The Edge of Autumn

by Rachel Auld

  “Travis,” he called, sounding perfectly amiable. I knew immediately it was an act. “Would you care to share your terribly important message with the class? If it’s worth interrupting calculus for, I’m sure we’d all love to hear it.”

  Damn damn damn, I thought quickly, handing him the paper when he approached my desk. I hadn’t been able to see what it said but was fairly certain I could guess the gist of it.

  “‘Is it true you and the Ice Princess hooked up?’” Mr. Hall read dryly. “Who is this mystery girl, I wonder?” he mused.

  A basketball player two rows behind me piped up helpfully, “Sara Matthews, Mr. Hall.”

  I waited for the tongue lashing he was sure to dole out, but I was startled to see Mr. Hall’s eyebrows shoot up in surprise before he folded up the note and tossed it into the trash can in the corner. “Moving on,” he said, turning back to the board to write down our homework assignment. “Complete all problems on pages ninety and ninety-one for tomorrow.”

  The bell rang and I swallowed the ball of anxiety that had formed in my throat, ignoring the titters that exploded around me as everyone packed up their books. Word was out and I got the impression that it would take more than a few well-placed comments from Nelson to reintroduce Sara to the senior class.

  As I stood to leave, Mr. Hall gestured subtly for me to speak to him on the way out. I moved slowly, letting the rest of the class filter out of the room before trudging toward his desk. He sat, lacing his fingers behind his head. I liked Mr. Hall, all things considered; he was young, clever, and funny, for a math teacher. I didn’t want high school drama to give him a bad impression of me so early on in the year.

  “So, is it?” he asked finally.

  “Is what, sir?” I replied, confused.

  “Is it true, what the note said? Are you and Sara an item?”

  I let a long breath escape me, wondering if he knew her. “Yes, sir, I suppose we are.”

  He smiled. “That’s wonderful news, then. Sara’s a good egg,” he said, giving me a searching look that I feared would find more than I intended to reveal. “And an excellent math student,” he added. “I’m sure she can help you get caught up in no time. She’s been on her own for a long time now. I’m glad to hear she’s got a friend in you, Travis. Don’t get bogged down in the gossip around Oakville. I can’t claim to understand all the drama that goes on in this school, but I know Sara deserves better.”

  With that, I most heartily agreed. “Absolutely, sir.”

  Mr. Hall offered another friendly smile and said, “Go on then. See you tomorrow.”

  I gave a quick nod and forced myself not to flee from the room like a frightened rabbit, heading to the cafeteria without delay. The halls were mostly empty by now, thankfully, and I made a beeline to our usual table. Nelson’s gaze was hawk-like as he watched my approach.

  I tossed my backpack on an empty chair and sat down with a heavy sigh. Nelson’s response was a wry grin. “Word travels fast, huh?” he smirked.

  “Like freaking lightning,” I muttered.

  He cocked a brow at me. “Well, I hope your date was all you hoped it would be, my friend. Clearly it went well enough to distract you all evening.”

  I rolled my eyes at him. “We had an awesome time,” I answered, “and you should know by now I’m not the kiss and tell type.”

  That caught his attention. “So you kissed?”

  I groaned. “I am not giving a play-by-play!”

  Nelson leaned back in his chair, thoughtful. “Well. That seems like a good sign, anyway. I’m still working on my end of things,” he said, and I grimaced before telling him what had happened last period. He sighed. “I warned you it wasn’t likely to be immediate success.”

  I nodded. “I know. I don’t care if people are talking about me, but Sara doesn’t deserve this snide bullshit,” I said, frustration welling inside me.

  “She’s tough, Trav. You’re not making things any worse for her than they’ve been for the past two years. At least now she’s got you—and me, I hope—to stand by and help her through it,” he said.

  At that, I grinned. “So you’re ready for tomorrow’s grand reunion?”

  Nelson’s face lit up like a kid on Christmas morning. “Hell, yes! I’ve been waiting two years for this, man. God, I’ve missed her.”

