Page 110 of The Kissing Booth
Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it.
Say it say it say it.
Don’t say it don’t say it don’t—.
‘I really like you, Shelly.’
Something washed over me – relief, I’m sure. Not disappointment. Definitely not disappointment.
I smiled at him. ‘I like you too.’
He leaned forward slowly to kiss me. It wasn’t the heated kiss we usually shared. Nothing close. But even though it was a soft, intimate kiss, it still had all the fireworks and the intensity.
I pulled away first. ‘Noah... everyone’s staring,’ I mumbled, my face burning.
‘So?’
I bit the insides of my cheeks. ‘It’s... weird. Plus, some of these girls might burn a hole in my head the way they’re looking at me.’
‘Tell me about it. Some of the guys look ready to rip my head off.’
‘What?’
He looked at me like I was stupid. ‘I’m here with the most gorgeous girl there is. Don’t you think they’re just a little bit jealous?’
I blushed all over again. ‘I don’t know...’
‘Seriously, Elle, trust me on this. You’re beautiful.’
A smile spread over my face along with a blush this time. I would never, ever have imagined Noah Flynn using the word ‘beautiful’ to describe a girl. It sounded so strange coming out of his mouth, but in a good way – the best way.
‘I made you blush...’ he teased in a sing-song voice, his lips brushing over my cheek.
I swatted his back. ‘Shut up. At least I don’t wear Superman underwear.’
‘Ha-ha,’ he said sarcastically. ‘Come on.’
He grabbed my arm and pulled me out of the ballroom into the lobby, and then into a small alcove with a large potted fern. He pulled me behind the fern and pinned me to the wall, a hand on either side of my head.
‘I have been waiting all night to do this,’ he whispered, and his lips came down onto mine.
When we finally went back in, Noah was immediately swept away by a couple of the jocks to grab a drink with them – and the girls had me surrounded.
‘Oh my God, Elle! Why didn’t you tell us?’
‘How long has this been going on, anyway? You should’ve said something!’
‘Ooh, you’re so lucky, Elle! I can’t believe it. Flynn has an actual girlfriend?’
‘You have to tell us everything!’ Jaime shrieked, gripping both my wrists and making me sit down at a table. ‘When did this all start, then?’
‘Uh... It’s complicated...’
‘What, were you dating before, or something?’
‘No, but...’
‘Ugh, you’re, like, the luckiest girl ever, you know that? Do you know how jealous we all are of you? I mean... it’sFlynn!’
