The Kissing Booth - The First Year

Malibu, Salsa... Tequila - Elle

I didn't wanted to talk to him. Things were very clear in the stupid photos and I knew that if I talked to him, I would believe his lies again... how could I have been so stupid? I was tired of crying and started to pack my suitcase to go to Malibu.

Dad arrived with Brad late in the afternoon and we talked for a bit, luckily he did not realize I was too sad, I did not feel like telling him what had happened about Noah cheating on me, I'm sure he would look at me with that face. *I told you he was a problem,*  just now that he no longer had that impression, and worse, after he decided to move to San Francisco.

"Hey, honey, so you're going to stay in Malibu all week?"

"I don't know if we're going to stay until Saturday, I kinda want to come back at least on Friday... there's still a lot to study for the SATs. I told Lee we need to finish this week so in the next two we will only do revision and the simulated tests. Then maybe on Friday I'll be home."

"Is Noah coming for the break?" Of course he would ask and I made landscape expression 

"No, he has extra trainings, Harvard went to the semifinal of this year's championship, there was no way he would return home to the Spring Break"

"This is good news Elle! You don't look very excited... I think you should go there to see him play, I'm sure he would like it very much ..." My father was being honest and yes... I really wanted to go, before all this mess started.

"I'm planning, let's see how things are going and if I'll be able to finish my studies for the SATs ..." I decided to change the subject "So, how are things for the big change? We are almost in March... and I'm already feeling alone" I smiled at him

"It's all settled dear, I hope we can visit the house by the end of March, what do you think?"

"Fantastic dad! Can I choose a room?" I laughed

"Sure, baby, you're going to have your room there for sure, and I need my little girl's room to look at every day and try not to miss her so much." He hugged me and I cried. He thought that I was crying over what he said "Hey, there's no need to cry Elle, I said, nothing will change... and you will also be away from Los Angeles, or at least I suppose you will be. Brad and I will be fine."

Lee arrived with Rachel and my dad went to open the door. I went up to get my things and looked at Noah's jacket, I felt strange to see it there, motionless ... I was tempted to throw her into the sea while we were in Malibu, but I restrained my instincts. I went down and Lee already looked at me with that *All this for a week* face, I had to laugh.

We put it all in the car and set out for our blessed week of rest, and all I wanted most was to get rid of my thoughts about Noah.

Tuppen, Stacey, and Debby went with us, but Joe and Warren would only come later

*************************************

On Tuesday night the boys arrived. I stayed in bed two days with a terrible flu or rather, that was my perfect excuse. Lee was the only one who knew that I was not really sick, I just wanted to stay there quietly and he too had insisted that I talk to Noah at once ... I knew he was right and yet I still didn't want to talk to him. He had sent me another message on Monday, but I ignored it again.

Joe came upstairs to talk to me, "Hey, sick lady, what are you feeling?"

"I've got a flu... nothing to worry about" I smiled and he smiled back

"I'm sorry for the news on Saturday, I didn't know what to do..."

"Don't worry, it's not your fault, and thank you for asking Lee to tell me ..." I didn't want the conversation to remain on this stupid subject. "Hey, did you bring tequila? I think this is something that can help me with this stupid flu," he laughed loudly.

"It reminds me of the night we went to that bar in San Diego, you drank lots of tequilas," I blushed and laughed too

"Let's drink then, that's the spirit of Spring Break, isn't it? We need to do some crazy things, right?" I got up "I'm going to take a shower, in half an hour I'll go down".

He went down with the others and I went into the bathroom. My phone rang again, but this time it was June. "Hi June, is everything okay? Lee is not here with me now ... "

"Hi Elle, yeah, it's okay ... I called to talk to you..." I understood at once what she wanted... but I could not mistreat June, she was always there with me.

"Oh... okay ..." I didn't know what to say

"Listen, I know what happened on Saturday, Noah told me someone sent you pictures of him with that redheaded girl, Cindy ... he sent me the pictures after you sent him ... Elle, who did that?" I took a deep breath, I didn't want to get anyone in trouble, so I didn't want to say that Joe had received them

"Sharon took the pictures, but I didn't want you to tell Noah she sent them to me ... you know your son, I'm afraid of what he can do" my voice was cold

"Elle ... you have to be reasonable ... I've seen the photos, I know exactly what you felt, I'm a woman, but I think you're making a big mistake not listening to Noah. This girl can use the photos in a way that they seem to be something they are not. Almost every story has two sides, and somethings can be really different than they appear. All of Noah's other friends were in the picture, even Alice, who knows and loves you so much... do you really think she would let Noah make you feel like a fool and do something like this behind your back?"

She had an argument, talking about Alice ... "June, I'm sorry... I don't want to talk to Noah now and ask anything... the smile he had in the photos that only appears when he's really happy, the same one he used to give only to me... it is hurting a lot and I need to forget, at least for now. Please ask him to stop texting and calling me. I don't want to talk now. Sorry June... "

"Okay honey, I'll do it, but please use this time in Malibu to think with your heart too... deep down you know him very well and you know how much he loves you."

"I'm going to try June... I'm really going to try. Don't tell him it was Sharon, you can say it was an anonymous source. I have to go now."

"Okay, Elle, take care of yourself and please do not be mad at me, okay? I will always cherish the happiness of the two of you, whether together or apart. Good night, princess, I love you. "

"I know... I love you June, thank you. Good night."

I finally got in the shower, got ready and went partying with the others. I decided to forget the photos, forget my heart, forget Noah, at least for one night. I left my cell phone in the bedroom.

Lee looked so surprised when he saw me. "Wow Evans, so beautiful ... is everything okay? Did you talked to" he was going to finish the sentence and I put my hand in his mouth

"No, I'm trying to have fun without even remembering that he exists, is it okay with you?"

"Yeah... if you'd rather... glad to see you're better off with the flu, too." he winked and smiled.

"Thank God...  let's drink! Joe said they brought tequila, where is it? Let's make frozen margaritas!"

We started dancing and I drank a lot of frozen margaritas, the night was perfect, we ate a lot and around one o'clock in the morning I was very happy dancing with Debbie, Warren and Joe. Lee and Rachel had gone to bed, Tuppen and Stacey were walking on the beach. Warren decided to make a move, once again, on Debbie, who finally accepted that it was time to stay with him, so the next moment there were just Joe and me on the porch drinking, laughing and dancing.

My head was spinning a little, but I was happy and having a lot of fun. Joe was an exceptional guy, and even with all the odd moments we spent after San Diego, things got back to normal between us. He put his hands on my waist and we started to dance a salsa that was playing. I'm not sure what happened, but I stepped on some stupid stone and fell on the grass, he fell on top of me, we were laughing and then he looked into my eyes... I tried to say something, but in the next moment he kissed me and this time I returned the kiss. I was not thinking about anything but that kiss, I allowed myself to do it, I needed it... I deserved it.