THE KISSING BOOTH INVASION

13. BACK IN TIME

Noah picked me after school.  He had a duffel bag with him and shooed me back into the school to change out of my uniform.  I couldn't help but chuckle because in the bag was my blue bikini a pair of short shorts and my blue button-down shirt. The exact outfit I wore the day he told me he loved me and we made love for the first time.  When I head out to his bike, as usual, there are a bunch of girls around him gawking.  I notice Olivia there and as I am walking up I hear her say "now get lost Flynn belongs to Elle have some dignity ladies."  I look at her and raise an eyebrow before saying "Thanks Olivia"  she looks at me and says "your welcome Elle and I am sorry I understand how you feel now.  With the way I feel for Tuppen I don't like the girls that moon after him."  She turns and walks away.  I walk up to Noah and say "damn those two sure have grown up since last year"  Noah looks at me and says "I think we all have Shelly"  he puts my helmet on (it is officially mine now right before he left for Harvard he had them airbrush Shelly Flynn's girl on it)  then puts on his helmet before climbing on the bike and he turns to me to help me on.  After I have mounted behind him I slide my arms around his waist as he starts the bike and then we drive through the streets heading to the Hollywood sign to be alone.  I never truly realized how much Noah watched me before we got together.  It makes my heart feel as if it is overflowing with love.

When we get to the Hollywood sign he spreads out a blanket puts a picnic basket down and pulls out some sunscreen.  I thought we could just lay out here soaking up some sun and talk before we eat.  I readily agree after applying our sunscreen on we both lay back with our eyes closed and I ask him "Noah, when exactly did you know you loved me"  he asks me "come on Shelly you know I hate that stuff.  Why do you ask"  "please Noah I would really like to know I know when I first fell in love with you.  I will tell you if you want."  "ok but you first please I really need to get the courage to tell you this."

 "O.k.  Well, it was that summer when we were at the fair and those two older boys older than even you started teasing me and Lee.  One of them had even tried to kiss me and Lee stepped in between them and I and Lee ended up being thrown to the ground.  When you came up and punched that one kid so hard he fell to the ground my heart flip flopped.  From that day forward I knew that I loved you and as the years went on and on my love for you grew.  I don't think you realized then or maybe not even now.  That from that day at the fair till now I knew most of the fights you got into were not for the reasons you would say it was because you were protecting me.  Although I always thought it was because you thought of me as your little sister.  I hated that.  Especially that day in the principles office when you actually said it out loud.  I thought my life was over."

"Ah, Shelly baby well it looks like I win.  I remember that day you and Lee were only 9  I was 10 the real reason I hit that guy was because he tried to kiss you.  Even then I wanted to be the only one to kiss you, Shelly.  I always worried back then that you and Lee might decide to kiss to see if there was something more especially when I found out Lee didn't want me near you.  Well, I fell in love with you the year I decided I didn't want to be called Noah anymore by anyone but my parents.  You two were 6 at the time, funny thing is that is about the same time you didn't want to be called Shelly anymore you said it sounded like you were a baby.  I couldn't help myself I always thought you were cute when you got mad so I called you Shelly on purpose you looked up at me and started sing songing my name running around me.  I thought you were so cute and I just wanted to hug you.  When you and Lee collapsed into giggles hugging each other I got really mad. For the first time I wanted to hit my baby brother.  Instead I marched right up to your mom and told her that I was going to marry you and Lee can't have you.  You know Shelly I think she already knew because she looked at me and said: "I know sweetheart I know."

"I looked at him "yeah, my dad said something similar to me the night you proposed.  You know how you started really getting into a lot of trouble when she got sick."   "Yes I do, I couldn't take it I was hurting because your mom was so sick just like my mom is to you yours was the same for me.  I hated it what made it worse was that it looked like you were dying inside every time we went to the hospital so anytime anyone said anything about you I lost it.  I didn't want you hurting more because of a bunch of jerks.  I couldn't even comfort you because that was Lee's job."  " Well a couple of nights before she passed away you had just had another fight at school and my dad was telling her about the fight.  He was upset with you he said he told my mom it was hurting him but that he thought he was going have to pull us away from you guys so you didn't influence me.  He told me she looked up at him and said don't Elle is going to change his world one day.  She will make him realize the man he wants to be and make him work to become that man he will take good care of our Elle.  He will never let her become like him, he will never intentionally hurt her, he will change to be more like her like the men around men like you and Mathew."

I couldn't help it I turned away from Noah and covered my face and started crying.  I could feel his hands turn me and pull me close and I hear Noah say "just let it out Shelly I know you still miss her we all do.  It tore our family when she left us and I say our family not just because we consider ourselves one but because of you and me we are making them one.  I want you to know we can talk about Mary I miss her too and I want to be here for you no matter what.  Not only do you have Lee to help hold you together you have me you will always have me I am yours as you are mine.