Becoming Flynn - a kissing booth fan fiction

Thirteen

This year has been interesting so far. I like not being one of the youngest at the school and because my birthday's near the start of the school year, I'm actually one of the older kids in my grade. Not that that seems to matter to some of the eighth grade girls, though. Neither does the fact that I'm taller than half the guys in that grade. But whatever. There are plenty of girls in seventh grade that are cute and interested in me anyway.

Like Lauren. Lauren Dickson. She's in my grade and is tall with sandy colored hair and hazel eyes. She has a few freckles across her nose and is always smiling. Sometimes I catch her smiling at me, and when I smile back, she blushes. I think she looks cute when she blushes, so I keep smiling at her. Lauren's a really good runner, something I've learned from watching her run track while I should be focusing on football practice. But watching her ponytail swoosh along behind her while she runs like the wind is way more interesting, I've found.

Football is going well, though. Spending the time on skills at camp this summer really helped. I need to be stronger if I'm going to be a quarterback, though. Right now I'm tall and sort of skinny, but Dad keeps telling me that it will come. I've just grown again and Mom keeps telling me that I'm going to bankrupt them if I keep eating the amount of food I have been lately. I can't help it, though, I'm always hungry. Good thing Lee and Elle started school here this year, because now I can steal food from them at lunch, too.

"Hey!" Elle shrieks as I grab the apple off her tray. I spotted them sitting across the cafeteria and couldn't help but sneak up behind them.

I grin at her furious little face as she turns around, but her anger softens to a frown when she realises that I'm the thief.

"C'mon Shelly," I say, taking a bite. "You know you weren't going to eat it, anyway. Far too healthy for you."

"Fine," she huffs. "But stop calling me that."

"Calling you what?" I smirk.

Her eyes narrow at me. "You know what."

"Nope. I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Noah, just quit it, okay?" Lee decides to finally say. "Leave Elle alone."

I raise an eyebrow at him. "What will you give me if I do?"

Lee rolls his eyes at me. "Just take the pudding cup, Noah. You're going to anyway. Besides, it's strawberry. I hate strawberry."

"Deal," I grin, grabbing the pudding and walking away from them, whistling as I go.

Yeah, having the wonder twins here this year is working out nicely for me, I decide. Besides, it's made Mom happy that Lee can make use of my barely-worn uniforms from last year, the ones I grew out of in the first semester.

A few weeks later and I'm at my first boy-girl party. It's stupid that it's even a big deal, I mean these are all the same kids that I hang out with everyday anyway, take classes with, have gym with even. But somehow going to someone's house on Friday night for a pizza party is different. Of course it wasn't different until someone suggested we play spin the bottle. Now we're all sitting in a circle in Elliot's basement, looking nervously at each other. I'm not really nervous about kissing a girl, I kissed a couple over summer after all, but I'm nervous about what might happen if I kiss a particular girl - Lauren.

She's here, sitting across from me, her legs folded under her and her hair tucked behind her ears. She's smiling at me again, and now I'm wondering what will happen if I don't get to kiss her. Or if someone else gets to. I feel myself start to get angry at that thought, but I try not to let it show. I try to smile instead as Elliot spins the bottle first. It lands on Tamika and the girls start giggling, a few jeers coming from the guys. Their kiss is quick but it breaks the tension in the room and everyone starts to relax a bit.