The Election Connection

Chapter 13

What?
As I stand there in disbelief, Noah gets up from his lunch table and walks over.
"You wanted to talk, Beck?" he asks, snapping me out of my trance.
"Yeah, but..."
"The announcement?"
"Good guess," I laugh nervously.
"Well, when we were in the park, talking about the election, I realized how much you deserved it. I mean, you had all these great plans, and you seemed so passionate! I only signed up because I felt pressured to do so, and the fact that I, someone who barely even cares about the election, could win didn't sit right with me. It just seemed fairer for you to win. And then, on Monday, after Lucas and Isiah said those FALSE things about me using you, I knew the only way to prove that it wasn't true was to drop out. So, I did"
"They just made that up? The 'you using me' part?" I question, confused.
"Yeah. That's why they're not sitting here anymore," he gestures at his lunch table. "They clearly don't know me well enough if they thought I would ever play with someone's emotions like that. And to congratulate me for it? I don't know how I ever surrounded myself with people like that."
I can feel my heart pounding, but I'm trying not to get my hopes up. Just because he wasn't using me doesn't mean this relationship will still work out
"I wanted to talk about...us," I hesitate. "I've loved spending this time with you, but our 'relationship' was a lot different before we started working on the project together two weeks ago. We went from barely having had a full conversation with each other to making out in less than a week.  I don't understand what changed. Since you moved here, you've been so flippant towards me, and now you've just suddenly switched to being nice to me? I just want an explanation."
"I..." he pauses. "I haven't had the best way of showing it, but I've liked you for a long time. Since sixth grade, when I first saw you, you made my heart beat faster. I couldn't help but notice your intelligence, your confidence, the way you held yourself. It made me nervous, and every time you tried to speak to me, I felt my face get red and my hands start to shake, and the only way to escape those feelings was to escape the situation. I would run. That was definitely wrong of me, and I know it couldn't have made you feel good either. But Beck, it's always been you. Every date I've been on, every guy I've seen, I would inadvertently compare them to you. This year, when we were put next to each other in science, it just felt so much easier to say something not-so-nice to you because I could tell myself 'This isn't a crush, it's a rivalry.' I don't why you make me do stupid things, but you just have this power over me. You can't really lie to yourself forever, and after our time at the ice cream place, I just couldn't hold it in anymore. So, I kissed you.
"Look, I'm sorry," he begins to walk away. "I shouldn't have treated you like that then, and I shouldn't have treated you how I did this year either."
I grab his hand and pull him back.
"Noah, it's okay!" I tell him adamantly. "Maybe I felt that way before, but that's because I didn't know you! I know you now, and who you are is someone kind, someone a little shy, someone who is really caring. You've made me feel comfortable these past couple weeks. I can't let you go."
He looks at me with those fierce blue eyes, and my heart skips a beat. He laces his fingers through mine.
"Noah?" I say, waiting on a response.
I gaze into his eyes, and as the leaves fall from the twisting branches of the birch tree above us, he leans into me, planting a sweet kiss on my lips. A kiss that is full of passion, full of life, and full of unspoken words. Our kiss is a Sorry, a Thank You, and a We'll be okay, all wrapped in one. Noah pulls away, with a smile.
"Hey, you're wearing my shirt," I point at the yellow star in the corner of the shirt I gave to him after he spilled ice cream all over himself.
"Yeah, it's really soft," he replies sheepishly.
I give Noah a sly smirk.
"So, President Beck," he says teasingly. "Now that your Fairy Tale Dance plan will be in action, can I be your prince?"
"Are you asking me to be your date?" I tease him back.
"Only if you'd be willing to stoop so low as to have a civilian be your boyfriend, Mr. President."
"I'm willing to risk my reputation for you," I say with a pompous grin.
"Well in that case, give me another kiss. Boyfriend" Noah says, and he rests his head on my shoulder, our two hearts beating as one.