The Kissing Booth - The First Year

The final game - Noah

Another month passed by and now we were finishing April and the final game was scheduled for the second Saturday of May, so all our training became more intense than ever.

My final exams were supposed to start on Monday after the final game, so I did not have time to do anything but study and play football, that meant I did not think too much about my time without Elle, of course I was missing her a lot, but once again I felt that my decision had been the best way for us. If we were together, I'm sure we'd be fighting over stupid things, because I would not had time to give her much attention, not of my own free will, but because I really did not have any free time at all.

At Easter I didn't went back to Los Angeles, but my mother confirmed that Lee and Elle had received the SAT's results and both got the required points to enter Harvard, they were now just waiting for the envelope with the invitation letter that should arrive at any moment and I could imagine how much Elle was really excited about her coming to Harvard to be even more certain.

We were at one day of the game, studying in the library and Alice was super excited, even more excited than me and Will ... maybe because we were both more anxious and tired ...

"My dad is really excited for this final game. He said some of his friends will be here just for this event, and also some scouts from professional teams. He is radiant with the possibility of seeing his son-in-law playing professionally... really, my father is the best person in the world" she was laughing

"But Alice, it would be really amazing to see Will playing in the Patriots..." I had to say that, and she looked at me with that *I'm going to kill you* face.

"Can you imagine myself as a Gisele Bündchen? I totally can by the way" Will and I looked at each other in amazement at the comparison, "I'm joking ... of course I want to see Will in the professional league... and, being even more sincere, I think you two have good skills for that. "

I had never stopped to think about this kind of situation, which meant it was not my dream to be a professional football quarterback, but this year playing for the college league I had improved my skills and was playing much better than when I played in school. Maybe someday I'd think about it ... right now all I wanted was to win the game.

It was Friday and my parents should arrive at night, but since we were concentrating, I could not went to the airport to pick them up and drop them off at Alice's house, I would have to wait until after the game to see them. My mother sent a message stating that they arrived and were well. She also said that Lee had came with Rachel, and that Elle had sent me a kiss and good luck... inside I was waiting for her to send me at least one message, but she didn't, and I had to understand.

We woke up early on Saturday, had a light breakfast and went to the locker room. The field was really crowded and I could not find anyone in that bunch of heads... it was great to see the countryside with so many people. Alice sent a message to Will saying that they were trying to find a good place to sit while we were still in the locker room before shutting the phones down... so we decided we would not even try to find them and focus on the coach's lecture.

We finally got into the field and how good it was to hear so many screams, cheerleaders dancing and our mascots fighting in the center line of the field. Stanford was a good team, they had done a campaign almost as good as ours, which made this final a challenge for us. My heart was beating fast and at that moment I missed Elle... how I wish she were here seeing all this, as in the dream I had the day I was coming to Harvard. Maybe next year, if we did a very good campaign, we would be in the final again.

The game started and Stanford was playing hard against us, and started scoring easily, the first touchdown, over a defensive flaw. As it was right at the beginning of the first quarter, we would still have time for a reaction. And so we did ... at the end of the third quarter we were winning from 35 to 14, and in the last quarter the gap got even bigger, since they could not make any other point. The final result was 56 to 14. We did it! Harvard was the college football champion.

I was impressed by the whole party they did on the field, I was picked up with Will and Robert, they were clapping us a lot. When all the frenzy was over, we were getting the medals and the champion's trophy, I picked it up and a rain of shredded paper began. I was ecstatic, so I saw my parents, they came to congratulate me, also with Will's parents. Alice, Lee, Rachel and Alice's parents could not enter the field, only the parents of the players were allowed.

"Congratulations, my love, you were wonderful!" My mother was very emotional, and then my father gave me a big hug

"My boy, I am so proud of you! It's wonderful for me to see that all your efforts are being recognized!" He was also a bit emotional, but knowing my father, he would say he had a little cold, not watery eyes.

We talked a little, Will introduced his parents to us, but in fact Mom and Dad already knew them, they were all at Alice's house. Unfortunately we would not have time to go to her house now, we had to go back to the locker room and have the last lecture from our coach, we also needed to prepare for the big party at night, so we said goodbye and went back to the locker room with the others.

By the time we were returning to our dorms, Will was telling me that he received a call from Alice's father saying that we had been the most commented players in the game and he congratulated us.

"I don't know, man, I never thought about being a professional, but I'm really enjoying all this today... we seemed crazy playing, in a good way... everything fit perfectly, my passes, your receipts, everything, you know? I'm happy to have a partner like you, thank you Will "

"Hey Noah, you're a great quarterback, now let's wait for our glory at this party tonight!" He was excited, I just smiled but was not really happy, of course he noticed "Hey man... I'm sorry for you and Elle still being apart... didn't you hear anything from her today?"

"No ... my mother said she only sent me a kiss and wished her good luck... I wish she had sent this message directly to me, but I can't be angry about it, I asked for that time, and she is giving me exactly what I needed, space... But it's been three months, you know? Of course you know ... you hear me mumbling over it every day" I was laughing and he gave me that pat on the back

"The year is finally ending, you two will have time for reconciliation soon"

We entered our building and I was getting ready for the most incredible party of the year, without my little princess. I sent text message to her just to say that we won the game, and she answered with a smiley emoticon, and it was all. I felt empty.