The College Room [THE KISSING BOOTH #2 - FAN FICTION]

Chapter Fourteen

"So who is that woman anyway?" I asked Noah, referring to the grey-haired lady from the front desk.

"Rita. Kind of a house mother," he said with a shrug. "Mostly she just sits at her desk and scrolls Facebook. Although, sometimes she checks that we've made our beds."

"I don't think she liked me very much," I said to him, taking a seat on the rigid wooden chair tucked neatly beside his study desk.

"I wouldn't like you either if you totally committed fraud and stole someone else's access key," he said with a laugh.

"Hey! That key might come in useful this weekend," I said with a grin.

Noah smirked at me. "I like the way you think, Shelly," he said. "Now stop messing around, we have things to do."

Noah and I left the dorm hand in hand, and he took me for a proper tour of the campus. I was amazed at the buildings, infatuated with the gardens, and in awe of how happy the students looked to actually be there.

It was nothing like high school.

"God, I just wish I could go here," I said as we made our way through the great lawn, the soft grass bending under the weight of our shoes.

"Apply then," Noah said, squeezing my hand. "You would totally get in."

As much as I wanted to believe it was true, I knew that Noah was only saying it to be nice. Sure, I was smart, but I didn't have the same charisma that Noah did, the thing that made him stand out from the other applicants. I didn't have his personality or the signature smirk that people fell in love with. I didn't have anything extraordinary about me at all, except my uncanny ability to always find myself in awkward situations.

"I dunno about that," I said, sighing. 

"You should at least try," he replied. "Can you imagine how much fun we'd have here together?"

As he led me through the rest of the grounds, I thought about his question and how much fun we'd have if we attended Harvard together. We could go out for breakfast in the morning, arrive to class late because we were having too much fun, catch up for coffee after our lessons at the cute cafe at the corner of the gardens, and then spend the last few days before exams cramming together late at night in the library.

I decided then and there that I was going to make Harvard my first preference.

"I'll think about it," I said to Noah, even though I was already starting to freak out about what I could possibly write in an admission essay to sell myself to the Admissions Board.

We continued to make our way through the grounds, Noah not releasing my hand even for a second. Everything was finally perfect, until a frantic figure appeared at our side on the walkway. A teenage girl stood beside us, her hair frazzled and arms wrapped tightly around a huge duffle bag.

"Excuse me," she said quickly. "I was hoping you could help me out a little."

When I turned to face her properly, I took in her lengthy brown hair and sky-blue eyes. Her skin was flawless, and once again the feeling of inferiority spread through me, just as it had when I was faced with the blonde girl on the plane.

"Sure," Noah replied with a smile. "What's up?"

The girl battered her eyelids at him and smiled in return. "I'm actually lost. I'm trying to move into my dorm today - late start to the school year under special circumstances - but I just can't find it anywhere. Any chance you could point me in the right direction?"

"Yeah, okay," Noah said. "Main college or a sorority?"

"Main. Co-ed. I'm Bethany, by the way," she said.

Noah and I stopped in our tracks and stared at each other. Just a few seconds ago, I was worried about how pretty the girl in front of me was, letting my insecurities get the best of me. But now, my insecurities were gone, and I was freaking out because this girl's room key was sitting snugly in the pocket of my jeans, and the door to her room was about to be changed to Emily.

"Oh!" Noah said, giving me the go with it look that Lee mastered years ago. "I was told about you. Perfect timing, actually. I'm heading back to the dorms now, so I'll take you with me. I'll even organise your room key for you."

Bethany placed a hand on Noah's arm and thanked him. "Wow, you're so sweet!" She squealed.

And just like that, my insecurities were back. 

__________

Author's Note:

EEEEEEEEEEEK do you think Bethany is trouble, or just infatuated with Noah like every other girl? Also, how do you think Elle is going to get out of her lies now that the real Bethany has showed up!? Tell me your thoughts below!