The Kissing Booth: New Love

Chapter 24

Days after the confrontation with Mom, Elle and I are still laying low and avoiding our families. Elle is staying away from Lee, for fear he would want her to come to our house where she might see my Mom. I had mostly gotten over the whole incident with my Mom by that point, but Elle was so embarrassed and terrified of running into her. She was even trying to come up with an excuse to miss this week's Sunday lunch. Elle was also trying to avoid her Dad because she felt guilty that she hadn't told him about us now that my Mom knows.

I was in the game room, playing video games by myself, when Rachel and Lee walked in mid-conversation. "Well, just because fixing her up with Hitch didn't work, doesn't mean that we can't find someone else she'll like." I heard Lee say before he noticed me.

"Noah, what are you doing in here? Are you seriously playing Call of Duty right now? I didn't even know you knew what this game was." Honestly, a month ago, I didn't. I had never been into gaming as much as Lee and Elle were. Sure, I knew the games that came out years ago when I was in junior high before I had better things to do like go to parties, but I hadn't really played in several years. I knew this was one of Elle's favorites, so I wanted to learn how to play. "Wow, I can't believe you made it past that part, impressive." I had been practicing for the last two hours to do that. "So, why the sudden interest in video games?"

I want to answer truthfully. I want to tell Lee that my girlfriend loves this game and I'm tired of her making fun of me every time I agree to play with her. Know anyone that sounds like that? Instead, I say, "I was just bored. Thought I would see what all the talk about this game is over. What are you two up to?"

Lee gave me an appraising look up and down before answering. "You know, maybe you can help us." The tone of his voice made me a little worried of what he had up his sleeve. Lee was always one to come up with a grand plan for something or other and they usually had mixed outcomes.

"I'm not sure that's a good idea, Lee." Rachel was giving me the same look as Lee, but with a slight frown compared to the big grin on Lee's face.

"Well, maybe Noah knows someone who would work," Lee looked back at me again, "maybe one of his friends who isn't a jackass."

"What the hell, Lee? You're going to just walk in here and start bad mouthing my friends? What are you going on about?"

Lee plopped down on the couch with Rachel sitting down next to him. I paused my game to hear what he was going to say. "I want to set Elle up with a date for prom."

"What?!" Where does Lee get off trying to decide who my girlfriend dates. I know, it isn't really his fault, since he has no idea she's my girlfriend. Elle and I are ready to tell him, Elle's just waiting for the perfect time when Lee is in a good headspace to hear about us. I'm not sure that's ever going to happen. And now that my Mom knows, we can't hold out too much longer.

Lee starts to explain, "Elle and I have always been each other's dates for school dances. I'm obviously going to take Rach to prom.  Of course I want Elle to go too, but I don't want her to feel like a third wheel with us. She hasn't been giving any of the guys at school the time of day lately." I have to keep myself from smiling, that makes me happy to hear. "So, I'm worried she's not going to end up with a date."

"That's why you tried to fix her up with that jerk, Hitch? You're trying to find her a date, so you don't have to feel guilty? Don't you think you should let her figure that out herself?"

"Hitch isn't a bad guy, Elle didn't even give him a chance. Things worked out so well when the four of us went to Six Flags. Elle seemed to have a lot of fun that day and I didn't feel guilty for spending time with Rachel while we were there. I just thought we could do something similar with prom. That's actually what I was thinking when I walked in. You don't have a date for prom yet, do you? Are you even planning on going?"