Flynn - a kissing booth fan fiction

Sounds

"No!" I laugh. "My point being, that if you don't get into Berkeley, maybe you can come to school here. With me. I'd like that."

Elle's eyebrow quirks up and I catch the smile before she starts to downplay things. "Um... Okay, yeah, maybe I'll think about that."

"Maybe. Maybe you'll think about it. Okay, you can just think about it. You know, all the books you have to read if you go here, though, seriously... It's ridiculous. I swear the professors think up new tortures on a daily basis..." I trail off, noticing that Elle's attention is elsewhere.

"Okay, well, I should probably let you go. It's like, pretty late for you, huh?"

"Yeah, I guess." The truth is, I'll probably spend another two or three hours reading after I get off the phone with Elle.

"Well, goodnight."

"Sweet dreams, Elle."

Her face disappears and the pang in my heart feels real, and sore.

********

I've been dreading this morning. My first class today is Organic Chemistry 1A, and, just over two weeks in, I'm already regretting my decision to take it. As we all file in, the teaching assistant hands each of us our lab allocation, directing us where to sit. We won't start practical labs until next week, apparently, so I guess that's one thing to be grateful for. Second bench from the back, in the middle, I note, moving in that direction.

There's a student already sitting there, and she gives me a wide smile as I take my seat.

"Hi, I'm Chloe Winthrop. Guess we're going to be lab partners," she says in a pleasant British accent.

"Guess so," I grin, holding out my hand. "Noah Flynn, but most people call me Flynn."

Chloe keeps smiling as she shakes my hand. "Yeah, well, I'm not most people, so I probably won't."

"Okay, then," I nod. Somehow I get the feeling she's not someone to be messed with.

"So, where are you from, Noah Flynn?"

"LA. You?"

"Ah, London, by way of New York, I'm afraid. Freshman?"

"Yeah, how did you know?"

She laughs lightly. "Something about the look on your face when you first walked in. A distinct combination of being slightly dazed and full of dread. Common to a lot of first years here, I've noticed."

"Great," I frown.

"Cheer up, Noah. I promise it gets better."

"Really?"

"Really, truly."

"I take it you're not a freshman, then?"

"Nope, sophomore. I should be a senior by now, though. Took a gap year when I finished school, then started a degree back home. Decided it wasn't for me, though. Eventually, I applied here, and well, here I am."

"Right." I'm about to ask more questions, but the professor clears his throat, starting the lecture and effectively putting an end to our conversation.

Nearly two hours later, my brain feels like it's about to explode. Everyone's fingers are flying over their keypads, as we try to keep up.

"So, that will just about do for today," the professor says, and I swear there's a collective sigh of relief around the room. "Gregory, my TA, will now hand back your marked papers from last week's pop quiz. Remember, this is a good early indication of how you're tracking with the fundamental subject matter, and whether you need to put in additional effort now, to save yourself headaches towards the end of the semester. If you have any concerns, please come and see me during the scheduled consultation hours. See you all on Thursday."