The Missing Years - a kissing booth fan fiction

Reckless

Noah

Fall meant football, and that meant training. For me it also meant a return to my daily routine. The ankle was feeling pretty solid and I was back to running for about an hour every morning. I wasn't really running to chase away thoughts about Elle anymore, I'd made peace with the fact that this was not our time. The only thing that remained front of mind was wondering how not to act like a total idiot the next time I saw her. But that was a thought for another day, I decided. I switched songs to something a little faster and picked up my pace to match.

Thursday afternoon practice was brutal, as Coach drilled us relentlessly and we ran the plays over and over again. We all knew this week's game was a big one. Actually it was kind of a big deal for the whole school, with both the football and volleyball teams to play against Yale at home on Saturday.

I was surprised when I checked my phone on the way out of the locker room and saw a message from Rachel. She and I had loosely kept in touch the past year, mostly through social media. I felt kind of guilty that I hadn't made more of an effort since her school was only an hour or so away, but seeking her out after she'd broken up with Lee would have been a bit weird. Plus I knew she had family nearby, so it wasn't like she'd been completely on her own like I had my freshman year.

Rachel: Hey Noah, long time no see. I'm coming to Harvard Saturday to see my cousin. Would be great to catch up with you and Chloe too if she's around.

I had no hesitation in replying, Rachel and I had become friends when we'd taken the trip after their graduation and then the four of us had basically lived together the entire summer. It would be good to see her again.

Me: Absolutely, sounds good. I'll talk to Chloe and we'll set it up.

Rachel: Great, looking forward to it.

I met Chloe in the library after grabbing something to eat and we hashed out a plan. A group of us were meeting for lunch on Saturday before going to watch the volleyball - go Crimson and all that - so we would invite Rachel along. Everyone would pretty much be going from there to the football game and then we'd probably all head out afterwards.

I sent Rachel a message with the plans and she said she was in. Apparently she'd been planning to go the volleyball anyway because her cousin was playing. Interesting. I had no idea which team she played for, not that it mattered. Rachel was an easy person to be around and I very much liked her quiet humour. This was shaping up to be a good weekend.

Saturday morning Chloe joined me for a light run. It was something she enjoyed, having run track in high school. We pushed each other a little, but really today was just for fun and to work out any soreness I still had left from training before tonight's game. After stretching, we grabbed a takeaway coffee and started wandering slowly back through the campus, Chloe telling me about the latest guy her friend Georgia had set her up with.

"Oh, and he's exactly my type."

"So, tortured poet or tortured artist?" I smirked.

"Shut up." She paused, then said "Artist."

"What is it with these guys?" Honestly Chloe could have pretty much any guy she wanted, but she definitely had a type. Arty intellectuals.

"What, just because they aren't testosterone fueled cavemen like you and your football buddies?" she joked. But seriously, part of the reason we were friends was that I was under no illusion that she found me the least bit attractive.

"Hey, I could have a tortured soul too, you know." I protested, trying to keep a straight face and failing miserably.

"True, a caveman with a tortured soul," Chloe laughed and I couldn't help but laugh with her.