Chapter Fourteen

Haley

Leaves crunch under my feet. Fall is already here. If there’s one event that means the season change has come to Culler, it’s Falling for Fall. Yes, Homecoming is a big deal, but before we get there we have this. The Belles help organize the silent auction, dating back to when the City Council decided that it was probably best to include some young people. As weird as the whole thing is, it’s a great event. For the Belles, it’s a warm-up for Homecoming.

Abby crosses another name off her list.

“Good job, Belles. We have seventeen volunteers for the silent auction. Including Mr. Alvarez,” Abby says, waggling her eyebrows. The girls at school always talk about Mr. Alvarez’s behind when he’s at the smart board.

“This is going to be our best Falling for Fall ever. See everyone tomorrow!”

With that, the meeting is over, and she and I walk side by side back to her car. She pulls out her phone. I’ve been thinking that this is the moment, today, to tell her about Jake, so I say, “I had a dream about Jake.”

Abby’s eyes widen, but she keeps looking down on her phone. “Wait, what kind of dream?”

I shrug. “Not that kind of dream.” I already regret trying to start up the conversation, but I want to tell her that Jake and I are friends. Friendly. Or at least plant the seed.

“What happened in it?” she asks.

I pause. This isn’t a hard image to pull up; when you’ve crushed on someone over ten years, you have scenarios of how you finally get together. Some are even realistic. I stick to that, the fantasy that feels like reality. “We were talking, very closely, and he said he liked me. It was almost a scene from a movie, honestly. We both declared we’d liked each other for a long time, and then he kissed me.”

Abby laughs. Like, really laughs. “That’s great.”

Wow. Laughter. Is him liking me so ludicrous of an idea? “Why is it funny?”

“I mean, you don’t even like Jake, do you?”

I shrug. Yes, and he might like me, too.

“I wouldn’t say I don’t like him; he practically lives at my house. I’m tutoring him some, and he’s doing community service at the rehab center.” I play the whole thing off a lot more than I want to.

“Then it makes sense that you’d be dreaming about him, Hals,” Abby says, sliding her phone back into her bag. “You’re spending a lot of time with him, and honestly, you haven’t had any boy action since Shane. You’re projecting all your feelings onto him because he’s the closest one. You don’t actually like him.” Abby pauses as we approach her car and gets out her keys. “If you were harboring a secret desire to kiss Jake Lexington, I would know.”

I start to protest, and her phone dings. “I gotta go. We’re going to see Nana. I’ll text you later!” Abby hugs me before I can even process it and then jumps into her car.

So much for that. Good job, Haley. You can’t even spin a fantasy right.

I sigh and start walking. I love Culler when the seasons start to change. The last legs of summer have started to lose their footing, and the wind is crisper. It’s South Carolina, so it’s never entirely fall until the leaves are gone, but the hint is there. I’ve always imagined living in a place where there were four distinct seasons, each one bringing a unique atmosphere. I’d especially love some snow. It’s only really snowed once when I was ten, and the whole town came out to play in it. I’d love some snow for real.

“Are you coming on Sunday?” Mrs. Patty Baker calls out to me as I walk past the gazebo.

“Ma’am?” I ask, turning back toward her.

Mrs. Baker is a nice older lady, famous for her intrusive questions and Southern bluntness. Her family was raised in Culler, and she raised hers here. She’s ingrained into this place, much like everyone else.

“This weekend is Falling for Fall right here. Are you coming, dear?”

“Yes, ma’am. The Belles are working it.”

“Are you going to bid on a fella?”

All the money goes back into the town, so most people play along.

“I’m not sure if I’d want to bid on anyone.”

She gasps at me. “Poppycock, dear. You’re young and beautiful. I’m sure you’re going to win some unsuspecting young man’s heart.”

I laugh, even though my mind wanders to Jake. The last few weeks, we have been spending a lot of time together, but that doesn’t mean anything. “Thank you, ma’am. Have a great day.”

I laugh to myself a little as I walk away. This town is too much sometimes. I love it, though. No matter where I go, I will never live anywhere else as charming as Culler.

Get toilet paper, my brother texts me.

