Disclaimer: Everything recognizable belongs to Jenny Han and associates. I am simply living vicariously through her amazing characters. No infringement meant.
.
From UNC, Love Lara-Jean
by:
loveofwrittenword
"I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious." – Albert Einstein
.
I put up my last wall decoration and stand back to take a look at my creation.
Not to toot my own horn, but I think my dorm room looks quite mature, yet still wonderfully whimsical. Though we aren't allowed to damage our dorm walls, that doesn't stop me from putting my own artistic flare on my room. I want it to feel, light, airy, but like I'm a serious college student.
If that makes any sense…
What I'm left with is quite pretty.
The floor beneath my bed is covered in a shaggy cream-colored rug. I wanted to go with shocking white, but Kitty, Daddy and Trina pointed out the pit falls of that in a college dorm, so I compromised.
Sigh.
On the walls I have teal colored water colors I found at Home Goods. They look beautiful and remind me of somewhere soft, warm and a fuzzy distant place I haven't been before. The concept makes more sense in my head.
Underneath my bed, I've stuffed my suitcase and shoe organizer I found at an estate sale with Peter last month. I'm a lot better at haggling prices now. I've also stuffed my bath stuff and laundry detergent under. Those are items one doesn't need to see and aren't pretty.
To the left of my bed is my built-in desk. On it I've organized my laptop, my school books, all of my pretty school supplies and organized things like bins, dividers and teal colored baskets that have dandelions on them.
My desk chair has a grey fuzzy pillow Gogo bought me from Target.
On my bed, I have a grey, teal and chartreuse colored comforter with matching pillow cases, and more fuzzy pillows that Kitty had to buy for me. She isn't one to be outdone by Margot.
To the right of my bed I have a narrow bookcase in a dark cherry stain that holds more of my books, some knickknacks Trina gave me (one is an exclamation mark, 'to make my point at UNC', and another is a picture frame with the word 'family' written in fancy cursive on it. A picture of Daddy, Trina, Gogo, Kitty, and myself at their wedding sits inside.
The picture takes me back to such a happy place.
The sun had just set and Peter and I had just finished our dance by the Dogwood tree in my yard. My cheeks were stained pink; the wide smile couldn't be wiped from my face for all the money in the world. After Daddy and Trina called me over for a family photo, my fingers had reluctantly let go of Peter's at the last moment possible. Even in the picture, while everyone is looking at the camera smiling, I seem to be gazing into the horizon, smiling softly, wistfully (Trina's word). I had been smiling at Peter, thanking my lucking stars and moon we were back together.
Before leaving, after my family dropped me off at UNC, Trina had pulled out a hurriedly wrapped gift and handed it to me. I could swear there were even flecks of fallen coffee on it Tearing off the paper, I felt tears prickle my eyes, the picture frame and the image of me and my family was a wonderfully thoughtful gift. Of course I had brought a picture of my family, but this one was a gift from Trina and therefore even more special.
"To remember us by, sweetie," she whispered in my ear while giving me a side hug.
"No matter how far you go in this world, and no matter where you may be, your family is always with you. Yeah?"
I could only nod, my throat tight with a lump and tears stinging my eyes.
"And the fact you are staring beyond and looking adorably at Peter," at this I blushed, "is the piece de resistance. Remember that look, Lara Jean. There will be stormy seas head for you both, because that's life, girl, but if continue to look for him and keep him on your horizon, it can work out. I know you are both young, but don't let anyone define your relationship. It's you and Peter. No one else. K?"
"Thanks, Trina. For everything," I all but squeak. My throat was tight still with emotion. "Take care of Kitty and Daddy. They mean everything to me."
She caressed my cheek before putting some stray hairs behind my ears. "As they do to me, sweetie."
I pull from my thoughts and straighten the frame. I'm very blessed with the family I have and the bonds we share.
I even have a Korean white porcelain bottle my grandma bought me while in South Korea. It's delicate, beautiful, and distinctive. Just like me, grandma claimed.
And on a shelf all on its own are pictures of Peter and me. One from Prom, one from Daddy's wedding, one from us lazing around my house on the couch (that Kitty took, wanting to show us how vomit-inducing we looked), and of course my sixteen candle's moment birthday party. Peter had looked particularly handsome by the light of my birthday candles. I know, I'm beyond helplessly in love with the boy.
All in all, I love my room.
I take a quick picture of my room and send it to Peter.
I think it screams Lara-Jean Song Covey.
Serious college student.
I caption it "From UNC, Love Lara-Jean"
.
.
I smile triumphantly as I find my way from my class to my dorm with having to pull out my embarrassing map. I'm not always the best with directions, but Lara-Jean is learning, I think happily.
Students have looked at me funny when I pulled out my map many times this week. I almost felt like Joey in that Friends episode when he was in London and had to go into his map to find his way around.
My roommate Alexandria (Lexie for short) thought it quite hilarious and took several pictures of me. I gave her an evil look, but later asked for the pictures to send to Peter, Gogo and Kitty. I thought they'd get a kick out of it.
'Really Lara-Jean. Unclench…' from Kitty.
'Whatever you need to make yourself feel comfy, sis. Just B U…' from Margot.
'Just when I thought I couldn't heart you more, Covey. But srsly funny as hell …' That's an obvious one
I think I'm finally getting the hang of being a mature college student.
.
.
With the first week of my college career under my belt, I take the first Saturday to sleep in. It feels quite decadent to sleep in until 10:30 am, yet I feel as if I've earned the privilege. I stayed up until two in the morning finishing my reading and assignments for the first week and making quite a sizable dent in next week's reading.
