The Missing Years - a kissing booth fan fiction

Forward

Noah

Today is Lee's graduation. Tomorrow he'll be heading back home and I've invited myself along for the ride. Lee nearly fell off his chair when I suggested it last night. It's true, the only time we've spent that much time together was when we did that trip with Elle and Rachel after their high school graduation. But since I had planned to be in LA for the next week anyway, I figured I might as well drive back with Lee. The bonus for me is it also means I won't be the sole subject of our mother's scrutiny for the time it would have taken Lee to drive there. I'm fairly sure we can stretch it out over a couple of days.

Besides, Lee's company has become infinitely more tolerable the last few years. It's easier to talk to him without the other half of the wonder twins there. I've been assured that Elle is not coming back for Lee's grad ceremony. In fact, Lee will be heading over to see her for their birthday and some big backpacking trip I don't want to know about.

I take the elevator downstairs to meet Mom and Dad in the lobby of the hotel we're all staying in. They flew in last night and I haven't seen them yet, because I was out with Lee. His last night out with all his buddies wasn't quite as wild as mine was, at least I don't feel as bad today as I had on the morning of my own commencement.

Which is probably a good thing because Mom just about shrieks when she spots me, gabbing me in a hug. I laugh and hug her back, telling her to leave some of my ribs intact. She pulls back slightly to look up at my face. "Are you alright? You look a little pale, sweetheart."

"I'm fine Mom. Just need some California sunshine." I extricate myself from her and give Dad a quick hug. "Speaking of which, I told Lee I would drive back with him tomorrow."

I watch my mother's eyebrows climb and a smile grow on her face. "Really?"

"Yes really. I thought it would be a good chance to catch up with him."

Mom's eyebrows are threatening to disappear into her hairline. Luckily Dad saves me.
"Good Noah, that's good. I know he'll be tired tomorrow and I don't like the idea of him driving all that way on his own like that."

I smile, more grateful for Dad's smooth intervention than he'll ever know. "Exactly. Anyway, I'm happy to help."

"Hmm, okay." Mom says, still looking at me suspiciously.

"Well, we better get a move on, we don't want to be late." Dad looks at his watch and moves towards the doors.

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Sitting in the audience at Lee's graduation, I can't believe it's been four years since he went off to Berkeley. I mean, obviously it has, I've had my own graduation and I've just finished my first year of law school. But it blows my mind a little bit. I still have this image of Lee as an annoying 16 year old in my head.

Of course when I think about Lee at 16, I can't help but think of Elle then too. They were such a package deal up to that point and then I had to go and kiss her at the stupid kissing booth. Not that I hadn't thought about it before then. But my better judgment had always stopped me from crossing that line.

The kissing booth had just given me the excuse I needed to actually see whether there was something there. To see whether she'd felt the same spark, or whether it was all a figment of my overactive imagination, free from the larger than normal consequences if she didn't. Then the reality had been so much more than I'd ever imagined and I hadn't been able to resist kissing her again when she lifted the blindfold.

I was able to downplay it in front of the crowd, but I'd hung around the carnival waiting for her to close up the booth. I wanted to tell her that it wasn't just a kiss. She'd taken off though before I could get out of the conversation I was using as cover and when I caught up with her she hadn't wanted me to take her home. I'd sort of thought at that point that maybe she hadn't felt the same things I had, that maybe I'd read it wrong.

When we got to the gazebo, I tried not to look at her, to keep some distance. Self preservation was kicking in. Then she'd launched herself at me and caught me off guard. My mind hadn't been able to process what was happening, but lucky for me my body had taken over and I couldn't stop kissing her. It was all the corny things they say in romance novels. Electric, overwhelming, fireworks. But it was also deeper than that. It was Elle.

I shake my head slightly to clear my thoughts, sitting up straighter in my chair. Thank god I was wearing sunglasses against the glare. I hadn't let myself think about that night in a long long time. With good reason, because now I felt like I had a fist-sized rock lodged in my chest.

The speeches were coming to an end and soon the graduates started making their way across the stage to collect their diplomas. Lee's name was called about a third of the way through and he hammed it up a bit for the camera. Mom and Dad stood and clapped, and I whistled loudly. He was my kid brother after all.

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"Ugh, how long was I out for?" Lee said sleepily from the passenger seat.

"About three hours," I replied.

"Where are we?" he asked, looking around.

"Big Sur. I figured we could have the afternoon off, stay the night. There was a motel back on the highway that had vacancies."

Lee looked at me like I'd grown a second head for a moment, before agreeing.

After some lunch we lazed on the beach for the afternoon, going swimming and joining in a volleyball game some local guys had going. It was a good day.

Lee took over driving the next day, which I didn't object to since he wasn't stupidly hungover like he had been yesterday.

I used the opportunity to find out what was happening with him and Rachel.

"Yeah man, it's good. We've been talking a lot and we're both moving back home now, so..."

"So? Have you actually asked her out?"

"No, not exactly. I don't want to spook her, Noah. We're going to catch up later this week for lunch with some of the old Country Day crowd, though. So we'll see how it goes."

"Okay, solid plan. Just don't wait too long, or someone else will snap her up."

"Yeah, okay." Lee glances over at me but I turn my head to stare out at the Pacific, effectively ending the conversation.

I spend the rest of the week hanging out at home and at the beach, sometimes with Lee, other times with friends from football or school. I'm glad to see Rachel and Lee have seen each other couple of times, and I enjoy the chance to catch up with her as well. The day before I head back to Boston, I have lunch with a couple of friends from Harvard who moved back here after graduation.

Turns out Ben and Jessica have just got engaged, so I congratulate them and ask about their plans. Apparently they're putting off having the engagement party until Jess' sister gets back from a volunteering position at the end of summer, so they ask if I will be around then. I had planned to come back after my own intern stint anyway, so I tell them of course I'll come to the party.

On the plane the next day, the only thought in my mind is how everyone around me seems to be moving forward with their lives, and how mine is in stasis.