The Missing Years - a kissing booth fan fiction

Uncertain

Elle

I end up moving in with my USC friend Steph again at the start of fall. I've saved enough money now to have both an emergency fund and a decent amount of savings and I am desperate to get out of Dad and Linda's place. I can't really think of it as "home". It's been great to have time with them and Brad after being away for a year, but I definitely need my own space. One of our other friends, Michelle, was living with Steph, but got transferred to San Fran for work and when Steph called me I jumped at the chance. I know her and I know we can live together. Plus this time we each actually have our own bedroom and bathroom, which is total luxury compared to our old dorm.

Our apartment is only about 20 minutes from work, but I keep thinking how annoying it is to sit in traffic for about double that time each day. I'm sitting still on my way home one afternoon when I spot a motorcycle dealership and an idea pops into my head. I signal and turn into the side street when I can, parking out front. I wander through the lot, looking at all the bikes. Most of them are new Japanese speed machines that I have zero confidence in my ability to ride. I'm losing hope of finding something familiar when I spot it.

It's slightly smaller than the 750 that Noah had, but still the same style of bike. I run my hand over it, and the vague idea I had sitting in my car not so long ago becomes a burning desire to buy this bike. I make a note of the price and go home to do some research. Based on the ads for similar bikes online, it seems to be fair. I phone Lee to see if he will come with me to look at it again on Saturday. Of course he says yes, and that's how I end up riding my new (old) Honda VT600C home that day.

I leave my car at home most days and ride my bike to work. Being able to breeze past the cars in peak hour saves me time and brings me a little bit more joy each day. Turns out a few people from my company ride motorcycles to work too, and when I pull into the parking lot I see one of the other grads, Jesse, just getting off his bike. I park a couple of spots down from him, and take off my helmet.

He waves as he recognises me. "Hey! I didn't know you rode."

I smile. "Yeah, I just bought it. I learnt when I was in high school but hadn't ridden for years."

"Cool. Maybe we could go for a ride sometime?"

"That would be great. I'm still getting used to it again and I haven't been brave enough to take it out for a real run yet. I wouldn't want to slow you down though," I say, eyeing his bike, which looks like it would go much faster than mine.

He waves off my comment. "It's no problem. The coast road's all about enjoying the scenery anyway."

We chat more as we walk into the office and make a plan to head out on Saturday. I'd forgotten how great it is to feel the wind pressing against me while the sun shines on my face. It doesn't take long to get back into the groove and I have a great time riding along the coast with Jesse. We grab lunch at a diner before heading back, and I get the feeling he's flirting with me while we eat. He asks if I'd like to get a drink afterwards, but I tell him I have plans with a friend. My plans actually only consist of take out and a bad movie at home with Steph, but it's not exactly a lie. Jesse's nice enough, but there's no spark there.

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Lee let slip that Noah brought a girl home with him for Thanksgiving while he and I were at the arcade, but after he realised what he'd said, he pretty much clammed up about it. I'm not quite sure how to feel about it, but my curiosity is starting to get the better of me. I know I'm not going to get anything more out of Lee, his no information passing policy is apparently still in effect. There's no way I'm going to ask June about it, so that only leaves one person - Rachel.

Lee and Rachel are moving in together and when moving day arrives, I volunteer to help them. I say "volunteer" but it's more like I was conscripted by Lee. He also guilted Ashton and Tuppen into helping as well, and while the guys are busy loading the furniture into the van, Rachel and I head over to the new place, each of us with a car load of boxes. We're putting away kitchen stuff when I finally ask Rachel.

"So, you met Noah's girlfriend at thanksgiving, huh?"

Rachel raises her eyebrows at me questioningly.

"Lee accidentally mentioned something about it," I mumble.

Rachel chuckles, "Of course he did. Well, how much do you want to know, Elle?"

"Honestly, I'm not sure. I mean, not details, maybe just the basics?"

"Well, let's see. Her name is Hayley, she graduated law school with Noah, and she's nice."

"Okay...."

"You want more?" Rachel asks kindly.

"No. Yes. Ugh, I don't know!" I cover my face with my hands. Do I want to know more? I might be crazy, but yes, I do. I peek at Rachel through my fingers. "Is it serious?"

"Hmm, I don't know really. I mean, they seem happy, but..." she trails off, shrugging.

"But what?" I drop my hands from my face now.

"Just that I've seen him happier, I guess." Rachel looks at me intently. "Elle, I saw Noah from time to time at Harvard while I was at school, and then afterwards. Not one of those times has he ever been as happy as he was when you guys were together." She reaches out to put her hand on my arm. "I don't mean to upset you. But he's never looked at another girl the same way he looked at you, Elle. Hayley's lovely, but she's not you."

I think I'm in shock. "Umm, thanks? I guess?"

"You're welcome. Of course I don't know what you do with that information, the situation being like it is...but, maybe don't give up all hope? I still think he'll come to his senses eventually."

Rachel doesn't know exactly what happened in Vegas, but she knows that I wrote to Noah, and that he never replied. I told her after one too many cocktails one night but asked her not to say anything to Lee. I don't want him in the middle more than he already is.

"Maybe. I won't hold my breath though. Not everyone gets their fairytale ending like you and Lee." I smile then as I hear the sounds of guys struggling with something heavy. "Speaking of Prince Charming..."

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I'm at a work conference a week later, sitting in the audience watching a presentation on gaming concepts. Sounds boring, but actually, it's fascinating. To me at least. But maybe the presenter has something to do with that. Alex Mannings is a bit of a hotshot in the industry and at just 27, is killing it. I listen, rapt, as he describes the concepts behind his new game which has hit the shelves for Christmas this year, and has already had ridiculous sales figures as well as rave reviews.

I'm turning away from the bar at the drinks reception afterwards and manage to narrowly avoid spilling my drink as I bump into someone. When I look up, it's him. "I'm so sorry," I blush.

"No harm done," Alex smiles at me. "I'm just glad I didn't end up wearing that red wine."

I blush again.

"Let's start over. Hi, my name's Alex, "he says, extending his hand.

I swap my drink into my left hand so I can shake his. "I know, I saw your presentation. I'm Elle."

The next few minutes are full of small talk, but surprisingly, I don't find myself wishing I could escape back to my table. I find myself staring at him as he speaks, his eyes twinkling with mirth as he jokes about how boring some of the presentations were today. When he says that he really should be getting back to his colleagues, I feel a little pang of  disappointment. But that disappointment quickly turns to surprise when he asks me out.

"Would you like to get a drink with me sometime?" He grins. "You know, when they aren't free, I mean?"

"Uh, sure, yeah, that sounds like fun," I stammer, hoping more than anything that I don't look as uncertain as I feel.