As I sit up and stretch as I look over to Lexie's side of the room. She's already gone. Though it's Saturday, she has practice still. My roommate is in the dance program at UNC. She's a ballerina and quite beautiful. Alexandria H. Courtland is tall, willowy, walks straighter than anyone I've ever seen, has the backbone of a cat it seems (I've seen the girl stretch as if she hasn't a backbone), and a bellybutton piercing.
That could be quite intimidating, but she is super sweet. Funny, talented, and has quite a wicked sense of humor. But don't think she doesn't have her pit falls. Her feet often smell of stale corn chips, they have constant sores on them from the unnatural positions she puts them in with dancing, and can burp louder than anyone I've ever heard.
All in all, we get along quite well. Truly I lucked out in the roommate department. I've already heard girl's arguing down the hall.
Pushing all thoughts from my head, I close my eyes and just smile.
Here I am at UNC Chapel Hill and a freshman at University.
Where does the time go, truly?
As I'm about to fall back asleep, my phone starts to buzz.
Without looking at the screen, I answer it.
"Not up yet, Covey? Already slacking, hmm?"
My heart starts to beat faster and a soft pink flush comes to my cheeks, as if he's caught me doing something naughty.
"For your info," I reply haughtily, "I was up quite late at a party last night and just got home a few hours ago."
I can hear a little disbelief in my boyfriend's laugh.
"You, late night party? Your first week of school?" I can see his charming smile pulling at his beautiful face.
"Yes. My roommate and I went to Franklin St and ended up at a bar. And these frat guys invited us to a kegger they were having last night."
"Is that right, Covey?" my man says unbelievingly, but I can hear a little quaver in his voice.
"Oh yes. You've seen a picture of Alexandria; she's really pretty. Of course a guy is going to ask her out. Anyway, we spent the night drinking away and trying to keep the guys off of us," I finish with a confident flourish. That will teach him to assume about me.
"You're prettier Lara-Jean," Peter whispers in the phone, sending tingles down my spine and goosebumps erupting on my flesh.
"Don't tease me," I whisper back, on cloud nine from his sweet words.
"It's not a tease, babe, when I'm telling the truth." I try not to melt in a puddle of goo.
"Thanks," I say almost shyly.
Two years of dating and Peter K can still render me speechless.
"So you studied late night, right?" I hear the tease in his voice.
My happy Peter haze is officially over.
"Yes, Mr. know-it-all. And did some laundry as well. Happy?"
His robust laughter sounds so beautiful over the phone. I wish he were here, so I could grab him and shut his mouth up with mine.
"With you…always."
"Peter, stop." He is being quite sweet this morning, and the need to brush my teeth is mounting.
"Stop what, babe?" he asks in that disarmingly sexy voice. He really should have come with a warning label. "Giving compliments to my girl? Never. You deserve them every day, Lara-Jean."
"I love you, too, handsome," I mumble through my stained-pink cheeks. I even cover my head to hide my visceral reaction to him.
"Finally, she tells me!" he yells out loud. I want to smack his arm for being so silly.
"You've got it bad, Kavinsky," I hear in the background.
I'm almost the color of a lobster knowing his roommate can hear our conversation.
"Fuck you," is Peter's eloquent reply. They are both laughing.
I would reprimand him for his language, but I have to agree with him on this one. I don't want his roommate listening to us.
"So how was practice this week, babe?" I ask him, wanting to change the subject and listen forever to his silky voice.
"Hard, but getting better. Coach says I'm doing well …"
And on he goes.
.
.
After we hang up, my heart's thumping still from talking to Peter Kavinsky, I sit up and jump slightly mid-stretch from the door banging open from my roommate.
She has a scowl on her beautiful face and I can tell she isn't the happiest. Of course I wouldn't be either having to get to practice at seven in the morning on a Saturday.
"Sometimes I just want to give it all up," she laments dramatically.
I know she's only tired and aggravated. She would never quit dance. We may have only lived together for one week, but I can tell how much she loves dance. Her face absolutely lights up when taking about Ballet. Her side of the room is littered with dancing stuff, posters of famous dancers line her walls, and even her message board is filled with pictures of dance recitals of her past.
"You lie something awful, Alexandria," I jokingly call her out.
She gives me a nasty look before a smile breaks the corner of her lips.
"You're such a pain, LJ. And how many times have I told you to call me Lexie?" You know since we are roommates now, we have to have nicknames for each other." Her hands go to her slender hips. "And I rather you not call me something like Bunny or Sugarplum. Muffin is open to discussion, though."
I giggle hysterically at her.
Truly I lucked out in the roommate department. Especially for accepting and putting in my deposit at UNC so late.
As I get out of bed and head for my desk, I grab my can of Lysol. Jokingly I go over to Lexie and start to spray her feet. She screams from the coldness of the spray, grabs a pillow from her bed and starts to attack me.
We both end up laughing like crazy people.
My first week of college was quite good.
Even if my room now smells too much of lemony Lysol spray.
.
.
AN: So welcome to my little piece of the TATBILB-verse and the after-story. I know, the title isn't original, but it's something I'm quite terrible at doing.
After reading the books and watching the movie, I fell in love with the characters. Jenny Han makes it almost impossible not to. I read an interview where she said she probably wouldn't write another book detailing the lives of Lara-Jean and Peter's time in college and their future. So I wanted to try my hand at giving it a try.
Where this story will go, I'm not quite sure. I want them to tell me where. Jenny Han said she doesn't work with an outline, and so I won't as well and allow the characters their room to do as needed.
Hope you liked the first chapter. Let me know your thoughts if you'd like. And until next time, hugs.