Page 107 of Falling Like Leaves
“Okay.” He pulls the blanket over us. “I’m intrigued.”
For the next hour and a half, we cuddle in my bed, with me fighting the urge to kiss him while the tips of his fingers travel softly up and down my arm as we watch the movie.
When the credits start rolling, I look up at him. “I wish you could stay. I could fall asleep just like this.”
“Me too.” He kisses my forehead. “But we’re already pushing our luck.”
“I know,” I sigh.
I sit up, and he pulls me in for a kiss.
“So, what’s the plan?” he asks when he lets me go. “Do I have to jump off the roof? If that’s the case, just kill me now.”
“I’ll walk you downstairs. Everyone’s sleeping. You can use the front door.”
We climb out of bed, and Cooper grabs his shoes before following me quietly down the steps. We sneak down the dark hallway, then down the next flight of steps.
We’ve just reached the front door when someone clears their throat. Cooper and I whip around to find Mom standing there with her arms crossed.
“Cooper,” she says. “So nice to see you—in the middle of the night.”
Cooper stands there frozen.
“He just stopped by to give me something for the parade,” I blurt.
“Oh? Must have been something very important.”
I sigh. “We just watched a movie. That’s it.”
“Mm-hmm.” She turns to my boyfriend. “Good night, Cooper. Have a safe walk home.”
Cooper nods and quickly escapes the house.
“You can’t have boys sneaking into Naomi’s house,” Mom says once he’s gone.
“I know.”
“I’m putting condoms in your nightstand tomorrow.”
“Mom…,” I groan. “We’re not—”
She holds up her hand. “I don’t care. Now go to sleep.”
I nod and take the steps back up to the attic. If getting condoms put in my dresser drawer is the worst punishment I’m going to get for having a boy in my room this late, I’m not going to argue.
I climb back into my still-warm bed, where it now smells like Cooper, all citrus, sugar, and his laundry detergent, and my phone dings.
Summer Cooper:I miss you already.
Me:Then come back.
I click on his contact and hit the edit button.
Autumn Cooper:I think your Mom would kill us. But at least we have the Pumpkin Prom tomorrow.
Me:Can’t wait.
I bury my face in my Cooper-scented pillow and smile. What even is this life?
