Page 13 of When Ellie Falls in Love

Ellie resisted the urge to pretend to vomit. Trevor was the jockiest of jocks. He was on the hockey team with Brayden, but he didn’t play much as an alternate. She knew he was also on the baseball and football teams, but she had no idea what position he played. All she knew was that by their limited interactions, he was a snob.

“Ugh, yeah. I know him. Why?”

“Sadie’s going to prom with him.”

The news was dropped so casually that Ellie wasn’t sure she had heard it correctly. Sadie—sweet Sadie Baxter—was going to prom with Trevor Mariano? How had that happened? And how had Ellie not heard about it until now?

Her inner questions started to become vocalized without her noticing.

“Are they dating? I didn’t even know she liked him. And they’re going to prom together? How?”

“I dunno,” Mason shrugged, her eyes narrowing at Ellie. “You okay?”

“Yeah,” her voice squeaked. “Just confused.”

“About Sadie going to prom with Trevor?”

Ellie wasn’t sure if Mason was asking a question or making a comment. She picked up her iced mocha and took a long sip. All the while, Mason’s narrowed eyes stayed locked on her.

“Ellie?”

“What?”

“You sure you’re okay?”

“I’m fine.” She wasn’t fine, but she didn’t understandwhyshe wasn’t fine. “Why do I care that Sadie is going to prom with Trevor? Good for her. I’m happy for her. I’m happy for her and Trevor. Sadie and Trevor are going to prom together. Yay.”

Mason lowered her fork to the table and leaned in slightly. “Ellie, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong.” Her palms were sweating and her heart felt like it was going to leap out of her chest at any moment. She could feel the heat from embarrassment rising from her neck to her cheeks, but she didn’t know how to stop it. “Wh—why do you think something is wrong?”

“Because you’re acting all weird.” Suddenly, Ellie saw the metaphorical light bulb come on over Mason’s head. It was hard to keep things from Mason, especially things like this. “Oh. Oh, I see what’s going on here.”

“You do, huh?” Their older sister, Blake Holland, scooted onto the bench beside Ellie, startling her. Blake either didn’t notice they were in the middle of a conversation or didn’t care. It was most likely the former. “Fancy meeting you two here.”

Blake looked back and forth between Mason and Ellie, seemingly confused.

“What did I just walk in on?”

“I just figured out why Ellie is upset that Sadie is going to prom with Trevor Mariano.”

All Ellie could do was bury her face in her hands and hope a hole would open up and swallow her.

“Who’s Trevor Mariano?”

“A jock.”

“Ahh,” Blake seemed to be trying to put the pieces together. “So, why does that upset Ellie?”

“You don’t have to talk like I’m not sitting right here.” Ellie uncovered her face, knowing she was backed into a corner, literally, with no option but to face the conversation. She locked eyes with Mason. “I don’t know what’s going on, honestly.”

“Elaborate.”

“I don’t know,” Ellie sighed and shrugged. She told them about the pep rally and how she’d found Sadie cute and that wasn’t the first time. Then she told them about Sadie sneaking into the theater to listen to Ellie sing. “And, I don’t know. I thought she might like me or something. It’s dumb.”

“It’s not dumb,” her sisters responded in unison.

“Have you talked to her since then?” Blake asked, and Ellie shook her head.

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