Becoming Flynn - a kissing booth fan fiction

What would it take? - Part Three

Noah

Elle's leaning against a lamp post near the entrance to the parking lot when I make it outside after getting cleaned up. I take the opportunity to observe her a little before she spots me. She looks casual but cute in her black top, jeans and converse, her hair in a ponytail and not a lot of makeup. Elle doesn't try as hard as a lot of the girls at school, but then she doesn't need to. She's pretty without trying.

She's toying with the bracelet she always wears, a nervous habit of hers I've noticed over the last few years. I don't get a chance for any further observations, because right then she looks up, those bright blue eyes of hers locking with mine. I feel a small smile start to creep across my face, and see it echoed on Elle's face too. The slight blush that colors her cheeks just makes her prettier.

"Hey," I say as stop in front of her, swinging my duffle bag up onto my shoulder. "You good to go?"

"Yeah," she smiles, before making a small gesture towards a group of people (mainly girls) standing at the edge the lot. "Are you sure you're ready to leave all your adoring fans?"

"More than sure," I smirk. "Let's go."

I hear a few whispers from that group as Elle and I walk to my car, but really I couldn't care less. I'm exactly where I want to be right now. As we exit out onto the street, I look across to the passenger seat where Elle is busy playing with her bracelet again, looking out the side window.

"Um, so, do you need to go straight home? I usually grab something to eat on the way, but I can skip it..."

"No, we can stop," Elle says quickly, looking at me now. "I told my dad I'd probably get something to eat after Lee and I finished doing stuff with the booth and the game and everything anyway.

"Okay, cool. So you guys are all set then? For tomorrow, with the booth, I mean?"

"Yeah, we got everything ready to go this afternoon," she nods, then sighs. "But we still have to be there early tomorrow to get it all properly set up before the carnival."

"Sounds like a drag. Promise I won't keep you out too late, then," I smirk, enjoying the return of the slight blush to Elle's cheeks.

Turning into the burger joint where half the school usually go to after games, Elle starts to protest.

"No way am I going in there to eat with you," she says adamantly.

Oh, this sounds familiar. A memory stirs in the back of my mind.

"You still don't want to be seen with me, Shelly?" I tease, heading towards the drive-thru.

Her expression is confused. "Still? What do you mean, still?"

"I'll explain in a minute. What would you like?"

Elle gives me her order and I relay it into the speaker along with my own, then drive up to pay and collect our meals, handing off the bag to Elle while I put the drinks in the cupholder.

"So," I smile as we pull back out onto the road. "You clearly don't remember, but there was this time a couple years back when I had to come get you from the hospital..."

"It was raining," Elle says quietly.

"Yeah, it was. And you," I look over at her, my eyebrows raised, "refused to go inside to eat with me, because your hair went all crazy-looking as it dried."

"Hey!" she laughs. "It wasn't that bad!"

"Oh yeah?" I chuckle. "Then why didn't you want to be seen with me?"

Elle snorts. "Because I'm me and you're... you."

"And?"

"It's embarrassing."