The Kissing Booth: Unavoidable

Part 2 - Chapter 8

"Jason Eaton?  I do remember hearing about the two of you fighting but I heard it was about one of the cheerleaders," I responded, not quite believing Noah's story.  I noticed Aaron at that point was watching us instead of the football game, intent on seeing how this was all going to turn out.  I tried to ignore how interested he seemed in our past.

After looking back at me, Noah finally had the sense to look at least a little remorseful as he answered, "Yeah, I started the cheerleader rumor because I didn't want anyone to know it was over you, especially you and Lee.  Eventually, though, I realized it was better if the guys knew they would have to face me if they tried anything with you."

I continued to watch Noah, my brow furrowed in confusion as I responded, "I still don't get why you felt the need to fight with Jason, he was never a threat to me.  I knew better than to take him seriously, I could have protected myself."

Noah looked more guilty now replying, "I didn't know that then.  I mean, I knew that you could hold your own against Lee and the rest of the guys you hung out with and definitely against me, so I guess I should have realized you could handle yourself with other guys.  But, for some reason, I felt like I needed to protect you."

"I didn't find out about you warning other guys not to ask me out until the next year.  I had no idea you started that early.  I can't believe this never came up, even after we started dating."

"It was after our weekend together that I had this need to protect you.  I knew things changed in the way I felt about you and I thought I could just ignore it, but I still wanted to protect you.  It took me so much longer to realize there was a lot more going on with my feelings for you."

Smiling, I shook my head in disbelief. "You were such an idiot, Noah, it's a wonder we ever ended up together."  I leaned in to give him a quick kiss.

"As long as I'm your idiot, Shelly, that's fine with me," Noah said as he kissed my forehead, then my lips.

Our reminiscing was interrupted by Aaron starting to cheer at the tv and the game we were watching.  The team Noah and Aaron were cheering for had scored a touchdown.  I had forgotten he was there for a minute and he must have finally decided the game was more interesting than me and Noah, I'm sure about the time we started kissing.  Once the game went to another commercial, Noah continued in response to Aaron's earlier question.  "There was another time I got hurt pretty bad playing football.  My junior year at Harvard, against Brown, there was this game where they thought I had a concussion.  I had just earned my spot as a starter, but we had a lineman out hurt and the back-up wasn't stopping anyone.  The defense was all over me every play, I got pretty beat up.  As excited as I was to finally start, it was a miserable game."

Aaron looked over at me nonchalantly and answered, "Oh yeah, Elle, you told me about that one, right?  You were so surprised he started that game.  Did you say it was a late hit that got him hurt?"  My eyes were wide as I shook my head, trying to stop Aaron from saying any more with my look, but he had already gone back to watching the tv as the game came back from commercial and wasn't catching on.

Noah grinned at Aaron, thinking back on his past.  "Yeah, that was my first game as a starter.  The last tackle before I came out was a late hit.  I had already passed the ball before they tackled me."  Suddenly, Noah looked between me and Aaron, very confused.  "Wait, how did you know about that, that was like a month after we broke up?"

Aaron had his eyes on the game and hadn't seen Noah's confused expression.  "Yeah, that was still in those sad break-up days.  I remember how miserable Elle was then.  God, Elle, we spent like an hour on the phone before the game, your friend and I were trying to convince you to go to the game."