Kissing Booth: Another Take

Chapter 44

Noah
Present

The last couple days with Elle on the East Coast went by slowly but too fast at the same time.

I wasn't lying when I said I had a ton of things planned for Elle and me in Boston but it didn't really matter what it was we were doing -- all I saw was her.

It was the way her ponytail wagged as she raced me up the bleachers of Fenway Park, managing to talk crap while still making me laugh. It was the way she smiled in awe at the cobblestone streets and made friends with the owners of all the shops we stopped in. It was the way her eyes got bluer, though I didn't think it was possible, when I took her out on a private sailing yacht ride on the harbor. It was her excited dance when she realized that we would be watching the sunset on the boat over dinner and champagne, her giggles when she had too much of the said champagne. It was her infectious laugh when I threw her over my shoulder in the elevator as she insisted that her feet were going to fall off from wearing heels and asked if I'd still love her if she was footless.

It was the way she said my name back in our room, under the covers. The way she made me feel just by the way she looked at me. The way I felt being as close to her as humanly possible.

And before I knew it, it was the way she put on her brave face, looking at me like she wouldn't let her tears win. Her obliviousness to my own struggle to keep it together saying goodbye to her. The way she tried to make a joke out of it even though I just wanted to tell her to finish her high school career out here in Massachusetts.

Saying goodbye to Elle is easily on the top 3 worst things I've ever had to do and it definitely was not something I would ever get used to. I just always wanted her around, and that was a weird feeling for a loner like me.

"Earth to Flynn," Chloe's tone pulled me out of my thoughts and staring at my phone background of Elle staring looking sunset on the bow of the boat from three weeks ago. I looked up to her surprised. "I've literally been saying your name for 3 minutes ," she rolled her eyes.

"Sorry," I smiled sheepishly. "Was hung up on my thoughts."

She smiled at me. "All good, I'll take spaced out lovesick Flynn over mopey drunk Flynn any day."

I glared, "I'm not love sick."

She laughed. "Sure you're not lovey. Things are a bit boring around here without Elle running around tearing down the matriarchy of sororities though don't you think?" she joked as she tied her hair back before taking a bite of her burrito.

I chuckled but was cut off. "Your girlfriend is way more interesting that you," Jake chimed in taking a seat next to Chloe and throwing an arm around her to kiss her hair in greeting.

I rolled my eyes. It was clear that in this relationship my girlfriend was favored, but I didn't mind that at all.

"How are her and Lee?" Jake asked seriously.

I sighed. "Unsure, every time I bring it up she changes the subject. Rachel said Lee's being a stubborn jackass. Marco's been hanging out with Elle a lot and said she seems fine... but we all know that can't be true."

Jake and Chloe both looked genuinely sad. "If Elle can manage to make nice with a stranger you almost slept with I'm sure Lee can manage to put his ego aside and make up with his best friend of 17 years," Chloe added.

I winced. I appreciated Chloe's point but felt uncomfortable thinking about Elle's final Harvard party of her visit.

Noah
Friday Night, Three Weeks Prior