I stand in front of the mirror. Immaculate makeup and flawless, wavy hair make me look like I’m fine. Great, even. Like I didn’t lose a second of sleep over what happened—over what I’ll never get back.

I straighten my shoulders and take a deep breath. “You are fine, Ellis,” I say. “You’ve got this.”

According to Sloane, every year Bramble Falls sells hollow mini plastic pumpkins in the town square.

Those planning to ask someone to the Pumpkin Prom buy one and typically put a note inside with their proposal.

The following two weeks are full of people finding mini pumpkins on their stoops, in their mailboxes, on their desks at work or school, or in their cars.

The costumed dance is a way for everyone in Bramble Falls to have another prom night.

Yet another opportunity for me to go to a dance without Cooper. Yay.

Sloane and I walk toward town square, where our table is already set up. We volunteered weeks ago to sell the mini pumpkins, even though now it’s the last thing I want to do today.

“You look good,” she says, eyeing me.

“That’s the idea.”

“What? Look good so he has regrets?”

“No. Look good in hopes that I feel better,” I say as we approach the Caffeinated Cat.

“Is it working?” she asks.

“Maybe a little.” We stop in front of the cat-café window. “But not enough that I can walk in there. Can you get my drink for me?” Cooper is scheduled to work until noon.

Not that I’ve memorized his work schedule.

“I got you,” she says.

“Thanks.”

Sloane heads in, and just before I head over to the table, my eyes betray me and sneak a look through the window, where Cooper grins at Sloane before glancing behind her—like maybe he’s looking for someone. Then his eyes bounce to the window, directly at me.

I book it out of there, crossing the street with our money box in hand, and take a seat at our table. Five minutes later, Sloane joins me, setting my harvest spice latte in front of me.

“He’s also acting fine,” she says with a sigh.

“He probably is fine,” I tell her.

“I highly doubt it, based on what you told me.” I slide the cash box over to her and she unlocks it as our first customer approaches the table. I take a sip of my drink, keeping my eyes trained on the black-haired man in front of me rather than on the building across the street.

“Do you think I can call out of school for the next few weeks until I leave?” I ask Sloane after the guy is gone. “I could say I have mono.”

“Ellis, I love you, but you’re not altering your life for a boy. You’re going to go to school. You’re going to get your straight As and continue being teacher’s pet, and then you’re going to go out with Jake.”

I spit out my coffee. “I’m sorry, what?”

“Show Coop you’re not hung up on him. Maybe you’ll have a chance at being friends again.”

“Like, I get your logic but also, no.” I shake my head. “It’ll seem like I’m trying to make him jealous.”

She shrugs. “Making him jealous might be a perk, I guess.”

“I’m not trying to play games. I just want to move on from this.”

“Then do it with Jake.”

I sigh. My cousin just doesn’t get it. Cooper is the only exception. I don’t want or need a guy to fawn over. If he doesn’t want to be with me, then I just want to survive the next few weeks here and get home as unscathed as possible.

We spend the next three hours selling dozens of pumpkins.

If I’ve learned one thing being in Bramble Falls, it’s that the people here take their fall events seriously.

And this one is no exception. Sloane says it’s one of the most anticipated events of the year, and as the day goes on, there’s no denying it. Everyone’s excitement is palpable.

We’re so busy taking money, passing out pumpkins, and chatting with people, that I don’t notice when noon rolls around.

I don’t notice when Cooper gets into the line.

Our eyes collide when he steps up to the table. Neither of us says anything. What is there to say?

Sloane clears her throat. “Do you need a pumpkin?”

He swings his eyes to her, and he holds out his money. “Yeah. Thanks.”

My heart feels like it’s being shredded as I hand him a pumpkin. He takes it, and nausea rolls through me when his fingers graze mine.

But I’m my dad’s daughter. So I give him a convincingly genuine smile. “I hope you and Chloe have a fantastic time at the prom.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “I—”

“Be on your way now, Coop,” Sloane says, shooing him away with her hands. “Next!”

He glances at her, probably figuring out that she knows about last night, and nods.

I’m giving him what he asked for. Even if it’s killing me, I’m pretending last night didn’t happen. The least he can do is give me space.

He shoots me one last unreadable look and leaves, taking his future Pumpkin Prom proposal with him.