A/N: So I binge read through the first two books, so now have a better understanding of the characters at heart, however, I'm still going with movie-verse reality. So this pretty much picks up from the end of the movie. So thats the deal, any and all events that happen differently between the movie and books, assume what happened was the movie version. I really only write if people feel interested so let me know in reviews if you want me to bother continuing :D

Chapter One

'John Ambrose McClaren...' Lara Jean thought chewing on her straw of her cherry coke. She knew she was just biding her time. It wasn't like she could hide forever, although she wondered...perhaps she could evade him long enough that she wouldn't see him at all. 'After all, he doesn't live here anymore, he'll have to go home eventually...' she thought.

She was partly ashamed of her actions but the relief of avoiding an uncomfortable situation outweighed her guilt, for the moment at any rate. She hadn't seen John since Model UN back in middle school. She wondered how much he'd have changed by now, would she even still recognize him? Maybe, she doubted it, would he even recognize her? Sipping her soda slowly, she tried to shield her mind away from the growing shame of her improptu escape. She thought of Peter, he already knew there were five letters total. She knows she mentioned it once, at some point at any rate. She didn't remember him loving the fact but it wasn't like he was upset. At least he wasn't then.

She figured as today was Sunday, if she could avoid John all day, then undoubtedly he'd have to go back home for school on Monday. She thought about sending a follow up letter in that case. She at least owed him an explanation, even if she wasn't ready to have it in person. With that she nodded, her guilt had been slightly lifted.

She was surprised to look down at her phone and see a text from Peter. She hadn't realized how much time she'd just been sitting there. Judging by the state of her devastated straw and the long empty glass it had been a while.

Hey bae, coach just called for a break, how're you doing? - Peter

She secretly loved it when he called her 'bae.' It was corny and dumb and she loved it all the same.

You dork - Lara Jean

She hesitated. There were no secrets between her and Peter, but all the same, she didn't want him to know just yet, not at least until he was gone and she'd sent the follow up 'Hey, sorry that was a while ago, disregard what you read, et cetera et cetera' letter. She she texted back as normal.

I'm fine, just hanging out. Are you going to be free later? - Lara Jean

She awaited his response. They hadn't been able to hang out at all yesterday, he had been busy with lacrosse and she had to chaperone a sleepover Kitty had with her friends. Kitty's friends were just what she'd expected, just like Kitty – loud, stubborn, but overall good kids. All they had really done was binge watch Gilmore Girls while critiquing her cookie recipe attempts.

Sorry Covey, I have to help my mom out at the shop after practice, she's getting big furniture delivered. I'll call you before I go to bed tho ;) - Peter

She found that now they were official, on the days we couldn't hang out, Peter made it a habit to checkin frequently and call before bed. She briefly wondered if Genevieve made that a requirement, she could picture that. 'Stopppppp brain' she thought and instantly shook her head, 'it is equally possible he just really misses me when we're not together...' She chided herself, she wouldn't let Genevieve ruin this for her.

She decided it was time to go home, sneakily of course. She made it back annoyed and sweaty from the long and indirect route she took home in order to lower the chances of her being seen. Fortunately, her unexpected visitor was no where to be seen. She parked her bike and walked through the front door. Kitty looked up from the kitchen island and rolled her eyes.

"You, Lara Jean, are a coward." Kitty said.

She stepped out her front door the same time Peter arrived. She jogged over to the passenger side and hopped in. Peter automatically leaned over for a kiss and she obliged him. Things with him felt so easy and right. A simple kiss still made her ears burn hot. It made her feel both giddy and confident, two things that used to be very un-Laura-Jean-like. Sensing this, Peter deepened the kiss. She could have melted in the seat right then and there, before she does he pulls back just barely.

Their foreheads still touching he said, "Missed you this weekend, Covey."

"Missed you more." It was true. She wasn't too shy to admit it, at least not anymore, not right now. At this, Peter chuckles, "I'm sure thats not true" he says.

"Thank you for telling me how I feel" she replied back and at this his golden speckled eyes sparkle and a grin forms. "You're welcome" he says. She tried to hide a smile at his trademark reply, he was just too confident sometimes. She feigned offense and started pulling away.

"Coveyyyyy, obviously because you couldn't have missed me more than I miss you." He said with a very exaggerated eye roll.

She leaned back over to peck his cheek, smiling against his cheek she says, "I just wanted to hear you say it. Now take us to school, you know I've never been late and I don't plan on today being the day." He only laughs at this but continues to pull out into the street all the same.

"Anything interesting happen?" he asks suddenly.

"What do you mean by that?" she says nonchalantly but mind racing, 'how on earth could he know? … Kitty...' she thought crossly. It wouldn't have been the first time Kitty blew up her spot. Though she couldn't truly be mad at that time, otherwise she supposed Peter would have never been in her life. She shuddered at the thought.

Peter gave her a funny look, "Kitty's sleepover? No problems with the bunch of preteens running around on a sugar high?"

'Ah. Obviously that.' she thought shaking her head.

"Nope, nothing of interest. Pretty tame weekend. Still haven't perfected that chocolate chip cookie recipe, but worry you not, I will." She replied more casually than she actually felt. While its not like she lied, all the same she was pretty sure if she were to ask Margot, she'd see that as 'lying by omission.' Then again, she thought, Margot was always the better person in that way. Either way, he seemed satisfied with this answer. They were already in the school parking lot.

She wasn't sure if she'd ever get used to the hold that Peter had over the entire school's population. No matter where he went, eyes followed and now they followed her too. They had stepped out of the car and she immediately felt eyes on her. Peter steered them into the school, one hand holding the backpack that hung casually off one shoulder and other clasped with Lara Jean's.

