The Year of Falling in Love

  "You know that's the second time you've mentioned I'm a nice break from what you're used to." I cringe at the breathlessness in my voice.

  "I know." His voice is soft and his eyes are on mine as his tongue slips out of his mouth and wets his lips. Then his gaze drops to my mouth.

  Wow, wow, wow in my wildest dreams, is he going to kiss me? is the first thought that races through my mind, but then it's followed by hesitancy. Is this really how I want the kiss to go down? On the day my parents threatened to send me off to reform school? Wouldn't that make the memory of it tainted?

  I shove the thought aside, though, when my stomach does a kick flip. No, I want this kiss. Who cares if this morning was crappy? I can erase the crappy and replace it with fireworks. Fireworks, everywhere.

  I barely breathe as I wait for him to kiss me, my heart shape-shifting into a freakin' hummingbird, fluttering a million miles a minute.

  But he suddenly hesitates, raking his fingers through his hair as he stares at the street. "Isa, I want to get to know you more. In the past, I've never taken the time to get to know the girls I've gone out with. But I want things to be different with you. I want to take my time and enjoy every moment."

  A couple things cross my mind at the moment: 1). Does he mean get to know me as a friend? 2) He's obviously working on reinventing himself, but why? Where did the sudden change come from? Because there's usually a reason behind someone wanting to change, like me, like Kai, even though I still have no clue why he went from popular, preppy guy, to bad boy in the span of a night.

  I want to ask Kyler if something's going on with him, but I chicken out. "Okay."

  He looks at me again, smiling as he threads his fingers through mine and pulls me toward the car.

  I feel the slightest bit of excitement from his touch but a drop of disappointment at the same time. I don't know why. Is it just lingering sensations of the almost kiss? Or something else?

  "Ready for crazy task number one?" he asks, squeezing my hand.

  I nod, tearing my thoughts from my worries. Nope, I'm not supposed to be worrying about stuff today, whether it's my parents, my mom, or what's going on with Kyler. Today is supposed to be about being distracted from the craziness in my life and dammit if I'm going to go into worrying-about-a-guy mode. I'm going to focus on whatever Kyler's got in store for me and nothing else.

  Chapter 7

  Isabella

  "Um..." I'm unsure what to say to the scene in front of me.

  Kyler said it was a surprise, and while I wasn't sure what to expect, I wasn't expecting this.

  "I promise it'll be fun." He reaches over the console, brushes my ponytail off my shoulder, and gently massages my shoulder. "And it's an excellent distraction."

  My muscle tense from his touch, mostly because I'm not used to being touched so much. But he doesn't seem to notice, his fingertips delicately kneading my muscles.

  I concentrate on the football field we're parked by. A bunch of guys are on the field, throwing and catching the ball, and a group of girls a year or two older than me are watching from the benches. A couple of girls I've seen at the parties Hannah's thrown at our house, and most of the guys are Kyler's friends from high school. Nausea forms in the pit of my stomach when I realize a few of them have made fun of me at one point or another.

  "None of the girls are playing." I offer a lame excuse.

  A challenge glimmers in his eyes. "I didn't think you were the kind of girl that cared about stuff like that."

  "I'm not." It's the truth. I just used the girls not playing as an excuse to avoid telling him the real reason I don't want to play flag football with a bunch of dudes--because I'd rather spend time locked in a dungeon than play football with his friends who can be total douchebags.

  I rack my brain for a legit sounding excuse but all that pops into my mind is, sorry, can't. I'm allergic to football and all balls in general. Yep, sounds super legit, Isa. Face palm.

  "Look, I know you said you thought football was kind of boring, but I really think if you try to play it, you might like it," he says. "Besides, it might get your mind off other stuff."

  He has a point, but paintballing or playing video games would do that for me too, and I wouldn't have to hang out with a group of people who spent years bullying me.

  "No one's going to say anything to you," he adds, as if reading my mind. "I promise."

  I give him a fake smile, wondering if he can tell it's forced. "Okay. Yeah. Sure. Just give me a second. I need to make a call first."

  "You want me to wait for you?"

  "Nah. It might take a minute."