  His enthusiasm was contagious. I put Bianca’s note behind me and listened to Nelson reminisce about their shared childhood, enjoying forty minutes of stories that gave me a glimpse into all that had gone into making my two closest friends who they were today even as I forced back the sadness I felt again at realizing how much they had both lost that tragic night two years ago. I couldn’t change the past, but by God, I was determined to help alter the future and bring happiness to them both.

  CHAPTER 11: Tuesday

  Tuesday dawned with brilliant fall sunlight and a feeling of overwhelming optimism that settled firmly in my chest. Today was a day for change; I would take on this little town singlehandedly if that’s what it took to make Sara happy. She had insisted that she was content with her status as town pariah, but I saw the loneliness in those beautiful eyes. I was dead set on erasing it.

  As I walked into school, however, it was clear that the rest of the universe did not share my optimistic outlook on the day. I’d been dealing with curious stares for weeks now, but today they were darkened with a hostility that set my hair on end. Scattered among them, however, I caught a few approving nods and supportive smiles. My heart lifted a smidge. We faced an uphill battle, perhaps, but not an impossible one.

  The day passed slowly and I spent the majority of my classes running up a mental tally of friend and foe among my classmates. Not surprisingly, the popular kids and jocks seemed to constitute the most unfriendly segment of the student population. Nelson’s plan of attack had been calculated to start with the most likely allies and work his way out from there.

  I spent my free period and most of lunch trying to get homework done so I could focus on Sara this afternoon. Nelson was curiously quiet during lunch, seeming as lost in his own thoughts as I was in mine. When the final bell of the day rang, I met Nelson at his locker and we walked silently toward the bookstore.

  The front door was propped open with a painted rock and Sara was cashing out a middle aged man I recognized as the owner of the grocery store. He tipped his hat at us as he left and Sara met my eyes with a quick smile before turning her gaze to Nelson as she came out from behind the counter. Tension crackled through the air between them and I struggled to find something to say.

  Sara beat me to it. “You’ve grown at least a foot,” she said in a strangled voice.

  Nelson burst out laughing and took two long strides to pull her into a bear hug. She looked as fragile as a porcelain doll in his grasp, shooting me a watery smile over his shoulder as her eyes filled with tears. I felt a little teary myself at the sight of them clinging together like long lost siblings reunited at last.

  When they finally separated, Nelson let out a shaky breath and mussed her hair, earning a glare in response. “Nah, I think you’re shrinking, short stuff.” The look of joy on his face filled my chest with warmth.

  Sara muttered something under her breath, unable to wipe the smile from her face, and her gaze locked on mine. She was utterly radiant today, aglow with pleasure and as adorable as ever in a pale yellow sundress over ripped jeans. I wanted to pull her into my arms and kiss her breathless but we were both hit with an awkward shyness in front of Nelson. Instead, I winked and she responded with a brilliant smile, mouthing, “Thank you,” at me. I nodded and brushed her cheek lightly with my knuckles, unable to keep from touching her.

  As the silence began to stretch again, I remembered my icebreaker. “Here, I brought refreshments!” I exclaimed, pulling three small bottles of root beer from my backpack. Sara beamed at me and Nelson laughed.

  “I see you’ve got him well trained already, Sara,” he teased.

  She tsked. “Nonsense,” she said
primly. “Everyone knows the way to a girl’s heart is through forbidden high fructose corn syrup.”

  I grinned as Sara linked arms with both of us and led the way to the store’s little reading nook. She gestured for me to sit in the beat up arm chair before she perched on one of its arms, leaving Nelson to flop onto an overstuffed bean bag on the floor. He reclined, his long limbs sprawling in contentment as he took a deep swallow of soda. “Well, I’m glad you have a new dealer,” he joked. “I prefer to stay on the straight and narrow with your mom!”

  Sara laughed. “Oh, come on, everyone knows you were always her favorite child,” she teased back. I leaned my head against the tall back of the chair, letting the fingers of my right hand trail lightly across Sara’s back. The fabric of her dress seemed paper thin and I could feel the warmth of her skin through it. I listened to them banter back and forth, biting back a smile when Sara’s quips faltered, signalling her distraction at my touch. I should have felt like an intruder in this reunion, but I didn’t; it felt like a homecoming and the beauty of it astonished me.

