Page 1 of When Ellie Falls in Love

Chapter 1

Ellie

They would never do this if the theater kids won an award.

Ellie Mackenzie sulked in the corner of the Moonflower Cove High School gymnasium while the hockey team was being introduced. As if anyone at the pep rally didn’t already know who every player was. Their high school wasn’t that big, with barely five hundred students over the four grades. Everyone knew everyone, especially the jocks. They were like royalty.

Which was something Ellie would never understand. Maybe it was because her twin brother, Brayden, was one of them. Brayden was the furthest thing from royalty. Ellie loved him, sure, but she would never let him live down the fact he hadhertext his current girlfriend to ask her out.

“And right winger, Brayden Mackenzie!” Their principal held out his name longer than necessary as Brayden ran across the gym floor, through the peppy cheerleaders, to where his teammates were standing. Ellie stood and clapped, which was the most amount of school spirit she’d ever expressed.

“Go Bray!” she yelled, getting her brother’s attention. He smiled and waved at her as Ellie did the same back.

Ellie knew little about brothers—she only had one—but she knew they had a special bond. Maybe it was the twin thing their parents always talked about. Whatever it was, Ellie adored her brother. Not that she would ever tell him that. It would go straight to his head and he’d never let her live it down.

He ran his hand through his shaggy brown hair. Neither Brayden nor Ellie lacked confidence, but there was something about seeing her brother so poised and celebrated by their peers that made Ellie jealous. Brayden always got the most attention. Maybe it was the fact he was the only boy in their family of seven. Or maybe it was because Ellie wasn’t as popular as she liked to think.

Sure, she had her theater friends, her sisters, and Brayden, but that was it. There was no significant other, only a few good friends. Ellie had always been called a mama’s girl because she would rather hang out with her parents than anyone else. Normally, Ellie ignored the teasing. She knew her classmates were just jealous that she had a great relationship with her parents while they hated theirs.

But seeing Brayden laughing with his teammates, who were also his friends, made Ellie wish she had that.

“Your brother issoannoying,” Dylan West piped up beside Ellie.

Dylan had been in theater with Ellie for years. Their moms were best friends, so they had grown up together. But even if their parents weren’t friends, Ellie loved Dylan enough to still want to hang out with her. She was also one of the few people in the theater group who wasn’t intimidated by Ellie.

The Mackenzies don’t lack confidence.

Ellie rolled her eyes. “Dude, legit. But be nice.”

“Why?” Dylan laughed. “I’m just saying.”

“And I’m just saying don’t be mean. That’s my brother. OnlyIcan call him annoying.”

Dylan waved her off. “Doesn’t change his annoying aura.”

Ellie resisted the urge to roll her eyes again. She loved her brother with her entire heart, but she also loved to tease him relentlessly. Especially since her brother started dating Bridget Johns, the head cheerleader. They were so stereotypical that it made Ellie want to throw up.

I don’t know how he gets all the girls, anyway.

She shook her head, clearing the thought from her brain. Ellie had never dated anyone, boys or girls. She’d been too busy taking vocal and piano lessons to pay attention to such frivolous things. And it had paid off, too; she was a shoo-in for the lead in the upcoming spring musical.

But that didn’t mean Ellie didn’twantto date. People who werehappy and in love were all around her. Her parents, her older sisters, and their friends who were like family to Ellie. Everyone had someone they could turn to when they’d had a shitty day, or someone to just go to the movies with them. Ellie was always the third wheel. Or the fifth wheel. Not that she cared.

Except I do.

Ellie sighed, trying to focus back on the pep rally. The state finals were coming up, and the hockey team had made it for the first time in a decade. Sure, it was a big deal, and Ellie was proud of Brayden for helping get the team there. But she had homework to do and a musical to prepare for.

Thankfully, the pep rally ended fifteen minutes before the last bell and everyone was dismissed early. Ellie zipped up her backpack and headed down the stairs with the mass of students doing the same thing. She smiled and waved at Brayden, who was chatting with Bridget and not paying attention to anything else in the world.

Ugh.

One day, Ellie wouldn’t be bitter, but it clearly wasn’t today.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ellie caught a glimpse of Sadie Baxter sitting alone at the top of the stands. She had headphones on and was completely absorbed with whatever book she was reading. Her auburn hair was pulled back in a ponytail, but two strands hung loosely down her face. Sadie looked so lost in her own world that Ellie wished she could have that amount of focus.

And look that pretty doing it.

Ellie didn’t know why she was so captivated by her. She had known Sadie for a few years. And while they’d had a few classes together, the two weren’t friends by any means. In fact, if it weren’t for the fact thatEllie’s sister Mason and Sadie’s cousin Chase were together, the two might never have crossed paths.

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