I send him a thumbs up as I go inside Brown’s General Store to pick up some things Momma requested. I hear them talking about the game as soon as I go inside. On Friday, we beat the team from West Side. Culler is now undefeated, five games in a row.

“I don’t know what Coach Tucker is doing to those kids, but they have a fire in their bellies,” one man says.

“I really didn’t think the younger Lexington had it in him. The way he carries on around town.”

“It’s a shame what happened to the older one.”

It makes my blood boil a little, and I clear my throat as I approach the register. The two men stop talking about football. It’s not until I hand him Momma’s credit card that he realizes who I am. His face turns red, and then he smiles.

“You’re a Howell. You’re kin to the QB?”

“Yes, sir,” I say, putting on the best smile I can. “He’s my brother.”

“Oh dang. Jimmy, he’s got a sister.”

“Your brother has quite an arm,” Jimmy starts.

“Yes, sir. He does.”

“Tell him his pocket was a little off in the last game.”

I look at this man, Jimmy, and raise an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“I’m sure that Coach has a plan to get him on point, but we nearly lost that last one.”

I smile. “I’m sure they’ve got it all under control.”

“They better fix it before the Vikings game next month or they’ll take it. You best believe they’re watching our game tapes, too,” Jimmy says.

“I’ll do what I can.” I take my bags from the cashier and start to walk out. Old Jimmy follows me, still talking about football.

“He oughta keep an eye on the Lexington boy, too. He’s gonna let them down.”

I want to spin around and tell him off. It’s what Jake would do, and I’m trying to be more like him in ways. But sometimes, it’s better to be more like my brother. I take a page from his book and spin around with a smile. “I’m sure you can email Coach Tucker your concerns and he’ll take them into consideration.”

Before I walk away, though, I think of Jake. He doesn’t deserve that. He leaves his heart and soul on the field, and WWJD: he’d tell him to get lost, only with less niceness.

“And for the record, you’re totally wrong about Jake Lexington. If anyone is letting the team down, it’s you, by doubting the people on it and what they’re doing instead of supporting them on the field.”

He locks his jaw and looks a little shocked that a girl spoke to him in such a way.

I smile. “Have a great day.”

Jake and I are sitting outside on the front patio, and the sun has already set so the cicadas are singing their last tunes of summer. Books and papers are spread out around us. He looks up from the practice test we’re both working on.

“Thank you for studying with me.”

“No problem,” I say.

“This is not the way I usually spend a night with a girl,” he says, bumping my shoulder with a laugh. I know he’s kidding. Sort of. Maybe.

I laugh. “Well, you’ve got to get at least a B on your test, so I think you will do that easily.”

He stops and leans in closer to whisper in my ear. “Thanks to you.”

“No problem,” I say, ignoring the chill bumps running over my body. I would never tell him that there’s nowhere else I’d rather be. My phone vibrates. Jake hands me the paper, and our fingers touch briefly in the exchange. I want to really hold his hand again like that day on the bridge, and I feel the blush rush to my cheeks at the thought. Instead, I refocus myself on his paper, and Jake fiddles with his phone while I check his answers.

“Hey, you never told me? Why the unicorn emoji?”

I smile. That was weeks ago, and I’ve been wondering when he’d ask again. “Because it’s magical.”

“What?”

“It works in any scenario. Texting about something sad, it’s like, ‘aw it’s okay, here’s a unicorn.’ Something adorable? Unicorn. Something funny, unicorn. If you’re happy, unicorn. It’s versatile.”

I probably sound like a dork right now, but he’s smiling. “Who knew a unicorn emoji could say so many things?”

“Magic,” I whisper with a smile. Much like this test he just took. “Wow,” I add.

“I did that bad?”

I shake my head and pass the page back. “You missed three. You got an A, sir.”

“You’re shitting me!”

“No, I’m not.”

“What?” He stands up and pulls me into a hug. “I can’t believe it.”

Jake is hugging me, and it’s pure bliss. I can barely think. “You know this stuff,” I manage.

He pulls away so he can look into my eyes, but he’s still holding on to me. “I had a good tutor.”

He inhales a bit. It makes his chest tighten and contract next to me.

“You really are amazing,” he says.

