The Kissing Booth: New Love

Chapter 18

"Hey, Shelly, I've been looking all over for you," I said, finally breaking our silent stare down, the relief evident in my voice. I stood next to Elle, nervously looking down at her.

As soon as I start talking, Elle looks away from me. Now she's looking down to watch her feet moving in the water, avoiding my gaze, when she responds, "I've been out here since I saw you with Kendra."

"That wasn't anything. I told her that I wasn't interested in her, that I'm with someone else."

Elle finally looked back up at me. "Really?" I nodded before making my way to sit next to her. "Noah, I'm sorry about everything. I was so worried you weren't going to talk to me again."

"I wasn't ready to talk before but I think we should now." Elle was leaning back with her hands on the ground behind her holding her up. Once I was sitting in the same position, I looked down at our hands, only inches from touching. I wanted to move my hand slightly closer so I could feel her touch. Being this close to Elle without being able to touch her was driving me crazy.

"You were right, we shouldn't have kept this lie up all this time. That's what I've been wanting to talk to you about."

"Really? Does that mean you're ready to tell Lee?"

"I'm not sure how ready I am but I agree that it's time.  We need to tell him."

"Shell, I'm so happy to hear you say that."

"I don't want to pick Lee over you, I never could have done that. I feel horrible that I made you feel that way.  I don't want to lose you, Noah."

"God, I've missed you." I closed the distance between us and had my arms around her and my lips on her in no time. There's probably more we should talk about but I don't care right now.

"I've missed you too, Noah, I love you." Elle told me in between kisses.

"I love you too, Shelly." We lost track of time as we made up, hidden in the dark, knowing that no one would be able to see us before we could hear them come out the door.

Eventually Elle pulled away from me and suggested that we probably should go back inside, since our friends would be looking for us. I was perfectly happy where we were and could care less if anyone was looking for me, but I stood up to follow her inside anyway. About that time, the door to the house opens, leaving a sliver of light in the backyard which grows as the door opens farther. Out of habit, Elle and I put distance between each other. Once the door is open all the way, Elle is standing in the light from the doorway, but I'm still in the shadows.

"Elle, we've been looking for you! I wondered where you went." An obviously drunk Lee walks outside, followed close behind by Rachel. He's not quite stumbling, but it's obvious that he's had plenty of alcohol tonight. Once Rachel closes the door behind them, we're all standing in the dark again.

"Lee!" Elle sounds as happy to see Lee as she always is.

"What are you doing out here?" As he walked closer, he realized Elle wasn't alone. "Noah?"

I nodded my head and answered, "Lee."

"What's going on guys?" Lee grinned but looked confused to see us alone together again. I wonder if he has any inkling of what we're about to tell him. He's walked in on us alone together enough now, I can't believe he doesn't have any idea about us. He's looking from me to Elle like he was trying to figure us out before focusing on Elle, like usual.

I stayed quiet, ready to hear Shelly give Lee the news that we were together. After all, we had just discussed it. I watch Elle suck in her breath, and glance at me, before walking towards Lee. "I needed a little air and some quiet, it was getting a little too crazy in there for me. Mr. Protective over there wanted to make sure no big bad boys came out to bother me. You know how Noah is." Rachel and I have both been quiet up to this point following the back and forth between Lee and Elle. Sometimes it's hard to get a word in with these two, although tonight I was mostly quiet because I didn't want to piss Lee off before we tell him about us. I left things up to Elle, expecting her to take the lead. I'm not sure why I was surprised when she didn't. She just told me that she was ready, but I knew deep down that she still didn't want to do anything to hurt her relationship with Lee.