They had only just stopped at Lara Jean's locker when they hear a loud "Move along buddy!" She doesn't even need to turn around to see who it was, she continues gathering her textbooks.

Behind her she hears Peter reply "Yes, Chris?" - she could practically hear the eye roll.

"You heard me, only Lara Jean is required, shoo!" Chris continues. Peter rolls his eyes again, but he knows there isn't even a fight to be had, Chris would win.

He gives Lara Jean one last look before leaning down a considerable amount to kiss her cheek, close to her ear. Before pulling away he whispers, "see you a soon", winks and walks away. Her face blushes furiously, she doesn't even know why, such is the effect of Peter Kavinsky.

She's still day dreaming about his face while Chris continues on, "...cant believe he's back. He is definitely..." she adds an eye brow wiggle here.

"What are you talking about now?" - interest piqued.

"You haven't heard?" Chris asks confused, then shakes her head, "Of course you don't, earth to Lara Jean. There is a world outside Peter."

"Yeah, yeah" Lara Jean says quickly, the first bell is about to ring, she anxiously shuffles. She wasn't really kidding about the late thing. Chris waves her off with a sigh, "Oh go on, I'll pass you notes in World." And thats why she loves Chris, they knew everything about each other, Chris understood her.

No one she knew was in this class, Anatomy was an elective. The classroom was the same used for Bio, rows of two person work station tables as opposed to desks. By the time she had arrived all tables were full save one empty table all the way in the back. She wasn't concerned by this, whenever she had partners in classes like this in the past it always ended up her doing all the work anyway. They had barely begun class when the door opened and the guidance counselor stepped in to talk to the teacher on the side, a couple of 'ahs' and 'mhmms' later they wave in a figure standing in the hallway.

"Everyone, we have a new student joining us today. He actually used to live here a few years ago so some of you might remember him, go ahead and introduce yourself." Mr. Abernathy says.

Everyone's eyes are drawn to the new kid. He's tall is the first thing Lara Jean notices, maybe slightly taller than Peter. He has golden hair and bright blue eyes with a strong jaw to top it off. He was clearly more academic than a football player, but that was not to say he is not fit. He was built more like a swimmer she thought. He was well dressed too, he could have been a diplomat's son the way he dressed, but this was not that kind of school. Taking in all his features, she came to notice one thing in particular.

When she was in the eighth grade, just on the cusp of getting over Peter (there most definitely had been an overlap there), they were all hanging out. At that point, 'they' meant herself, Peter, Gen, Chris, Trevor, and John. They had been playing 7-minutes-in-heaven for the first time. Lara Jean was dreading it, she was still holding a grudge against Peter for kissing her that night in the seventh grade, stealing her first kiss. She would have outright refuse if she had drawn lots with him, Gen wouldn't have let them in any case. He was hers then.

Luck would have it, she got John instead. Now her only panic was what in the world were they going to do for seven whole minutes alone...in a closet. She had really liked John, it was this night she would write him that letter in fact, but she was nervous. She remembered how awkward-sweaty she got.

When it got to their turn, they shuffled into the closet and Lara Jean immediately leaned against the wall and stared at her shoes. They had been in the closet for about thirty seconds of shy silence, when John decided to just go for it, he leaned down to kiss her and Lara Jean had simultaneously decided to swiftly straighten up. The back of her head slammed upwards knocking his face straight into one of the built-in pantry shelving. It left a small scar cutting a thin straight line through his eyebrow.

He had been a good sport, he was a nice guy. This is why she liked him in the first place. They were very alike, grade-conscious, shy, nice, her complement in their group. He was the one who convinced her to join Model UN. He just laughed it off, touching his eyebrow he jokes, "Looks like you left your mark, classic Lara Jean." She never got what she meant, but just like that, the tension is lifted. They spent the remaining few minutes laughing about it together. Whats more is, he never did tell anyone what happened when they came out and asked about the cut. He just smiled softly and said, "none of your business."

There was that scar, just barely visible unless you were looking, just barely slicing his right eyebrow. If Lara Jean thought she could get away with jumping out the window, they were on the first floor after all, and running far – she would have. However, she was in public.

"Hey, my name is John, I grew up around here, looks like I'm back to stay now, funny how much things have changed" he says, Lara Jean could swear he was looking straight at her, but she had long been staring at the blacktop of the table. He looked at Mr. Abernathy to see if that would suffice.

"Go ahead, take that last seat in the back. Lara Jean will be your deskmate."

John makes his way to the only open seat left. Thankfully, as soon as he sat down, Mr. Abernathy wasted no time throwing himself into the lecture. Lara Jean sat there with a prickly scalp feeling, like needles were bouncing off her head. Uncomfortable and embarrassed, Lara Jean maintained a strict radio silence throughout the class, staring straight down and taking notes. She wasn't sure, but she may have heard a chuckle come from her right. She chanced a non-obvious peripheral glance at her new lab partner. He was in fact very amused. It made her furiously blush, she knew she was ridiculous, she knew she was a coward, she knew she should be ashamed of yesterday's escape-through-window escapade. What she didn't know was why she couldn't stop thinking of that almost-kiss.

Mr. Abernathy finishes the lecture. There are only a few minutes left before the bell but everyone had already started packing up. Lara Jean was also on the edge of her seat, ready to bounce the second she could. The bell rings and Lara Jean shoots up from her seat, she was about to step around John, but he pushes his chair out to stand up, effectively blocking her path.

He turns to her, wide grin set in place and says, "Lara Jean, I was hoping to run into you."

Remember folks, I only write more if there's interest. Let me know your thoughts!