The Kissing Booth: New Love

Chapter 6

Noah's POV

Elle and I watched Lee walk out the door before turning back to face one another.  As soon as I took a step closer to Elle, she turned her back to me and went back to loading the dishes into the dishwasher.   This was going to be harder than I thought.

I started to open my mouth to respond to the comment Elle made about Kendra before Lee interrupted us.  Before I could say a word, I was cut off by Elle, who started talking in a rush of words, "I should have known.  Noah Flynn says he knows how to deal with parents and make them think what you want them to.  I'm sure that applies to everyone else too, including me. Just tell innocent, gullible Elle that you fell for her, so she'll do whatever you want, until you get tired of her and move on to the next unsuspecting girl.  Once a player always a player, right Flynn?"   As she talked, she got progressively rougher with the dishes she was putting in the washer until she practically threw one of my mom's dishes when she ended the sentence with "Flynn".

Taking the next plate she had picked up out of her hand, I tried to take her hand in mine and ask her to come outside with me, so we could talk about this.  The rest of the clean-up could wait.  Elle's always been stubborn, so it wasn't easy to convince her, but luckily I can be pretty persuasive and eventually we were out by the pool.  It was a little chilly outside, but a beautiful night and I thought being outside would keep us from any distractions.  Or anything Elle could break if she stayed as pissed off at me as she was.  We sat facing each other on the edge of the lounge chairs next to the pool, our knees almost touching.  I reach out to touch her, hold her hand or put my hand on her thigh, but before I make contact, I think better of it and put my arms on either side of me.

Elle was looking everywhere around me but not directly at me as she started. "I'm not sure what there is to talk to about this. What can you say Noah, are you going to tell me what I saw didn't happen?"  I could see the tears in her eyes, I wanted to reach out and wipe them away.  In all honesty I'm sure I've made girls cry before.  I've not been a great guy in the past.  But, I've never had to see it before and it has definitely never been a girl I've cared about like I do Elle.  I feel like crap that I've done this to her, even if it was something I didn't realize I was doing at the time.

"I'm not going to deny talking with Kendra this afternoon, but I am going to tell you that it didn't mean anything."  Shit, that didn't come out right, that totally makes it sound like I did something wrong.   The hostile expression on Elle's face verifies my thought.   I think I just need to be honest and explain exactly what happened. "She asked about the party and I told her I was going.  I haven't been to a party in weeks and the guys are starting to ask what is going on with me.  I can't tell them about you because you are hell bent on keeping us a secret, so I need to make it seem like everything is normal with me.  I've been telling everyone I'm going to the party, but I have no intention of going.  I already have plans Saturday night and I'm not breaking them."

"Won't they wonder what's going on when you don't make it to the party?"  Elle still wasn't looking at me, but her expression had seemed to thaw a little.

"I'll just make up some excuse on Monday.   I'll tell them I hooked up with a hot girl I ran into before the party and I couldn't make it."   That's not really a lie anyway, at least I hope it won't be.

"You and Kendra seemed really cozy talking to each other."

"I don't have any feelings for Kendra and I'm sorry it looked that way.   You want to keep us a secret and I'm trying so hard to act normal.   And normal Flynn goes to parties and flirts with girls.   I realize now how stupid it was, I should have just made up an excuse then, but I really thought at the time that would be the best way to handle it."