TKB - The Time Apart

Chapter 11 - Noah's Senior Year

Noah POV

Senior year is basically the same. One major difference is my awesome new internship. My dad's friend - the partner from the firm I was at last year - has a partner that works in sports law. Basically, they help represent the players unions, defend the players, assist in sponsorship deals, etc. Honestly, this is probably the best place for me, and I'd be really lucky to land a job here after graduation.

Another difference is that in addition to being the starting QB, I'm also now the captain of the football team. I guess its pretty standard for a senior QB to have this role, but in high school, the guys just looked up to me for makeout advice. Now, they're looking to me to be a real leader, and I'm ready to step up.

One of our games is actually at Brown. I knew it was definitely possible to see her, but Rachel surprised me by meeting me outside the locker room after the game. She and I were never really that close, but I knew she was a really great girl, and I kinda feel like Lee messed that one up with the whole bucket list thing too. I know that they broke up because of the distance, but I know how much time he poured into that bucket list that summer, and I can't help but think that Rachel must have felt as cast-aside as I did. So, it was really nice to see her friendly face. Plus, I hadn't been home in a while, so seeing someone familiar was actually comforting.

The team wasn't scheduled to go back until the next day, so Rachel invited me out to dinner with her roommates. Apparently, there is something in the water at Brown, because all of her roommates are extremely attractive. Its been so long since I've ever had any interest in anyone, but maybe tonight would change that. I spent most of the dinner chatting with Addison. If it wasn't for Rachel sitting next to me, I feel like I might have forgotten all about Elle for a change. But, for once, I'm not going to let that stop me, because it was nice talking to her. At the end of the night, I asked her for her number, and I decided then and there that I was going to call her.

Knowing that Addison lived with Rachel was both a positive and a negative. The positive was that I had someone close to her already, but the negative was that Rachel knew all about my history. Fortunately, she was supportive of the whole thing. I talked to her after I got back to Harvard and asked if she minded if I asked out Addison, and she actually seemed pretty excited about it. I know deep down she knows I'm a good guy - so I hope she'll put in a good word for me. Plus, Brown is only an hour away after all.

I ended up calling Addison a few days after we met - you know, that whole stupid 3-day-rule and all. I didn't want to seem too needy. That upcoming weekend, I had a football game, and I wouldn't be able to make it down to Brown to take her out. However, the following week was a game-free weekend, so I asked her out on a proper date. I talked to Rachel, and she helped me pick a nice, but not too fancy restaurant that she knew Addison would like. Again - its nice to have someone on the inner circle. Our dinner date went really well, but I was a gentleman and didn't make any moves. Remember, I'm not that "make-out guy" anymore. I walked her back to her dorm room, and headed back to Harvard, and may or may not have taken a cold shower that night.

An added benefit of this new relationship is that I actually started up a friendship with Rachel. Sure, we had hung out before, but it was always just as Lee and Elle's other halves - never as Noah and Rachel. She's a pretty funny girl, and I enjoy talking to her too. I know she misses Lee, and I've shared a little bit about what he's got going on, but I don't want to make her feel bad. I made a point of not sharing Lee's relationship with Lisa from last year.

Addison and I continued to date all through my senior year. I'd head down to Brown for a weekend, and she'd come up and visit too.  She came to some of my football games, and I hung out with some of her friends at Brown too. 

Its different than dating Elle.  With Elle, things were easy.  Other than that summer at the beach,  I never felt like I had to put in 'work' with my relationship with Elle.  Its not that I didn't have to put in effort, its just that we were just as content watching a movie at home on the couch as we were going out to dinner or a movie.  With Addison, I have to make a point of planning activities, things for us to do, places for us to go.  She's not high maintenance - however, she is high energy.  Sitting at home watching a movie is not her style.  She'd rather be out at a bar, walking around a museum, going to a sporting event.  Sometimes it can be a bit exhausting, but I do like her, and we're only together some weekends, so I have some balance. 

I had fully intended to come up for Christmas break this year, but there's been nothing but snow for the past week.  It just was too difficult to keep rescheduling my flight, so hopefully, I'll visit home soon.  So, while I was stuck, yet again, in Boston over winter break, my parents shared the news of Mike's engagement to Linda.  I hadn't actually met her, but I was happy for them.  I remembered how Elle felt about her, but I realize that was actually years ago at this point.  I thought about reaching out to her, to see how she was dealing with it, but I held back.  Joni and I had been close, but Mike always scared me, especially when I was dating Elle, but I wanted the Evans family to be happy, as they were practically my own family.   Rather than texting Elle, which I really did want to do - I sent Mike a quick text congratulating him, and sending him my best wishes.  

I  finally got to go home for Spring break, even if it was just for a few days.  Being home without Lee was weird, but I knew he was having a great semester in London.  I finally had a chance to meet Linda when my parents invited them over for dinner.  I liked her, and I could see that she made Mike happy.  Things were a bit awkward between he and I, I did break up with his daughter after all, but I'm glad that we can at least be in the same room together.  It was nice to deliver my congratulations to them in person. 

As the year went on though, with my surprisingly amazing LSAT scores, I needed to figure out my next steps for law school. I applied at all of the big names - Yale, Stanford, and even here at Harvard. Stanford would bring me back to California, but I wasn't sure I was ready to head back there yet. Yale and Harvard were both killer choices as well. I knew that there were no wrong choices, so when I ended up with acceptances to all three, it was a really tough choice.

I went back to my peaceful spot that I found last year, to see if it would help me make a decision.  I had made a conscious decision not to bring Addison here.  I did that with Elle back home, and I wanted to keep this place all to myself.  I sat there for most of the afternoon, just enjoying the quiet, debating on where my life would take me next.  

Ultimately, I think I'm headed to Yale in the fall. I've been there, done that with Harvard, and I'm not ready to move back across the country just yet. Someday, maybe, but not now. Plus, Yale is still only 2 hours from Brown - so Addison and I can continue to see each other.

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My college graduation is here, and I can't wait.  I've put in so much work, and even though I know there's MUCH more work to come, I'm proud that I've survived 4 years at one of the hardest, if not THE hardest school in the country.  

My parents and Lee are coming to the actual ceremonies - there are actually 2.  One is for my major, and the other is the whole school commencement.  I'm looking forward to my family seeing me walk across the stage to receive my diploma.  Lee was headed back to the US for the first time in months, so I'm curious to see how London has changed him.

After the ceremonies, we'll be headed out to a nice dinner to celebrate.  This will also be the first time my parents will be meeting Addison, and not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous about that.  Other than Elle, my parents have never really met anyone that I've dated - probably because I've never really 'dated' anyone other than Elle.  I don't know what will happen with her in the future, but, we're hopeful that we'll stay together while I study at Yale.  

Then, there's my surprise.  Addison isn't coming to dinner alone...

A/N:  Who do you think is coming to dinner?  Give me your guesses in the comments!  

Also, over 1,000 reads?  That is crazy to me.  Thank you for your support and your comments....They really help me push forward and keep writing.  Thank you for the motivation!!!