The College Room [THE KISSING BOOTH #2 - FAN FICTION]

Chapter Ten

Noah and I didn't speak for three weeks after that. I didn't see him off at the airport, he didn't answer my calls, and he didn't respond to my goodbye texts. 

I spent my weekdays at school counting down the hours until the weekend, which I'd spend either with Lee at our usual dance spot or with Brad at the water park. If there was anything good that came out of not seeing Noah, it was the brownie points I scored from Dad for hanging out with my dorky little brother.

Plus, I had extra time to focus on Lee. Since his break up with Rachael, his mental health had really taken a beating. He was falling behind on his school work, he was barely eating, and, even though he danced with me, his heart really wasn't in it.

"I dunno, I think I'm doing a bit better," Lee said as he shoved a burger into his mouth.

It was a Thursday afternoon, and Lee and I were sprawled across the lawn in front of our school, not caring that our uniforms were being stained green. Even though it wasn't quite spring, the sun had made an appearance that day, and we were taking advantage of every warm ray.

"You think?" I asked, snatching the burger from his hands and taking a bite myself.

Lee nodded as he took the burger back. "You said you didn't want one!"

I rolled my eyes and laughed. "You should know by now that what I really mean when I say I don't want one is that I do want one, I just don't want to have to pay for it."

Lee joined my laugh, a genuine smile spreading across his face, revealing a piece of lettuce caught between his two front teeth.

"You got a little somethin' there," I said, pointing at his mouth.

"Do I? Are you sure you're not just tricking me?"

"You do! It's right there!"

Lee handed me his burger and pulled out his phone, using the front-camera to check his teeth. "Oh. You weren't lying," he said.

"No, but thanks for the food," I said, and took another huge bite.

Once again he snatched his meal from my desperate fingers. "Okay. What are we going to do? I'm perfectly content with my own sulking around, but I really can't handle you being miserable about Noah."

I feigned offence. "What? You don't want to be there for me in my time of need?"

He punched my arm lightly. "Come on, Elle! Seriously! Rachael and I are over, but you and Noah aren't. We need to bring him back."

I shook my head. "He's not coming back, Lee," I said, knowing it was true. Noah had worked so hard to come home for just a weekend, but now he was in the midst of assessment again. There was no way he was coming home any time soon given his busy schedule.

"Fine, then," Lee said. "You should go to him."

I looked up at Lee, my eyes wide. "Oh my God. Lee, you're a genius!"

Lee scoffed down the last of his burger and boasted a lettuce-free smile. "I know, I know. Thank you very much." He mimicked a bow and and I just laughed.

"Seriously!" I squealed. "I need this. How can we make this happen?"

"I already know the name of his college. Mum pays his rent, so she'd probably even have his dorm number. You're just going to need to start planning the huge web of lies you'll be telling to the campus security."

I sported a goofy smile. "I am the Queen of lies."

Lee deadpanned. "As if," he said. "You suck at lying. You do this deep voice thing that totally gives it away. Plus, you do something weird with your face."

"Wow, Lee, you are so kind," I said, and the two of us laughed once again.

We walked home from school that afternoon, plotting our plan of attack. We figured Dad would never be okay with me going all the way to Boston just to visit Noah, so Lee came up with the genius idea of faking a school trip.

"Dad will never believe that," I said as we reached the front of my house.

"He will if we have permission slips," Lee said with a grin. 

"And where are we going to get those?" I asked.

"We're going to make them!"

I rolled my eyes and waved goodbye, heading down the footpath to my front door.

As I wondered if we could actually pull this off, I figured there was no use making a trip to see Noah if he wouldn't be happy to see me. I pulled my phone from my pocket and glanced at our text messages.

I started typing slowly, but then excitement got the better of me.

Noah. I'm an idiot. I'm sorry. But I'm an idiot who loves you & I'm coming to see you at Harvard. 

I got a reply almost instantly, and I squealed when I read Noah's message.

You are an idiot. But you're an idiot I love. Watch out Harvard, Cyclone Shelly is coming.