“I know,” I say.

He laughs. “You know.” I shrug, and he laughs again. I really like making Jake laugh. “And you’re so humble.”

“WWJD.”

That makes him chuckle, and he lets me go. I wish I hadn’t said anything so I could stay in his arms like that. “Other Howell, you are something.” His eyes light up when he looks at me. “I heard this rumor that today you told off old man Jimmy Bones in the General Store.”

“Me? I would never do that.”

He steps closer. “That’s not what the rumor said.”

“You know what they say about believing rumors.”

He’s standing next to me again, a breath away. I feel the energy coursing through the air, the same way it was on the bridge. The same thing I’ve dreamt about too many times.

“Thank you,” he whispers. “It means a lot that you would say that.”

“It was the truth,” I say.

He shakes his head. “I don’t really deserve it.”

Something compels me that’s not my own brain, and I reach over and touch his cheek. I can’t stop my body from wanting to touch him. “You do, Jake.”

I think he’s going to kiss me, right here on my patio. I want it. I want it more than I wanted it in my daydreams because now I know him in my own way. I’m not just his best friend’s sister, I’m his friend. And he’s mine. He’s not this far-off fantasy that I have a crush on, he’s a real person who I know, flaws and all, and it makes me like him more. I like who I am with him. He makes me feel more confident and bold. It’s always been part of me, but I’m not afraid to bring it out around him. He touches me back, moving a strand of hair behind my ear and brushing my cheek with the back of his knuckle.

I lean in, or he does, or we both do. This is happening.

“Yo! I see Jake’s truck here!” Chris yells from inside the house.

Jake jumps away from me like I’m fire burning him alive, and my heart gets trapped in my throat. We’re apart when Chris steps onto the patio, standing in the doorway and looking between us.

“What’s up?”

“Hey man,” Jake says, nodding toward my brother. “We were studying.”

Chris nods slowly. “Gotcha.”

“He got an A,” I manage. Jake starts gathering up his papers and shoving them into his book, not looking at me at all.

“Cool. You staying for dinner?” my brother asks Jake.

Jake steals a glance up at me, one I can’t quite decipher. “Nah man, I told Jamie I’d pick up some food.” He packs up his bag and nods toward me. “Thanks, Hals. I’ll see you later.”

“Sure,” I say. Chris is staring at me, and I’m trying really hard not to show any emotion.

“See you tomorrow, man,” Jake says, and before Chris can even respond, Jake is already almost out the door.

We stand there, him in the doorway and me in the middle of the patio, for a few minutes. I busy myself cleaning from our study session, gathering up cups and books. Chris moves when I make it to the door, but even with my back to him I can still feel his eyes on me.

“You two seem to be getting friendly.”

I shrug. Act like it’s nothing. It is nothing.

He almost kissed you.

It’s nothing.

“Yeah, I mean, I’m helping him with work. We have a couple of classes together.”

My brother crosses his arms. “It kinda felt like more than that.”

“You’re imagining things,” I say, putting the dishes into the dishwasher.

But I can still feel Jake next to me, my skin on alert, ready for his kiss.

“All right, but it felt like I interrupted something.”

I finally turn and look at my brother. “Between me and Jake Lexington?”

He shrugs.

“No,” I say, and Chris crosses his arms. “Why would you even think that?”

He shrugs. “I just know you both.”

“You say it like it’s a bad thing.”

“I don’t see how he’d be interested.”

“In me?” I scoff. “Wow. Thanks.”

“I just don’t see it. You’re not really his type. It’s not a good fit, Hals.”

“You know, besides him being a football player, I don’t really know what the issue would be.”

“He’s my best friend, but he’s not good for you. He’s not really good for anyone, especially not right now. And especially not you.” Chris raises an eyebrow. “You sound a little defensive.”

“I don’t like you thinking that no guy could ever be interested in me.”

“That’s not what I said.”

I wave him off, annoyed and embarrassed both. “There’s nothing going on, so you don’t have to worry about it. It’s impossible anyway, right?”

“Ooookayy,” Chris says. “Whatever you say.”

I nod and pick up my phone. There’s a text from Jake: a single unicorn emoji.