Page 117 of The Kissing Booth
‘That’s in, like, an hour.’
I nodded. ‘I have to go get ready...’ Numbly, my legs feeling wooden, I went up to my room, feeling in that dream-like, dazed state. Dad was busy working in the lounge, and Brad had gone to the local park with some of his friends. Lee jogged up the stairs after me.
‘Hold on, what do you think is going on?’
‘He’s breaking up with me, isn’t he? I mean, we only just started going out officially... and now he’s going to end it, right? That’s what people say when they want to break up. They say, “We need to talk,” and then they say, “It’s not you, it’s me,” and—’
Lee snapped his fingers right in front of my face, making me jump since I hadn’t expected it. ‘Calm down.’
‘Sorry...’
‘Look, maybe he just... wants to talk. Maybe he’s not going to break up with you. I don’t see why he would.’
‘But – but then he’d have told me, wouldn’t he? He’d have said, “Don’t worry, we’re not breaking up.” Oh, God, what do you wear for someone to break up with you?’
I started rifling through my closet and drawers, looking for something to wear. I was serious – should I wear something really cute and make him think twice about dumping me? Should I wear what I already had on – my old denim shorts and purple tank top – so it looked like I didn’t care that he was breaking up with me?
I decided not to get changed but to put on a bit of make-up.
‘Elle, chill – he probably doesn’t want to break up. He’s crazy if he does.’
‘Thanks, Lee, that’s really reassuring.’ I picked up my eyeliner, but my hand was shaking too much, so instead, I threw myself down on my bed, covered my face with my hands, and gave a cry of frustration.
I knew I’d gotten too close to Noah. I just hadn’t wanted to believe it. I’d thought that by telling myself it wasn’t possible, that would make it true. That by telling myself I wasn’t getting in too deep, it would mean I hadn’t... hadn’t fallen for...
I wondered just how long I’d felt this way about him. Now – now, when I finally realized, he was about to break up with me.
Even Brad had known before I did. And Lee... he knew. That’s why he kept giving me those weird looks. My dad and Rachel had guessed it too; those looks on their faces made sense now. Was I really the last one to realize how I felt?
I’d known, though, deep down; I was just too scared to admit it to myself.
Logic told me he definitely didn’t reciprocate; he was about to break up with me.We need to talk... I gnawed on my lip.
I felt Lee’s hand on my knee; when I opened my eyes, he was leaning right over me, his nose an inch from mine, his big blue eyes staring straight into mine. I stared right back.
‘Lee...’
‘Mm?’
‘We have a problem.’
‘Mm?’
‘I think...’ I gulped, looking him right in the eyes. ‘I think I might have fallen for him.’
‘Atlast. Jeez, I would’ve thought that was obvious when you agreed to go to the dance with him. No one in their right mind would’ve agreed. I was waiting for you to tell me when you’d said he was your date to the dance.’
‘Wait – you knew, and you didn’t tell me?’
‘I thought you had to figure it out for yourself... Okay, okay,’ he admitted, seeing my skeptical look. ‘I thought you wouldn’t admit it.’
‘How did you know before I did?’ I said stupidly.
‘I’m your other half. The Ashley to your Mary Kate, the Thing One to your Thing Two,’ he added with a smirk.
‘Lee, what am I going to do? He’s going to break up with me...’
Lee shrugged. ‘I don’t know what to tell you, Shelly. Except that it’ll be okay. And you know why? Because you’ve got me. I told you – whatever happens, I’m here for you. Whether you get heartbroken or – or pregnant, or what.’
