As Autumn Leaves by Kate Sands

“It’s not what you think… we texted you to join! You didn’t reply.” He looked like he’d done something wrong, as if hanging with her bestie without her broke a friend’s code. It didn’t. Kayla could tell Ernie liked Hannah, and hoped he would make a move soon. It’d help Hannah’s confidence to know there was someone out there who truly liked her as she was. Besides, they’d make a cute couple.
    “I had my phone turned off. I wasn’t in the mood for… people. But I hope you had fun.”
    “Um, I did, thanks,” he said. His cheeks started to go pink underneath his freckles, and he coughed. He adjusted the way his glasses sat on his nose, despite being perfectly straight already.
    “Let’s find you the best James Bond suit ever.”
    They searched through the racks of men’s clothes. As fancy as James Bond was, Ernie didn’t have the cash for a brand-new suit—which he planned to shred for the zombie effect anyway, so they didn’t worry too much about finding something high-end.
    “I’ll probably end up looking like any old zombie,” Ernie said, holding a suit jacket. Older and dated with a stain on the sleeve, it could add to the overall effect. “And I don’t know about wearing other people’s clothes.”
    “Wash it first, it doesn’t matter. Even if you were any old zombie, you’d be a fancy one, which is unique enough.”
    “It is,” Ernie said. “My sister is pretty good with makeup. She said she’d help because I’m clueless.”
    “Cool. So you’re going to go to the dance, then?”
    “Yup. According to Hannah, with her and you, and hopefully Althea.” He grinned as he pushed through the rack for some dress shirts. “We could make it a double date.”
    They both froze.
    “Um, I mean—” He stammered, pushing his hand through his shaggy hair. “Me and Hannah aren’t—or you and—I don’t know why I said that.”
    Kayla tried to remain calm. “Because you like Hannah.”
    “I never said—”
    “You do.”
    “Okay. Yes. I do.” He looked terrified. “I don’t think she likes me like that.”
    Kayla had tried to stay out of it, so she couldn’t confirm one way or the other. Hannah didn’t believe anyone liked her, so dating Ernie probably never crossed her mind, for all she liked Ernie as a friend.
    “You should talk to her about it,” Kayla said, trying to sound wise. “Then you’ll know for sure.”
    “But if she doesn’t like me? Or doesn’t think it’s a good idea? What happens to being friends, then?” He snorted. “ Awwwww kward city.” He paused and raised his eyebrows at her. “And what about you?”
    Kayla sighed. “Already in awkward city.” She paused too, eyes widening.
    “It’s okay,” Ernie said quietly. “If you’re worried about losing your friends over it… you won’t. Not the two of us. But you should take your own advice and talk to Hannah about that, because I know she’d tell you the same. It’s fine. And then talk to Althea about the other thing. Make it not awkward.”
    “I don’t know if that’ll work.” She reeled over the fact he had figured her out—in one way, at least, and Hannah probably knew too. Perhaps she shouldn’t have been surprised, given how she’d acted around Althea for weeks, even though she’d only recently realized it herself.
    It was too late. The least she could do was apologize for her outburst and hope Althea didn’t hate her for it.
    “I’ll talk to Althea if you talk to Hannah,” she said. A challenge since she wasn’t sure what to say or do about Althea, but if he could manage the courage to talk to Hannah, then she could do the same.
    He considered it. “Okay. Deal. And then maybe our double date can happen for real.”
    She smiled sadly. That wasn’t going to happen. He patted her on the back and she focused on lightening the mood to help finish finding his costume.
     
     
    “KAYLA! KAYLA, wait up!”
    Turning around in the hallway at hearing her name, Kayla saw Hannah