The Kissing Booth Why Now?

1. HEART ACHE *

Life after Noah left was hard I missed him every day he was gone. I always felt as if something was missing in my life. Lee was a great help holding my hand throughout the days that followed. Especially since Rachel moved away over the summer without telling us she was leaving. Poor Lee didn't find out until we returned from a trip to deep South Texas where Mathew and my dad helped start a business. They planned on visiting once a month to keep it on track.

Anyway back to Rachel and her surprise disappearance. While on the trip the rents confiscated our phones since both of us had almost walked out into traffic because we were looking at the phones. So, we had no idea that she not only moved but changed her phone number. It wasn't until we made it home and Lee was given a letter from her by June.

The look on Lee's face was terrible he just handed me the letter and ran upstairs locking himself in his bedroom. As I read the letter I couldn't believe the things Rachel's parents believed were going on.

Dear Lee,

Unfortunately, I will not be able to contact you again after this letter. I am sitting in a diner about four hours away from Los Angeles writing this letter. I am only allowed to write it since my parents are afraid that me not at least saying goodbye and breaking up with you will make them look bad. Turns out my sister is pregnant and she is blaming Flynn. My parents put a plan in motion to have us move without telling me since my sister claimed that Elle knew about the baby and still took Flynn from her. Nothing I said would change their minds. At least that is what they said. What we didn't know until now was that while she was talking to one of our cousins on the phone she admitted to never even kissing Flynn she just wanted to make Elle pay for taking him off the market before she had her chance. Eventually, my parents were able to find out that it wasn't even a guy from our school but the twenty-year-old son of our next-door neighbor.

Since the wheels were already in motion for the move there was nothing they could do to stop us from leaving. Unfortunately, since it was a friend of my sisters that came up with the idea to hurt Elle my parents feel the Buckner students are not the best influence. Plus through my sister, they found out how close you and Elle are and how you were upset about Elle secretly dating Flynn now they think you and Elle were leading me on by allowing you to date me while you are with her. Don't even get me started on how they now think the three of you are in some kind of weird incestuous relationship with you and Flynn sharing Elle. I know it is not the case but I can't contact you anymore. I am letting you go Lee. My phone has already been replaced and I am not allowed to give you the new number. Lee be happy find someone that understands your and Elle's friendship. Please tell Elle I know you two are just besties. Even though I wasn't happy knowing you two still shared a room together and I was a little upset I reminded myself you two are just besties.

P.S.

Just a little advice even though you two do not think of each other as anything other than besties/twins you should stop sharing a room and bed. Oh, and you both need to stop changing in front of each other. Right now Flynn doesn't know but if he finds out I don't think he will like that one. He tolerates you two sleeping together because he is used to it but even though he trusts you two no man as protective as Flynn is to the woman he loves would want her changing in front of his brother or any man in fact. Think how you two would feel if the shoe was on the other foot.

I love you Lee and I know you love me but let me go as I am letting you go and find love.

With all my heart,

Rachel

I took the letter to June and Mathew since I knew they were going to need to know what was going on. I waited for them to finish the letter and I looked at them. "I think Rachel is right. Lee and I really need to stop sharing a bed and changing in front of each other. I guess none of us thought anything of it since we have been doing it since we were little. Now don't get me wrong Lee would turn around while I face him getting dressed and vice versa. This has been going on since as Lee says my lady parts started blossoming." June chuckled "yeah, I have to agree and I am glad you two respected each other enough to be a little modest." I look at them "I better go check on him." "Yeah, hey if you need to spend the night go ahead. I think we can make it a rule you two are no longer allowed to share a room or bed unless one of you is hurting." "Ok, thanks June."

I head up to Lee's bedroom and walk into the room. I thought he had locked the door but I guess he just didn't want his parents to see him. "Lee are you OK?" He looked up at me with tears streaming down his face. I felt my heartbreak for my bestie and instantly walked up to him wrapping my arms around him. I couldn't believe that Rachel would do this to him. As I held him rocking him back and forth. I felt my phone go off in my pocket but ignored the call and continued to console my best friend. I don't know how long we were in his room before there was a knock on the door. "Elle sweetie Noah just called he was worried since you didn't answer your phone and neither did Lee. I told him what happened and he wants you two to call him." "Ok June." I look at Lee and he nods his head as I pick up my phone and face time Noah.

I still have one arm wrapped around Lee as he buries his head into my neck. "Hey, Shelly baby. Damn it looks bad." "Yeah, it is bad. Lee really thought everything was great and to come home and find a Dear John letter." "Yeah, mom said it was bad." Lee looked at Noah "bro...you don't think there is anything between me and Shelly do you?" "No, little bro I trust you both. Although I realized something this trip to the beach house and I am not happy that is why I was calling." "What is it, Noah?" "That not only do you two sleep in the same bed you two are still changing in front of each other." I gulp "yeah, about that well I talked to your parents and well we came to an agreement that the only time Lee and I will share a bed is when one of us is hurting. From now on if we have a sleepover I guess I will sleep in a guest room or we can sleep in the game room." "Ok sounds like a plan and when you two go to the beach house next summer you can use my room, Shelly." "Noah I thought we talked about the fact that we would still meet up at the beach house every summer." "Yes, but we don't know if it is going to be easy for me to come home for summer with school and football." "OK, look can we talk about this another time I really need to take care of Lee." "Yeah, I love you both." I look down at Lee and see his shoulders shaking "yeah, we love you too Noah. Well, I love you more than Lee." "Good to know and I love you more than Lee as well bye dorks."

After hanging up with Noah I sat there holding Lee until he fell asleep and I tucked him in heading downstairs and into the kitchen where I could hear someone moving around. "Hey, June he is finally asleep. I think I will sleep in the guestroom down the hall. Turns out Noah figured it out on his own and admitted he was not happy that Lee and I were changing in front of each other." She chuckled "figured as much. Are you two sure you want to try long distance?" I look at June "yes, neither one of us wanted to let the other one go but we both understand it will take work. He almost didn't go to Harvard because he didn't want to leave me but I wouldn't let him give up on his dream school." She smiled at me "I am glad you made sure to let him know that you wanted him to be happy." "I did and I let him know that yes I wanted him to stay but I didn't want to be the reason he didn't go to an ivy league school." "Good, you let him know you still wanted him around but understood that he needed to take care of his future." "Yep, besides he doesn't know this but the schools I am applying to are Harvard, Tufts, BCU, UCLA, and Stanford." "Wow, I hope you get into the school of your dreams, Elle. Just one question for you?" "What is that June?" "Are you applying to Boston schools because of Noah?" "Nope, I already had the applications filled out before we even started dating."

"Oh, that's right Buckner encourages Juniors to start applying early so they are at the top of the list." "Yep, so I already had my applications in before Noah received his acceptance letter." "Good just when you get your acceptance letters please go to your dream school." I smiled "only if I get a scholarship." "Ok, only if you get a scholarship." I hugged June and told her goodnight before heading up to Lee's room grabbing some clothes and making my way to the guest room with its own bathroom. After getting ready for bed I climbed into bed and snuggled under the covers after plugging in my phone and drifting off to sleep. I couldn't help but dream of Noah and wishing he was here holding me.