Page 55 of The Kissing Booth
The past week had gone by way too fast; it was already Warren’s party.
I stood with my hands on my hips in front of my closet, critically looking over all my clothes again. ‘You know what,’ I said to myself. ‘I’ll be going in my underwear at this rate.’
I didn’t really want to wear a dress or skirt – mostly because I’d forgotten to shave my legs – and that limited my ‘party wardrobe’ considerably.
What I really wanted to wear was a sheer black top that was basically backless, with thin crisscrossing straps. The neckline was cut straight across my collarbone, so it was far from low cut; I just didn’t know if it was party wear.
I sighed, rubbing a hand across my collarbone (I didn’t want to mess up my makeup). Did I really care if I wasn’t dressed up too much?
I knew why Ireallywanted to look good.
I wanted to look good for Noah.
But that was silly. To hell with it. I was going to wear the black top, and if I looked out of place, then so what?
I snatched up my jeans. They were pale blue denim, artfully torn in the legs. I pulled on the top too and sat down at my dresser to finish my hair. I still wasn’t really in the party mood, and pulled it up into a ponytail on the top of my head.
I topped up my mascara; I had a few minutes to kill before Lee got here.
Then I got a phone call.
‘Lee, what’s up?’ I asked, immediately sensing something was wrong. Why else would he call?
‘Listen, um... I’m really sorry, but do you mind if... well...’
‘Spit it out already,’ I laughed.
‘Well, Rachel just asked if I could give her a ride because her friend bailed and...’
‘You want to know if you can bail on me to take your girlfriend, like the amazing best friend you are?’ I said dryly, but I was smiling and he probably knew it.
‘Actually, I was just going to ask if you’d mind if we took Rachel too. I wouldn’t ditch you! Give me some credit.’
‘Well, I’ll ask my dad to give me a lift,’ I said. ‘I’ll let you and Rachel be alone.’
‘You don’t have to do that, Shelly! Don’t be silly.’
‘No, it’s okay, Lee, I really don’t mind,’ I told him honestly. ‘It’s okay.’
Before, his relationships had ended because he and I were too close, and his girlfriends didn’t like not being the number-one woman in his life. I didn’t want to spoil things with him and Rachel.
He thought for a moment. ‘Well, I can ask Noah to take you. He hasn’t left yet.’
I heard him shout to his brother as I was saying, ‘No, Lee, don’t – it’s fine, really—’ I broke off with a sigh.
‘Elle? Shelly, you still there? Hello?’
‘Huh?’ I’d totally spaced out, not even hearing Lee talking to me.
‘Noah said he’d give you a ride there, no problem. He’ll be at yours in about twenty minutes.’
‘B-but...’ I protested quietly, weakly.
‘Thanks, Elle. I owe you big time. See you later!’
‘Bye...’
I sighed, letting my cell phone slide out of my hands and onto my bed and burying my face in my hands.
