The Missing Years - a kissing booth fan fiction

Never

Noah

Spring semester was ridiculously busy. My normal course load was hard enough, but then I also had to study for and take the LSATs as well. My social life was pretty non-existent. Even Chloe could only manage to drag me out once every week or so.

Toward the end of term things started to feel like one long goodbye. A lot of my friends had applied to go to grad schools elsewhere and so would be leaving at the end of May. Liz and I had caught up a few times and I knew she was heading to Stanford next year. We'd become good friends over the last couple of years and I would miss her, but it also felt like it was time to let go.

The end of school is a sleep-deprived blur. Studying for finals, taking finals, writing and handing in final assignments. Then there's moving. After all the crap I gave Lee and Elle to about wanting to live together at college, it turns out I'm the one who's going to be living with my best friend. Right after I found out I'd got into law school here, Chloe's housemate announced that she was moving in with her boyfriend.

Chloe offered me the second room in her apartment and now I have to move all my stuff in. It's not far from campus at all, and really I just have to move my personal belongings, but the amount of books I've accumulated over the last four years is kind of alarming. Chloe very much appreciates my slow moving method though, since every time I turn up holding another box of books I also bring a bottle of wine for her.

Before I know it, it's the night before graduation and all my friends have gathered for one last crazy night together before all our families arrive in the morning and we head our separate ways after the ceremony. Lee flew in this afternoon, so he's joined us for the festivities. Of course he knows Chloe, and he met a couple of my friends the time he and Elle visited my freshman year.

I needn't have worried about Lee though, that kid could fit in anywhere. I'd kind of forgot how popular he was at high school. It's weird to think about it. Looking at us back then, you'd have thought I would be the one with all the friends, when really it was Lee. He and Elle pretty much knew everyone at school, as evidenced by the turnouts at their parties. I was popular, sure, but I never really had many close friends until college.

Anyway, it's surprisingly fun to spend time with Lee like this, and I can't help but laugh when he and Chloe wind up singing "Islands in the Stream" at the karaoke bar we go to at the end of the night. Lee crashes on our couch that night and let's just say we are both a bit worse for wear the next morning. Thank god for Chloe and her British hangover remedy, which I suspect contains more than one shot of vodka.

After we hold our noses and down it, she hands each of us an ice pack.

"Sit there and put those over your eyes for 15 minutes, you both look like shit and I am not facing the wrath of June today."

Lee and I look at each other and then wisely follow her orders.

After showers, coffee and a greasy breakfast, we are both feeling and looking far better than we did before.

The actual graduation ceremony lasts longer than I would like, and I'm glad when my name is finally called and I get to make my way across the stage to accept my diploma. I hear Lee and Chloe going crazy in the audience and smile for the requisite photo. I've done it. After four years I'm ready for a vacation before I start my internship here at a local law firm at the end of June.

After the ceremony, I'm standing with my family when over Dad's shoulder I see Liz in the distance talking with a couple of her friends.

"Hey, I'll be right back, okay? I just need to say goodbye to someone."

As I walk over, Liz's friends leave and she smiles as she spots me. "Hey you."

I grin, "Hey yourself."

I wrap her in a tight hug and when we release we stay holding onto each other's arms.

"Congratulations," I say.

"And to you as well," Liz inclines her head.

We both pause, and then Liz breaks the silence.

"Noah..."

"Yes Liz?"

"I just wanted to say thank you."

I smirk, not wanting to bring up anything too dark today. "Thank me for what?"

She smiles and shrugs. "For being one of the good ones. If I write my memoirs one day, don't be surprised if you end up as a chapter, okay?"

I laugh. "I'd be honoured to end up as a footnote in the story of your extraordinary life, Liz."

I release her arms and place my hands on either side of her face, thumbs resting gently on her cheekbones. Liz's hands find a familiar spot on my back near my shoulder blades. We look at each other for a moment and then I lean down to kiss her, softly, chastely, before I pull back and we both let our hands drop.

"Goodbye Elizabeth Monroe," I smile.

"Goodbye Noah Flynn," she grins in return.

As I walk back to my family, I see Lee watching me, and I know he will ask later.

We go to my faculty commencement reception and I make small talk with the professors and introduce Lee and my parents to various classmates and friends. As soon as we can escape, we head out to a fancy restaurant for a celebratory dinner. It's nice being with my family like this again. I realise that they've never all visited me here at the same time.

Dad makes a toast, and I'm surprised by the level of pride his words carry. He and I seem to have finally reached a good place. Mom cries, of course, and gushes about everything, barely letting go of my arm the whole night. Lee seems to be on his best behaviour, and I find his company more welcome and less annoying than I have before. Maybe we're both finally growing up.

Lee and I are back at the hotel that night, sitting having a beer together after our parents have retired for the evening. I'm thinking of asking Lee a question but I'm not really sure how it will go down. In the end I just figure direct is best.

"So, how was it seeing Rachel?" Today was the first time he'd actually seen her in person since the summer they broke up. It can't have been easy, but he seemed to take it really well. She had been there to see Liz graduate, but I'm not sure if Lee put two and two together that Liz was the person he'd seen me with.

Rachel had come over to congratulate me at one point and I'd given her a hug. Mom hugged her as well and Dad chatted with her warmly, of course. They'd always liked Rachel. She'd turned to Lee and once they'd started talking, Mom had deftly steered Dad and I away towards the refreshments.

Lee gives me a half-smile. "It was good, yeah. She's still funny and smart and gorgeous."

"And..?" I prompt him.

"And if I'm honest, I'm probably still in love with her."

I lean forward and clap him on the shoulder. "Well lucky for you, she's single and Elle's already invited her to your birthday weekend in a couple of weeks' time."

Lee smiles slyly now. "That is true."
After a moment, he seems to have a sudden thought and grins at me.

This can't be good.

"So," he leans in, "am I ever going to hear the backstory to that very fond farewell you had back there after the ceremony?"

I take a long swig of my beer and lean back in my chair. I look at him and grin too, shaking my head. "Absolutely not. Never."