Read Online As Autumn Leaves by Kate Sands - Free Book Online

family’s property with respect. “You okay with stopping here?”
    “Yes.” Kayla put down her backpack and rummaged around in it. She retrieved the flowing black skirt she’d borrowed from Miss Desharnais, who apparently had an abundance of them. She tugged off her jacket, still wearing a hoodie and her sweatpants. She had leggings and her unitard on underneath. Kayla added, “I need to do a bit of a warm-up before I start dancing. Don’t want to pull a muscle.”
    “Makes sense,” Althea said. “Take whatever time you need. I need to figure the camera out anyway, so I’ll start taking some random shots.”
    Althea wandered away, focusing in on bushes and shrubs and who knew what else she found around the path. Kayla did some jumping jacks and jogging on the spot, and stretches to help warm her body.
    “I have some great shots,” Althea said gleefully when she returned to Kayla. “When we’re done with your dancing, we should walk around so I can find some other random scenes that’ll fit in with the creepiness we’re aiming for.”
    “Sure, sounds like a plan.” Kayla pulled off her hoodie and pushed down her sweatpants, putting on the skirt over her leggings and unitard. She was outfitted all in black. Taking a small compact mirror from of her bag, she checked her makeup. It was the first time she’d worn this much since cheerleading, as she almost never bothered with it anymore, but she’d had plenty of practice with it in the past.
    She reapplied some red lipstick, her lips standing out against her pale face. She caught Althea staring at her, so Kayla pulled a face. “Does this look okay? I hate wearing makeup, but it’ll look better on camera. Whatever, it’s for the greater good of the project.”
    “Yeah,” Althea said. Her voice cracked, and she coughed to clear it. “It looks great. How come you usually don’t wear any?”
    Kayla shrugged. “Don’t care much what I look like. Or what people think I look like.” She hadn’t been putting much effort since leaving cheerleading or dating Jason, and she was much less stressed about trying to fit in. That part made her happy; however, she felt self-conscious with Althea’s focus. “Why, I don’t usually look horrible, do I?”
    “No, no!” Althea said. “No, shit, I didn’t mean to make it seem like that.”
    “You didn’t,” Kayla said, hoping to be reassuring. “When I hung around that other crowd, it always seemed so important. But I don’t want it to matter. It shouldn’t matter.”
    “You’re right, it shouldn’t,” Althea said. “But, I mean, you look great when you’re being all natural too.” Althea looked a little uncomfortable and like she wished she could take the words back. “Not that it matters or that you care, but it’s true and oh my God, I’m going to shut up now.”
    Kayla giggled. Althea was adorable when she stammered, but Kayla didn’t want to leave her feeling weird. “I like your eye shadow. You always wear different colors, but it’s fun. It suits you.”
    “Thanks.” Althea grinned, more relaxed. “So, dancing?”
    “Dancing.” Kayla nodded firmly. “What’s the best way to do this? I need to have the music on, but will it mess with the editing? Or should I put on my headphones and listen to it, hope they’re not seen?”
    “No, it’s fine. I’ll be able to mute the music picked up while filming, and when I piece it all together, I’ll overlay the one track over it.”
    “Awesome.” Kayla retrieved her iPod from her bag. “I don’t need to hear it super loud or up close, but it helps to make sure I keep the steps in time.”
    “Sure. Here, I’ll take it. Let me know when you’re ready.”
    After a couple false starts, they got into the flow of it, what they needed so Kayla could dance and Althea could film. After picking a stretch of path, they filmed the same sequence several times, but from different angles—Kayla dancing along the path facing the camera, and then