As Autumn Leaves by Kate Sands Page A

making her way amongst the crowds to get to her. With a bright red face and shining eyes, Hannah was short of breath when she stopped in front of Kayla.
    “What is it?” Kayla asked.
    She had a suspicion. She’d received a text from Hannah while she walked to school that morning, Hannah saying she would catch up with her later because Ernie wanted to talk to her. If Ernie was brave enough to pull through on his end of the deal Monday morning, it meant Kayla had to be too.
    “I have a date,” Hannah said. She spoke in a whisper, eyes darting around at the crowds, as if she didn’t want anyone to hear. “With Ernie. He asked me out.”
    “He did? Exciting! What’s with the whispering?”
    “I’m in shock. If other people hear, it might ruin the spell and turn out not to be true.”
    Kayla laughed and pulled her dramatic friend into a hug. “Not going to happen. That boy is gone on you.”
    Hannah pulled away. “You knew!” she squawked indignantly. “You never told me!”
    “I suspected,” Kayla said. “It’s not like he and I talk about stuff like that usually, and I didn’t want to get in the middle of it. But I’m glad he talked to you!”
    “He told me you guys ran into each other yesterday and you told him he should take the chance and talk to me and I’m so happy you did. And that he did, obviously.” She launched at Kayla for another hug, and Kayla laughed and squeezed her back. For all her sadness and loneliness over the weekend, she couldn’t help but be happy for her friend. Hannah deserved it.
    When Hannah let go, she gave Kayla a serious look. “He said you had a part of a deal to do too, but he was secretive. He wouldn’t give it away, not even to me, the girl he likes and asked on a date.”
    “Ernie is good people,” Kayla said. “And, yes. I should tell you something.” Her mouth snapped shut, the words not coming forward. Hannah waited patiently, and as Kayla worked up the courage, a cough from behind interrupted them.
    It was Althea, looking unsure. It didn’t stop her from speaking. “Kayla? Could we talk?”
    “Yeah, but—” Althea’s face dropped, so Kayla hurried along to reassure her. “Later. After school? Can we please put it aside for now and get through our presentation? And deal with the rest later.”
    Althea remained somber. Kayla’s insides burned with embarrassment and shame that she let them get to this. She would try to fix it. She’d never be able to give Althea what she wanted, but she could try to be a friend. Hopefully.
    “Okay,” Althea said. “I’ll see you in English.”
    “It’s going to be awesome!” Hannah said enthusiastically, overly so, like an attempt to break the ice.
    “It is,” Kayla said firmly. “We’ll kill it.”
    Althea’s face relaxed a little more, and she turned away, disappearing into the crowd of students. The bell rang, and Kayla hugged her books closer to her chest, watching where Althea had gone rather than hurrying off to class.
    “Okay, yup,” Hannah said. “I totally know what your end of the bargain is.”
    “It’s not what you think.”
    “It’s probably exactly what I think.” Hannah looped her arm through Kayla’s and tugged her along, but didn’t let go of her as they headed to their first class. “And it’s okay by me, you don’t have to worry. You let me—and I’m guessing Ernie—know how you’re handling this… whatever this is. Once you get it figured out. That’s what’s happening, right?”
    Kayla nodded, but she also sighed deeply. Apparently, her two best friends were okay with her being with another girl. But there was a problem—Kayla didn’t see how it could happen, not with how things were.
    Hannah continued, soft and so sweet. “You can talk to me about this, okay? I’m trying not to get offended you haven’t yet, but… I get it. And you’re not alone here.”
    Kayla wanted to burst into tears. That’s exactly what she felt—alone, and scared. Broken in a way her