Read Online How I Fall by Anne Eliot - Free Book Online Page B

to discount Cam’s words. Even after only one short bus ride, Laura must understand that those kids are all bite and they bite hard.
    She deserves to know the truth. As if to prove my point, the laughter and whispering in the seats behind us escalates.
    I meet Laura’s gaze and shake my head sadly, because thanks to the fact that she accidentally met me this morning, this girl is going to be an easy target for this crowd from this point forward. Laura’s flush brightens to max-levels as the entire back row is shouting out words like ‘bloody’ and ‘rotter’ and of course Tanner Gold is saying, ‘shag me and snog me’ as they all take up trying and failing to copy Laura’s accent.
    Thankfully, she’s smart enough to stay quiet and swallow any comebacks that would make this whole situation worse.
    The bus pulls onto school property and I decide to diffuse the tension and take attention off Laura by distracting everyone by untangling myself out of Cam’s jacket with some over-dramatic, extra huge arm flailing. I add in a quick, irritated sounding, “Could you please give me some space to get the heck out of this straight jacket?”
    It works to silence the whispers. Better, the accent mimicking stops dead as all turn to watch me wiggle around. I’m so good at the flailing thing that Cam has to move his arms completely off me, and Laura’s almost falling into the aisle in order to save herself from being hit by my good arm.
    As the bus lines up for unloading, Laura stands to give me even more space. I push over in the seat to get as far away from Cam as possible so I can make a show of shoving the half inside-out brown wool coat back at Cam like it’s burned me.
    Next, I use my good foot to drag my dripping jacket near enough to yank it off the floor. I manage to paste on a serene expression as I hold it up off the ground with my good hand. My only mistake is looking over my shoulder at Cam and my gaze gets trapped as it tangles into his confused and worried expression.
    He’s making this odd face as though he’d like to say something or apologize or—I have no clue, but something .
    Thankfully, he—along with the entire bus—keeps blissfully silent.
    As the door squeals open, Laura moves quickly up near the driver to pass me back my messenger bag that we left there. Because I need both hands to navigate to the safety-rail at the top of the stairs, I have no choice but to hang it on my shoulder so I can shove the dripping jacket over the center of it.
    All three of us (and everyone on the school bus, including the driver who’s frowning at me in the mirror now) stare at the small waterfall flowing from every corner of…well…me.
    “Sorry again,” Laura whispers, eyes locked on the water-streams.
    Her voice has grown really hoarse which makes my heart ache with regret that she’s so devastated over this.
    “It’s no big thing,” I whisper the painful lie—because to me it’s everything and I’ve just lost it all. I can’t have this nice new girl holding the blame for something that wasn’t in her control. I say, “I fall. I just do.” The words drop out a little too loud. I go on, clearing my throat and keeping my head high, “If we’re all going to believe in fate, then…yeah…the falling part is all mine and was set in stone long before you and I met. Don’t beat yourself up over what happened. You didn’t know.”
    She draws in a breath but I can’t meet her wide open, sad eyes because I know looking into them might make me cry, so instead I turn to Cam and try to layer on some sass to cover for how completely terrible I feel right now. “Can I have my phone back now? Or…do you need time to plow through my private emails, as well?”
    Blatantly ignoring my question he asks, “Ellen, do you need me—anymore—help?”
    I hold out my hand. Poker face locked on so hard. “No. Thanks. Just—let me do this part alone. It’s already been—so messed up and you—with me—draws such