*Thank you for the kind comments. I haven't written stories in years so excuse me as I try to find my footing and formatting*

I want to include things from the movie and books,

Disclaimer: not my characters

Chapter 2

Peter watches as Lara Jean leaves him in the hallway after breaking up. He's sad. He wants to tell her so badly that he's in love with her. That he sees Gen as nothing but a friend. Maybe not even that. He was tired of being in her cat and mouse game but despite how awful of a person she was, he couldn't be that mean to her.

The ski trip came and went. Peter found himself with Gen again. Obnoxious as ever. But something changed and both Gen and Peter knew it. For one, they hadn't had a lot of sex. Not for Gen's lack of trying. The few times they did, Peter had to dig deep inside himself to follow through and though he didn't want to admit it, Lara Jean crossed his mind longer than he'd like to admit.

He couldn't understand why he was with Gen anymore. She didn't make him happy and they never talked about anything with substance.

It didn't come as a shock that the last day of school, after lunch, Peter received a text from Gen.

We need to talk. Meet me at the bleachers.

"Great." Peter mumbled to herself.

Teachers didn't care where kids went today. So long as they had some idea that they were staying on school grounds.

Gen was sitting with Emily, who immediately got up and making her way down the bleachers looking at Peter with a "I'd hate to be you right now" look. At this point, Peter didn't care.

"What's up Gen?" He sat down next to her. Hands in his jacket pockets. Even though it was warm outside, it was cold inside and he forgot to take it off.

"Peter. I don't know if you've noticed but something isn't right between us." She waited for Peter to say something but he just looked at her with no emotion in his eye.

"We're not having as much sex as we were, you don't give me input on my outfits, and you don't post about me anymore on Instagram. I haven't done anything wrong. I'm not sure what's happening with you." Wow. For the first time, she was showing that she actually paid attention to him. It didn't matter to Peter anymore though.

"Gen. You're right." She looked shocked.

"After we broke up the first time, I was hurt because you threw away our years together for a college dude that you didn't even last with. My feelings for you changed because I saw how much I really meant to you. You strung me along and I don't even know why I let you do that when I was happy with Lara Jean." Her eyes immediately shoot him daggers.

"I think we should break up." He said standing up and lightly shrugging his shoulders.

"Why? So you can run back to Lara Jean?" She stood up too, arms folded.

"If I do, it's none of your business."

Gen looked shocked. But of course. Gen being Gen, didn't let it show that he had gotten to her. Instead she said, "Fine. I know you won't last with her. You'll always be my sloppy seconds Peter. I'll make sure the world knows it." With a smile on her face, she walked away.

Peter couldn't understand how such a pretty face was so ugly on the inside. Gen's words didn't matter to him though, they didn't even sting. Because they didn't hold any weight for him. Peter walked away happier than ever. He finally had a chance to admit to himself what he'd been feeling for months. He wanted to be with Lara Jean.

Peter rushes to the diner after school remembering that Lara Jean had told him that her and Margot went on the last day of school. He sat in the booth close to window behind the stools because he had a hunch she'd be alone and sit there.

What if Sanderson is with her? He thought. Suddenly, that scenario came to mind and was about to get up and leave when he saw her car pull up. A wave of relief flooded him when he saw she was alone. Come to think of it, she had been driving a lot since they broke up and she seemed to not be so anxious about it anymore.

She was wearing a red peacoat because despite it being the start of summer, Virginia still had chilly nights. Her hair was up in a ponytail with a pink bow. She was wearing a pink cami under a beige cardigan and moss green skinny jeans, paired with black flats. He loved her style.

She didn't see him.

He never felt like he needed courage for something until it came to Lara Jean. So he pulled himself together and said, "Hey Covey."

He watched as her eyes and head stared straight ahead as she registered who said her name. She composed herself and turned to face him.

"Hi Peter." Lovelier words had never been spoken.

"How have you been?" He didn't know what to say in this moment but he was happy she was here and so was he.

She gave him that cute side smile and said, "As good as I can be. I heard about Gen. I'm sorry. I know how much you like her and I hoped things worked out between you guys after... us." He could instantly see how she second guessed herself and started to explain herself when Peter cut her off.

"Liked." He said this with no sadness in his voice. But he wanted Lara Jean to know. She stared at him. What he would give to peek inside her mind that moment.

He knew this was his chance. He had to tell her. But why was it so hard?

"Lara Jean, I want to ask you something but I don't know why I can't." She looked at him intently, hands in her lap.

"You know you can talk to me about anything, Peter. Surprisingly I opened up to you more than I did with anyone else."

This made Peter happy and scared. Was this growing up? Finding someone you could talk to, be an open book with? He smiled at her.

"I broke up with Gen because I'm in love with you Lara Jean." He tried to read her reaction. Her eyebrows raised, she looked away. Had he made a mistake?

"Oh." Was all that Lara Jean said. She turned her face to look at her phone before looking back at him. Peter was actually embarrassed that she didn't react the way he'd hoped. But what did he expect? Bells and whistles? For her to immediately jump in his arms and kiss him? The latter, he decided.

"I thought you were going to ask me to be your fake girlfriend to make Gen jealous again." She said and looked at him with a smirk before they both started laughing like they'd been friends all this time.

They were interrupted by Joan. Who had been watching them and saw this as the perfect opportunity to take their order. Maybe she saw the awkwardness and tension lifting.

"What can I get you two today?"

"I'll have a chocolate shake," Peter said.

"Can I get one too, please?"

Joan smiled and walked away.

"So what do you say Lara Jean?"

"I mean, what am I supposed to say? That I've liked you all this time and hoped this exact thing would've happened months ago?" Peter gave her a look of Well, yeah.

"That's exactly what I wished would've happened months ago." She said before turning away again, the smile fading from her face.

"What's the matter? If this is what you wanted, why does that make you sad?" He said, concerned.

"It's just that, I like you Peter. I've liked you for months. But like I told you before, the more people you let in, the easier it is for them to walk out. I'm scared to enter whatever this is leading to with you knowing it was so easy to break." She was facing him again but not looking at him. She looking at the her hands.

Peter felt guilty. He knew why Lara Jean closed herself off to new people. The fact that she categorized him and was using him as a reason to keep herself closed off made him sadder than the day they fake broke up.

Peter moved to the stool next to her and took her hands in his.

"Lara Jean, I never wanted to hurt you. I loved you before we broke up. I was scared of how I felt because even though I had been with Gen for years, I never felt so strongly about her as I do for you."

She looked up at him. He leaned in and kissed her. He'd been wanting to for so long. Sure, he had kissed her three times before. Once in 7th grade after a party, the second time after she tackled him to the ground to avoid Josh, and the third time when she agreed to be in a fake relationship. This time was different. Because it was the beginning of a real relationship, or so he hoped.