  He nods and hops out of the car. Once he shuts the door, I punch in Indigo's number. She doesn't answer so I text her to call me ASAP, saying I need a ride. I give her exactly one minute to respond before I panic and dial Kai's number. I know he said he was going to Mapleview but I'm hoping upon hope that he ended up not going. He never did text me back, though, when I replied to his message about hanging out tomorrow. I told him sure and asked where he wanted to meet. Maybe he never replied because he didn't have a signal. The drive to Mapleview is pretty much a deadzone.

  After four rings, his phone goes to voicemail.

  "Hey, it's me... Isa..." I'm unsure if I should tell him what's going on. "Look, I'm kind of in a mess and really need a ride. I know you said you were leaving town, but I'm hoping maybe you haven't left yet... But anyway, yeah, I'm guessing you have; otherwise, you probably would've answered your phone." I hang up, shaking my head at my rambling message.

  I don't get out of the car right away. Instead, I sit in the car and watch Kyler and his friends from out the window. I know I'm being a coward, but I feel like a mouse about to walk into a lion's den. I have no idea why Kyler would bring me here when he knows how much his and Hannah's friends despise me. Could that be the point? Perhaps this is some trap Hannah's set up and when I get out of the car, she'll step out from underneath the bleachers and her and her Ra-ra Space Cadets will break out in a chorus of Isabella Smellera.

  After a few minutes tick by, I decide it's time to face the inevitable. I grab the door handle and open the door. Part of me wants to flee in the opposite direction and run down the road. I honestly might have if Kyler didn't spot me. He waves me over with a smile on his face and all of his friends stare at me.

  Cringe. Cringe. Double cringe.

  Why couldn't I have just taken the easy shot during Horse?

  I bump the door shut, zip my jacket up, and keep my head down as I hike across the field toward them. It feels like the first day of school after I got back from my trip, all made over, a completely different person on the outside. Still, I hardly looked up at anyone as I walked, too afraid they'd still see me as Hannah's dorky younger sister.

  But I'm not Hannah's dorky younger sister. I never really was. Hannah and Lynn just made me believe that. But if I look down at the ground right now, then I kind of am, aren't I?

  Sucking in a deep breath, I level my gaze on Kyler. I'm not sure what he told his friends about why I'm here but none of them seem that interested in me. The guys go back to warming up and most of the girls go back to chatting with each other. But a couple of them have their gazes locked on me, like they're ready to swoop in and attack.

  "So, when you said come play flag football, did you actually mean I had to play?" I ask Kyler, coming to stop in front of him.

  He thrums his finger against his lips. "What do you think?"

  "I don't know. I'm kind of hoping you just meant you'd teach me how to throw a ball." I give him my best hopeful look.

  He chucks the ball in the air, giving me a lopsided grin. "Come on, Isa. I thought we talked about this." He catches the ball and grips it in his hand. "That you were going to be different then them." He nods his chin over at the girls then waggles his brows. "You know you wanna."

  If it were any other sport, I'd be all over this. But I know zilch about football. "All right, but you're going to have to show me a couple of things
first." I put my hands together and bow to him. "Oh great one, please show me your knowledge."

  He chuckles, but I can tell my remark's goes way over his head. Huh. Guess it only works with Kai. "Okay, first we'll practice catching."

  For the next twenty minutes, Kyler does just that. He's passionate about it too. While he looks super cute with his eyes lit up with excitement, I find myself getting kind of bored. Still, I act like a good pupil and pay attention even when my stomach grumbles in hunger. I tell it to shut its trap, that food will come later, but then a guy walks by munching on a cup of ice cream. It looks like strawberry too with cheesecake bits.

  Man, I'm so hungry that even vegetables is starting to sound good.

  "We'll get something to eat after the game," Kyler tells me, rotating the football in his hands.

  Um... Did I just say that aloud?

  "Okay." I resist the urge to take the damn ball from him, toss it into the tree, and declare the game over.... Hmm... Kai said I was like a Gremlin when I get hungry. I guess he was right.

