After The Kissing Booth

Let's Talk About College

"What." I ask Lee.
"Have you sent in your applications in yet? For college." Lee says.
"Oh, yeah, some of them." I shrug.
"Where?" Lee questions.
"Berkeley..." I say realizing I've only applied to Berkeley.
"Only Berkeley, Elle!" Lee semi yells.

I just shrug and go over to my laptop. I open it and go to the Harvard page.

'How much is a Harvard tuition?' I type into Google. '51,925 USD' I read. That's a lot of money. A lot of money that I, nor my dad has.

"What's wrong?" Lee says as he notices my frowning face.
"Nothing." I pretend.
"Elle, what's wrong? You were happy before what you saw on that laptop." Lee says.
"Fine. It's college." I say sitting down beside him.
"What about it?" Lee asks.
"It's-it's expensive. And I can't afford that."
"I understand that Elle but it's expensive for me too." Lee says.
"I don't have twenty-seven thousand dollars either." Lee adds on.
"I know, but Noah got into Harvard and you'r parents could pay that so obviously there going to be able to pay yours." I say.
"You want to go to Harvard?" Lee says.
"I didn't say that!" I say getting a little angry.

Yes, I do, but I didn't say that I did.

"But do you." Lee asks.
"Yes, but no, but yes." I say honestly.
"So you'd choose Noah, over me?" Lee asks.
"Lee if you get into Brown and so does Rachel that your most likely going there." I say proving a point.
"Answer my question." Lee says sighing.
"Yes. Fine Lee, yes." I say.

A soon as I say that I regret it. A lot. Lee gets up and leaves the room. I just sit there staring at the wall for a good ten minutes until my laptop starts buzzing. I get up and snap out of my faze and answer it.

I see Noah sitting at his desk smiling.

"Hello beautiful." Noah smiles.
"Hiiii." I smile.

Me and Noah just talk about everything that's been happening, but I leave out the whole Lee thing.

"What's your senior trip this year?" Noah asks.
"We're going to New York City." I say boringly.
"When?" Noah questions.
"First week of March, why?" I ask him.
"Was just wondering." Noah shrugs.
"Do you want me to go to Harvard?" I say switching the topic.
"Well yeah, duh." Noah says laughing.

I don't laugh, and Noah noticed that. "What's wrong?"
"It's-it's so expensive." I say gulping.

Noah just stays silent and all of a sudden it's like we're at a funeral. No noise. Just the noise of the clock ticking and our breaths.

"I gotta go, have a lot of studying to do." Noah finally speaks.
"Oh."
"Love you."
"Love you." I say before Noah hangs up.

I sit at my desk for five minutes just thinking about ways to get money for college. I need it. So I'll need to work for it. If I want to be happy, with Noah.

"Can I come in?" Lee knocks on there door.
"Mhm." I mumble.
"I'm sorry for getting angry." Lee says closing the door behind me.
"It's just, I hate the fact that we both want to go to different colleges, and that we're both in love." Lee adds on.
"I hate it to Lee." I trail off.
"But, I don't know." I shake my head.
"You don't know what?" Lee asks.
"Everything Lee. I don't want to go to a complete different college then you. But what if you get into Brown and Berkeley and you go to Brown but I got into Berkeley and not Harvard and now I'm alone!" I contemplate.
"Elle. If I get into Berkeley and Brown and you get into just Berkeley, then I'm choosing Berkeley." Lee says.
"But what if I don't chose Berkeley." I say almost in tears.
"Then whatever. Elle I want to be with you everywhere but we'll only be a three hour drive from each other." Lee says putting his arm around me.
"I mean, that means, I'll only be three hours away Noah if I go to Berkeley with you." I say.
"True, but it's not even close to when we find out what colleges we've gotten into, so don't worry about that just yet." Lee says squeezing me.

Me and Lee watch a movie after that until Rachel shows up and ruins it all, once again.

"Oh, why are you together?" Rachel says walking in.
"Because we're best friends and he's in my room?" I question.
"Ugh whatever., come on." Rachel says dragging Lee up.

Lee looks back at me and shrugs with a small frown on his face. I just smile and mouth to him 'it's okay'.

Later that night around ten o'clock my phone buzzes as I'm watching tv. I look over to see a random number that's not in my contacts.

I open the message.

'52,925 dollars that you don't have, just to be with your boyfriend.'

I read it ten times before finally deciding to text back.

'Who is this?'

I gulp as I see delivered turn into read. The three dots come onto the screen.

'You'll just need to find that out on your own. And don't be scared, I won't hurt you, just maybe invite you to the hot tub.'

Warren! It's Warren, but what if it's someone messing with me. Like, I don't know who.

I take a screen shot of the phone number then send it to Noah along with a message asking if he recognizes the number. Then to Lee, and then to Lisa, because she can always figure out who it is.