After The Kissing Booth

Hard Times Turn Into Good Times

"I love you." I say kissing Noah for the last time until November.
"I love you too." Noah says kissing me and holding it.

I drive home and when I get home there's a familiar but unfamiliar car in the driveway. I get out and walk into the house to see Ethan sitting at the kitchen table with Brad.

"Oh Ethan, hey." I say in surprise.
"Hey, oh yeah your dad asked me to come and babysit Brad since you couldn't, but no that your back i don't have to stay."
"Oh, no no, it's okay, I have to do some stuff anyways." I smile as I walk up to my room.

I fall onto my bed and take a deep breath. I get my laptop from my desk and search up how much plane tickets are. $500 later I've got tickets for October 13th to go see Noah as a surprise.

"Elle?" I hear someone say outside of my door.
"Yes?" I ask as I put one of Noah's hoodies on.
"Oh I just wanted to let you know I'm leaving." Ethan let's me know.
"Okay. You can open the door if you want." I giggle.
"Oh, yeah sorry, I didn't want to interrupt you." Ethan says opening the door.
"W-"
"Oh it's okay, I'm not keeping anything legal in here." I joke.
"What were you saying?" I say realizing i interrupted him.
"Oh nothing important." Ethan says shaking his head.
"Oh okay, well see you tomorrow at school." I smile.
"Yep." He says closing the door behind him.

"So how was the rest of your day with Noah?" My dad asks as I sit down at the kitchen table.
"Fine." I smile.
"Is everything okay Elle?" My dad asks worried.
"Yes?" I say. I didn't want to sound rude.
"Your know you can tell me anything right." My dad adds on.
"Yes I know, I promise you nothing it wrong." I crack a smile.

My dad just smiles.

Later that night I'm trying to fall asleep when something hits my window. I just ignore it until something else hits my window. I get up and look out my window to see Lee standing there.

I open my window. "What are you doing here at 1:00am?"
"I need to talk to you." He says quietly but loud enough to for me to hear.
"K I'll be down in a sec." I say closing my window.

I grab one of Noah's hoodies and quietly walk downstairs hoping the stairs don't creek and open the front door.

"What's up?" I say rubbing my arms.
"Elle I need to tell you something." Lee says not concerned but weird.
"What's wrong?" I ask in concern.
"Rachel-Rachel doesn't want us to-to hang out anymore." Lee says sadly.
"Wh-wha-what?" I struggle to say.
"I'm sorry Elle." Lee apologizes.
"Lee, your-your just going to-to-to leave me. I've been your best friend since you were born." I say in tears.
"Elle I'm sorry."
"No-no you aren't Lee. Lee you fucking aren't. I thought you loved me." I bite my lip trying to stop crying.
"I just love Rachel. And I can't leave her." Lee says.
"If you actually loved me. You wouldn't leave me." I say walking away.
"Elle please." Lee begs.
"No." I say walking into the house.

I struggle to walk up the stairs. Lee-Lee has been my best friend-since-since birth and now he's just leaving me.

That night I don't sleep. I just cry into my pillow. Waiting for 3:00am to come so I can call Noah. Since Noah is in a different time zone, it's hard to find times to talk. But I know he wakes up at 6:00am (3:00am here).

"What's up Shelly?" Noah says answering his phone in a sleeping voice but I can tell her was already awake.
"Lee-"
"Shelly what's wrong?" Noah says in concern.
"Lee-Lee left me." I say starting to cry again.
"What-What do you mean?" Noah asks.
"He left me-for-for Rachel." I cry.
"What? Wait, what? No. Lee wouldn't do that." Noah says confused.
"But,but he did." I cry in pain.
"Fuck Shelly I want to be with you right now. Fuck, fuck, fuck." Noah says moving around.
"Noah, it's okay, I'll-I'll get through it." I say knowing I won't.
"Fuck Elle. I want to give you the biggest hug right now. It's going to be okay. I'll talk to Lee for you okay. Wait no, don't respond to that just let me." Noah says.
"O-okay." I wiping the tears from my face.
"I love you." Noah says sweetly.
"I love you too." I reply.
"And Elle I need you to remember that I will never leave you." Noah says blowing a kiss through the phone.
"I love you." I say blowing a kiss through the phone.

I'm lying in bed contemplating life. When I grab my laptop and look at last minute flights to Boston. I cancel my tickets for November and buy tickets for 9:00am today. I can't believe I'm doing this, but I am. I grab my bag and throw in my favourite clothes and a couple pairs of shoes. I grab a couple toiletries, my laptop, my Airpods and my phone and chargers and put that in my bag. I grab my purse and put it on my chair with my bag. I change into a hoodie of Noah's and leggings and sit on my bed anxiously.

I'm doing this. I'm not 14 I'm 17. I can do this. My dad doesn't like it he can deal with it. I need Noah right know. I can't stand to see Lee and what a better excuse then going to Boston where my dad can not force me to go to school. I wait until 5:00am when my dad wakes up. I may be leaving pretty early, but I'm going. I walk down sitar's with my bag and purse.

"Where are you going so early in the morning? Isn't that your carry on?" My dad questions.
"I'm going to Boston." I state. Not asking. Saying.
"Um no you are not." My dad states.
"I am and you can't stop me. I need Noah right now. Lee left me. I need Noah." I say walking toward the door and grabbing my keys.
"Elle Evans if you leave this house you are grounded until you're 18." My dad says walking towards me.
"Then let me be grounded until I'm 18." I say walking out and slamming the door behind me.

I get into my car and throw my bags into the backseat. My dad comes out of the house and is walking to my car but I back out and drive to the airport.

I'm driving. Not stoping regretting my choices. I mean yes, inside I am regretting my choices but I'm still going. I stop at Dunkin and get a coffee so I can hopefully stay awake. When I get to the airport I'm sitting in the parking lot regretting my choices once again but I get out before I can drive home and get grounded for the rest of my life.

I get to Boston at 2:30pm. Noah finishes school at 3:30pm so I plan to take a Uber to Harvard and get one of his friends to let me in. My plan goes well and I end up getting into Noah's room around 3:15pm. I fall onto Noah's nicely made bed that I didn't even know he can do and take a deep breath. I don't know how long I'm staying in Boston, but I like it here already. About 30 minutes later Noah finally gets here. I'm sitting on his bed smiling when he walks in.

"Sh-Shelly!" Noah says running over to me and picking me up. He kisses me. Even though we just kissed yesterday it feels likes we haven't in years. Noah's kisses still feel magical. Just like the first time we kissed.

"Wait, but what about school? What are you even doing here?" Noah asks after kiss me.
"Noah let's talk about that later please. I just want to cry into your shoulder." I say frowning.
"Whatever you want." Noah says kissing me.