  Kyler spends another couple of minutes making me catch the ball before he deems me ready to play. He and a guy I'm guessing Kyler knows from college, because he looks older, get voted captains. I quickly find out his name is Wes and that he's kind of a sexist asshole.

  "If she's going to play," Wes says to Kyler while pointing a finger at me, "another girl's going to have to too so the teams will be fair."

  "Why? Isa's more athletic than Ben and Tim," Kyler replies, tucking a ball under his arm. "In fact, she might be better than you." He winks at me.

  Pride swells in my chest as I smile at Wes. Yeah, dude, just because you have a penis, it doesn't mean you're the shit.

  Wes rolls his eyes. "Whatever man. You're so just trying to get laid right now."

  A few of the guys snicker but Kyler shoves Wes, and kind of hard too.

  "Shut up," he warns, glaring at Wes. "You're such a prick sometimes."

  I look away as I feel my cheeks flame. Oh my God, I'm so uncomfortable right now. Maybe I should just bail out and chase Ice Cream Dude down. I could be all like, "Hand over the ice cream or else a murderous, man-eating monster will sprout from my flesh."

  "Whatever. Let's just get the teams picked," Wes mutters, shooting me an annoyed look.

  He makes his first pick and then Kyler goes, choosing me. I smile appreciatively at him then wait while Wes makes his choice. Kyler puts an arm around me and starts massaging my shoulder again. A few of his friends are staring at us curiously but Kyler doesn't seem to notice as he makes his next pick. Me, I notice. Like way, way notice. Not just because he's touching me but because he's touching me in front of his friends.

  I probably hold my breath the entire time the teams are divided up. When there turns out to be an uneven number of players, Wes starts having a Drama Queen Fit.

  "I'll play." A girl with long brown hair pulled into a side braid leaves the bleachers and crosses the field toward us. She looks about my age, but I don't recognize her from school. And unlike the other girls chilling on the sidelines, she's not decked out in heels and a dress, but a pair of skinny jeans and a plaid shirt over a black tank top.

  "Lily, go sit your ass down," Wes barks at her. "You can't play football for shit."

  She flips him the middle finger. "Neither can you."

  Wes glowers at her. "Whatever. If you want to play then play. But you're on Meyer's team."

  "Good. That way, when we kick your ass, the win will feel that much sweeter." She grins haughtily at him then strolls up beside me. "Hey, only other girl crazy enough to play, I'm Lillian, but my friends call me Lily. And well, my dumbass brother too." She throws a dirty look in Wes's direction.

  "He's your brother." I feel sorry for her. The guy kind of reminds me of male version of Hannah. "He seems..."

  "Like a jerk," she finishes for me. "Yeah, he is. But he's that way to everyone so don't take it personally."

  I wonder why, but don't ask. "I'm Isabella by the way. You can call me Isa."

  "Isa. I like it." Her smile is so big it's nearly blinding. "I like your shoes too. Totally killer."

  I think she's just trying to be nice, but Lily's cheerfulness remains as we start the game. Either the girl was inhaling laughing gas before she came here or she's one of the most genuinely happy people I've ever met.

  For most of the game, Lily and I get put in positions that don't require a lot of moving or participating. While I wasn't too thrilled playing, I do find it irking that the guys are taking over.

  "Are you doing anything cool for Halloween?" Lily asks as we stand in the field waiting for something eventful to happen.

  "Honestly, I haven't really thought about it." Usually, I'm all about dressing up but this year I've been severely distracted with other stuff.

  "You're dressing up, though, right?" She eyes me over from head to toe. "You look like the kind of person who dresses up."

  "Is that a good thing?" I wonder, feeling insecure.

  She nods, still all smiles and sunshine. "It's definitely a good thing. A lot of people think they're too old to dress up, but I plan on doing it for the rest of my life. It's too much fun getting all dolled up, you know. Why give it up just because society thinks you should stop having fun when you're a little bit older."

  "I completely agree. And yes, I dress up, usually in something really over the top," I admit. "This year, I've been really busy, though, and haven't gotten around to deciding."

  "You should go steampunk. You have a good look for it."

  "You think so?"

  "Oh, yeah. I can help you put something together if you want. I know where a lot of killer stores are, and I'm pretty awesome at sewing."