  When the good-natured ribbing died down, Nelson sobered and suggested I tell Sara about yesterday’s calculus fiasco. She rolled her eyes when she heard Bianca’s name but laughed outright as I described the conversation with Mr. Hall. “Good old Mr. Hall,” she mused. “He wrote a letter of recommendation for my first college math class. He and my dad were tight, way back when. It was embarrassing as hell to have him show up at my house for dinner now and then!”

  Nelson raised his almost empty soda bottle. “Drama aside, I think we should offer up a toast,” he said. “To friendship!”

  We tapped our bottles together and I thought just how apt it truly was. It had been a long time since I’d had a friend like Nelson, and my friendship with him had led me to Sara, a fact for which I was immensely grateful. I tried to imagine my final year of high school without them; the picture was bleak. I wondered what I had done to deserve this profound happiness, marveling at the series of events that had led to this moment.

  Sara must have sensed by contentment and threw a veiled look over her shoulder that sent a bolt of heat through me. I didn’t have much experience with public displays of affection and Sara’s history with Nelson made things even more complicated, but I couldn’t resist sliding my hand down to her hip and giving a light squeeze.

  “Look, let’s just address this elephant here, okay?” Nelson said, breaking into my wayward thoughts. “You two are—well, whatever you are, and you don’t have to hide it from me. You’re my best friends in the world and I don’t want you to feel awkward when I’m around.”

  I caught his eye and grinned, feeling Sara squirm slightly under my hand and knowing her cheeks were probably as red as her hair. This time the look she threw over her shoulder was a glare and I struggled to keep a straight face.

  “Agreed,” she grudgingly replied, turning her glare toward Nelson. He made no attempt to hide his smile, winking at us both.

  Conversation turned to safer topics and we spent the next two hours in a blissful bubble. The awkwardness dissipated completely, all tension dissolving into laughter and a warm sense of solidarity. Screw kids like Bianca—I felt like we could take on the world, as long as we were together.

  Around six, Nelson announced that he needed to get home, wrapping Sara in another huge bear hug and slapping a hand on my shoulder. “Thank you,” he mouthed, giving me a nod of gratitude.

  I grinned like a fool in response. “My pleasure,” I whispered back. Sara took my hand as we watched him head down the street. “So,” I said, turning to her and waggling my eyebrows. “Alone at last!”

  She laughed. “I’m here until seven, are you keeping me company?” she asked.

  “You better believe it!” I replied. I tugged her close and kissed her. “You are amazing, you know that?”

  Her responding smile was breathtaking. It seemed she was becoming accustomed to my compliments. I kissed the tip of her nose. “Store get a lot of traffic before closing time?” I inquired.

  “Might get a few,” she mused, a playful glint in her eye. “The Apple Festival is just under two weeks away, so there’s always a spike in business as it gets closer. Do you like to live dangerously?” she asked, her grave tone at complete odds with her dancing blue eyes.

  “Hmm. How dangerously?” I replied, sliding my hand to the small of her back as I pulled her against me. She gave a reckless grin and slid her hands around my neck, kissing me until we were both breathless. When she pulled back just enough to cock a challenging brow, I grinned and moved in for another kiss.

  We spent the next hour in a similar fashion, moving back to the reading nook so we could cuddle on the armchair I’d occupied earlier. I was hidden from view if I remained in the chair, so when the bell on the front door jingled some time later, Sara jumped up and helped the two ladies who came to pick up their book orders and I closed my eyes, reliving each sweet moment.

  When seven o’clock rolled around and Sara stood to close up the store, she waved off my offer of assistance. I hopped up on the counter and watched her go through her routine. She moved with a fluid efficiency that dazzled my teenage male brain, all slender limbs and gentle curves. To distract myself from getting too caught up in watching her graceful movements, I thought about what had gone into creating this routine; this shop had been her refuge, a safe haven from the teenage world of Oakville, for two long years. Did anyone from school ever come in here, I wondered? Were they cruel enough to add torment to their cold dismissal, or had they been interested in avoidance as Sara?

