The Kissing Booth - The First Year

Some problems in paradise - Noah

Getting up early on Friday was not so easy ... the room was so warm that stay in bed was the best option. I was the first to get up and while I was taking a shower Elle came in the bathroom.

"Baby ... do you need company?" she said sleepily.

"Of course my love ... I want you here with me ..."

"Okay ... Lee and Rachel are still sleeping and I thought we could let them sleep some more, you know... without making too much noise," she opened the glass and smiled. Even with that crumpled face, she looked beautiful, her eyes were even bluer in the bathroom light. I kissed her and we forgot the world.

Elle went out of the bathroom first "Hey sleepers, it's time to get up, we have some shopping to do"

"Did you say shopping? Where? When?" Rachel was talking really loud and I was still in the bathroom laughing.

Lee opened the door. "Noah, please, let me stay here with you ... I can not handle these two compulsive women," he sat on the bathroom stool and watched me shave. I left the bathroom and the girls were already dressed waiting for us.

"Just the time for me to get dressed and Lee decide to leave the bathroom, so we can go." I laughed at Rachel's expression as she entered the bathroom so I could put on my clothes and rush Lee.

"Leeeeee ... come on, get going or we'll lose the best sales. Black Friday is only once a year," she was literally screaming to make the whole corridor wake up.

We went downstairs and saw my mother and father waiting for us.

"Hello you four! We were going to call to find out if you guys had forgotten us." My mother said

"Um, no ... some problems with sleepy couples," said Elle.

"Let's have a quick breakfast in the campus cafeteria and we can go to the Porter Square mall, it's very close, we do not even need the car." I amended

All the places were crowded, but even so, the girls managed to buy a lot of things. Lee was really pissed saying that he would rather have stayed sleeping. 

Mom and Dad were having fun too, first because they laughed at all the crazy fights we saw in the stores (yes, some people literally fight over the products) and also because they love to tease Lee when he's grumpy.

It was a long, big day so at night we were too tired, this way Elle and I decided to stay in the dormitory, order food and watch a movie.

We ordered Chinese food and ate in bed. It had been some time since we had been able to do this kind of thing, a quiet night, a bedtime, a movie ... even before I came to Harvard it had become difficult to have a night like this, and I realized how much I missed doing simple things with her.

When we started the movie, Elle was asleep and I lay her on my chest, feeling her breathing and the warmth of her body.

  ******************************  

On Saturday it was snowwing a lot and we just went to Alice's and stayed there all day. That was the night where somethings have changed...

We arrived at the dormitory after 10 o'clock, it was our last night together before Elle got back to LA and I had some plans to make it a really special night, but when we were in the corridor, Sharon was coming out of his dormitory.

"Hey couple, long time no see" she said looking me in the eyes and pretending Elle was nowhere near

"Yep, loads to do at Alice's" I replied dryly.

"Oh ... right ... I remember Robert telling me something about it. Well, I hope the two of you had fun, since the holiday is ending ..." her voice was so disgusting "And, oh, I almost forgot to tell you Noah, my shower is working well. It was really the temperature switch that was broken, thanks for the tip. "

I could feel Elle's eyes blazing at her and worse, I felt her breaking my fingers.

"Have a good night, good return to LA, Elle... and see you on Monday Noah." She turned back to us and got down.

There was an awkward silence... I opened my room door and Elle got inside like a rocket.

"What was all this? What was she doing two doors ahead of yours? And what's the story about her shower, Noah?" she was yelling and really mad at me.

"Calm down first, it's not what you're thinking." (*wrong... it's not what you're thinking? Really Noah* my inner voice was yelling louder than Elle) I should have told her about Sharon living in my building since I found out... now I was really in trouble, because it would be very difficult for her to believe that nothing happened. I should have guessed she was going to come here, even being in the hotel with her family. How could I have been so naive?

"Oh right, so easy for me to stay calm, tell me Noah, how can I calm down uh? She literally ignored me, or rather pretended she was not seeing me ... and of course she left the best for last, dropping this shower subject... I'm not stupid Noah" she yelled "Why did not you tell me she was living here in your building, in the same corridor, or better, two doors away from yours?"

"She's so insignificant that I really forgot to tell you. We do not talk anymore, it's been a long time since we even said hello to each other, and also I only see her in some classes. She moved here as soon as we got back from LA, but I never see her in the hall, or in the common room. This shower issue was because one day she knocked on my door and said that her shower was not working well, but I said that I could not help her... just that. Please don't be angry about this stupid girl." I didn't know what else I could fo, but her face was still on fire.

"You should have told me she was living here, so close to you. She's an idiot ..." She sat on the bed with her head between hands... and cried. I was really not sure what to do. I got on my knees in front of the bed and hugged her. She pushed me.

"Sorry ... I can't ..." she didn't even look at me

"Okay ... you want me to leave the room?" My voice was choked up and I wanted to punch the stupid bitch

"No... this is your room... I'm going to take a shower... Can I sleep in the sleeping bag?" Still not looking directly at me

"Don't be silly... you sleep in our bed and I'll sleep in the sleeping bag" I emphasized "our bed", but she did not care.

"Okay ..." she picked up her things and went into the bathroom. I heard her locking the door, so I understood she didn't wanted me to go in there. For the first time in my life I cried for a girl. I was sad because I knew it was my fault ... and even though she believed nothing happened, I understood the problem: I didn't told her that Sharon was living here... I hided something stupid (for me at least it was) from her, and ruined my plans for the perfect last night. The only thing I expected was that everything was well on Sunday morning, since her flight back to Los Angeles was at 4 pm and I didn't want her to leave like that...

I got the blanket she loved and put on the bed, she left the bathroom still serious, looked at me and said "Thank you for making the bed... good night" so cold words, she laid down and closed her eyes. I stood there, motionless ... I sat on the sleeping bag, looking at her face, wanting to hold her, but did nothing. It was really a long night and I slept only when my tears stopped rolling in my face.