  "Um... okay." I don't mean to sound hesitant, but considering how many times Hannah has set me up to think I'm making a friend, only to have it thrown in my face later, I can't help it.

  For a tiny raindrop of a second, Lily's smile falters. "Or we don't have to. I just thought it might be cool to have a shopping buddy who enjoys Halloween as much as me. Most people can't handle how excited I get."

  "No, it's cool. I want to go." I steal a glance at the bleachers. Most of the girls are watching the game, but two of Hannah's friends are staring at me while whispering to each other. I wonder if she's friends with them. Would it matter, though, if she's nice and everything?

  "You don't like them, huh?" she says, not as a question but as a fact.

  I fix my attention back on her and shrug. "It's more like they don't like me. Well, not all of them. But I don't know all of them."

  She nods, as if completely understanding. "The two sitting on the top are pretty cool. They go to UW with Wes and Kyler. The three sitting toward the middle, I have no clue who they are, but they seem really into Kyler." I must pull a funny face or something because she adds, "Don't worry, though. He seems into you."

  I hate that I'm so transparent. "Do you know Kyler?"

  She glances at the field where Kyler is dodging around guys with the ball cradled in his arms. "Since, like, I was four."

  "Really? How?"

  "He's been friends with Wes since then."

  I don't recognize either one of them. "Do you guys go to Sunnyvale High?"

  She snorts a laugh. "No. We're not that lucky."

  Lucky? What? That makes no sense since Sunnyvale is a public school. "What do you mean?"

  She pulls a whoops face. "It's nothing. I just meant that we weren't lucky enough to go to a high school that has such a great sports and art program."

  Sunnyvale High may have a decent sports program, but their art program is nonexistent. The only art classes available are basic, beginner classes where you learn how to draw fruit in a bowl and generic nonsense like that. I don't call her out on her lie, though.

  "So, do you go to UW too?" I ask, even though she doesn't look old enough to be in college, but clearly the high school topic is a touchy subject for her.

  She shakes her head. "I'm actually supposed
to be a senior this year, but I graduated early. I wanted to start classes at UW this year but... My mom thought it would be a good idea for me to take a year off and save some money."

  "Oh." Again, I can tell she's lying, but I don't want to press. "Where do you work?"

  "I have two jobs, actually. One at the grocery store." She pulls a face. "And one at a second-hand store. That one's okay because a lot of old-school, cool stuff comes in and the workers get first dibs. There was this really awesome old typewriter that I got and this 1940s cocktail dress that I bought for, like, ten bucks. I was going to wear it to prom, but..." She trails off, growing sober for a moment before she's bouncing off the walls. "You should come work there. The owner is hiring right now. It's a really fun, easy job, and it'd be nice to have someone cool to work with. Right now, the only person working there besides me is Mr. Belforid, who once showed up to work without pants on."

  I choke on a laugh. "Really?"

  She giggles. "Yeah, he's really old and got confused. He did have swim trunks on, thank God, but it was in the middle of winter and he nearly froze to death."

  After our laughter dies down, Lily turns serious again. "But seriously, you should come work there," she says. "I need someone sane to hang out with."

  I hadn't thought too much about it, but since I'm going to be living with Grandma Stephy now, I should definitely consider getting a job so I can help out. "You know what? Maybe I will."

  A smile expands across her face. I just start to smile too, when I hear my name being shouted.

  "Isa, heads up!"

  My gaze darts down the field just in time to see Kyler throwing the football in my direction. I start to mad freak out as the ball soars through the sky and a herd of guys come barreling at me. Sure, I know it's flag football and they can't tackle me, but watching them run at full speed is super intimidating. At first, I contemplate just letting the ball hit the ground, but then I see Wes, standing at the end of the field, looking bored, as if he's completely convinced I'm not going to catch it.

  Screw this. I'm totally catching it and making a touchdown, just so I can do an awesome victory dance and throw it in his face.

  Lily squeals and skitters out of the way as the guys charge toward me. Me, I run backward with my gaze locked on the ball and my hands in front of me. Wait for it. Wait for it. Wait... It lands right in my hands.