  I must have been looking at her curiously, because she caught my gaze and raised a brow. “You daydreaming over there, Holmes?”

  I cocked my head at her. “Just thinking,” I replied. “Do any kids from the high school shop here?”

  She resumed her dusting, shaking her head. “Not while I’m here, anyway. I think most of them order their stuff online these days. Some send their parents to pick up their stuff, or else they come on days when my mom is working alone. Why?”

  “Curious, that’s all,” I said with a warm smile. “I guess some things I won’t ever understand.”

  Her responding smile was a little sad. “I suppose I should be grateful for that, at least. You don’t know any better,” she said with a wink, the sadness fading as she turned cheeky. “You’re probably going to say watching me clean is the highlight of your week!”

  Warmth flooded me and I leaned back, surveying her carefully. “Well, I think some kind of maid’s uniform might have upped the ante,” I mused.

  Sara threw her dust rag at me. “Pig!” she accused, struggling to look stern.

  I caught the rag and let my gaze wander slowly over her, trying to look as lascivious as possible. Her cheeks were pink but her eyes shone with something far sweeter than embarrassment. I tossed the rag on the counter, hopped to my feet and held out my hand. “Come here, pretty maid,” I said softly.

  Sara narrowed her eyes at me but walked slowly closer until she reached my hand. I laced our fingers together and kissed the tip of her nose. “Just being with you is the highlight of my week,” I said, utterly sincere.

  She lifted her face to mine and planted a soft, sweet kiss on my lips. “I think this is the highlight of my decade, Holmes,” she replied softly.

  Warmth flooded me. I kissed her forehead, her cheekbones, and finally her lips. When we broke apart, she had a wistful look in her eyes. “I guess I’d better get home,” she said, reaching behind the counter to grab her backpack.

  I bowed and held out my hand. “I should very much like the honor of walking you home, milady,” I said in a posh English accent.

  Sara laughed, delighted. “Wow,” she teased, “you’re so much hotter as a Brit!”

  Clasping my free hand to my heart, I gave a wounded look. “Ouch!”

  She laughed harder and gave a cute little curtsy. “Very well, good sir, you may escort me through the deep dark village.”

 
I waited patiently while she closed up the cash register, locked the money in a safe at the back of the store, and locked the front door behind us. She slipped her hand into mine and I marveled at the simple pleasure of being close to her as we strolled toward her house.

  This was no big city; most of the storefronts were dark and sunset lit the sky with brilliant shades of red and orange. The breeze was cool and I paused to pull off my denim jacket, draping it over Sara’s bare shoulders. She grinned up at me, an appreciative but skeptical look on her face.

  “I thought that was just something people did in movies,” she said, taking my hand again.

  I laughed. “My dad does it all the time for my mom,” I said, sobering as I wondered what it would have been like to meet her father.

  “And I see he’s raised a perfect gentleman,” Sara teased. She cocked her head at me as we ambled down Main Street. “My dad would have loved you,” she finished softly, as though sensing my thoughts.

  I cleared my throat, not sure how to respond, but she turned her gaze to the setting sun and shook her head. “We can talk about him. I don’t want his death to be another elephant in the room. It is what it is, you know? Being uncomfortable talking about it is what ruined everything in the first place,” she said determinedly.

  This girl certainly knew how to cut to the chase. “I’m sorry,” I told her, stopping to face her. I tugged at one of the curls framing her adorable face. “You’re totally right.”

  She flashed me a smile and cupped my face in her hand. “Thank you,” she murmured. “Today was . . . incredible. You’re a miracle worker.”

  Shaking my head, I replied, “I’m just the new kid who didn’t want to see friends at odds. You and Nelson did the hard part.” My relief at how well the afternoon had gone came flooding back and I pulled her into a hug, planting a kiss on the top of her head. “You’re incredible, you know that?”

  She laughed against my neck and the sensation sent a bolt of heat through me. I sucked in a deep breath and she pulled back, grinning up at me. Gentleman or not, I was embarrassingly susceptible to her unconscious charms. I doubted she had any idea just how much she affected me—or any guy, really, given her history—but I had a feeling she was starting to pick up on it.