Chapter 3 - Fools
A few days after school has started and things begin to flow into a natural rhythm.
Classes (that Peter is struggling a little to get grips with)
Lacrosse (which obviously is natural to him)
Pressing ignore on his dads calls.
Helping his mom at the store.
And as he was about to put Gen part his normaliacy. Thursday afternoon she comes up to at my locker.
Peter greets her with a big smile and is about to try and kiss her but she pulls back.
She has tears in her eyes.
"Gen," he says worried, "What's wrong?"
"Can we talk," she says, "Please." It's almost like a whisper.
Peter nods slowly and tries to take her hand but she pulls away and leads the way.
They end up at the bleachers as there are no people around that general area.
"I was gonna do this over text." Gen sighs as they sit down.
"Do what?" The lump in his throat rises as he realizes that he already knows what's coming.
"Peter I met someone."
Peter just looks at her.
"He's a freshman at UVC," Gen continues and the tears begin to trickle down, "He's 19 and he's majoring in pre law."
Peter didn't know why he was still listening to her because basically it sounded like she was justifying everything.
"We haven't done anything," Gen wipes her eyes, "I mean...like we haven't gone all the way out of respect for you."
"Gee thanks Gen," Peter manages to day's but his voice cracks.
"Peter please," Gen says the tears starting again, "This was a hard thing for me choose to do because you and I have been together for so long. But about a month ago I started thinking are we really endgame or is that something we conceived when we were just children."
"Conceived?" Peter says because that doesn't even sound like a word she would use in her everyday language.
"Yes Brad says that could be the reason why stayed together for so long because we are holding onto child like promises," Gen says.
Ok so face to name, Peter thinks.
Brad.
"I want us to be friends," Gen says in a tiny voice, "You are the only one who gets me…" She takes Peters hands and Peter is frozen, "Can we be friends?"
Peter thinks he is dreaming for a split second and the heavy pit he feels in stomach is just because he ate bad lasagna or something. But every time he blinks she is still sitting there telling him all of this.
Peter sighs and then nods slowly.
She then leans in and hugs him tightly, "Peter I will always love you."
I love you. Peter thinks but still says nothing because he doesn't trust will come out next.
"Kavinsky!" Coach Williams shouts from the track. Peter looks down at the middle aged man, "Why aren't you changed? We have practice? Where's Stanfeild."
Gen answers for me, "Oh I saw Greg coming down with Emily coach. I'm sorry I was keeping Peter."
"Yeah," Coach Williams says gruffly, "I know how you love birds are. Kavinsky why are you still sitting. Go get Stanfield and go get changed. Now!"
Peter stands up quickly like he had been slapped awake. He begins to walk away until Gen grabs his hand and he flinches.
"I'm really glad we can be friends Peter," Gen says hopeful.
Peter sighs and thinks. He could be rude and turn and look at her call her unspeakable names but he wasn't raised like that.
When Peter's dad came out and told him and his brother and his mom that he was in love with someone else, his mom handled it with nothing but grace. She just stood up nodded at his father and told Owen to go get ready for soccer practice and for me to go do my homework.
When his Dad reacted to his mother lack of reaction that's when she turned and said to him "Life must go on Grant."
Peter turned to look at Gen and smiles, "Yeah no problem right. Life must go on...Gen."
Peter is grateful for lacrosse because all it does is distract him. He gets kick the crap out the ball. More so he gets to wear a mask, so no one can see his anger or his tears…
After practice he sits in the locker room getting ready to get home.
"Hey bro," Greg says, "Trevor said something about coming over and playing some video games. We can do it in the pool house that we can get some beers. My sister is town so she can get it for us.
Greg's older sister, Audrey, was Greg's first best friend. She was very much the definition of 'I don't like being friends with chicks they cause drama'. And because she was 22, she loved supporting her brother's very healthy drinking habits. Previously she would be the one to get Greg keg stands and red cups for parties and get their parents out the house, which wasn't hard. Mr Stanfeild loved going to the country club for dinner. Sometimes his parents just checked into the hotel at the club and made a night of it.
"Oh she's in town?" Peter asks.
"Jip," Greg smiles.
Audrey went to Columbia in New York so she didn't come home often.
Peter however, was not in the mood for company.
"Nah," Peter sigh, "I think I'm going to just stay in and hang with Owen."
Greg looks at Peter, "What did Gen do now?"
Greg and Peter had been friends long enough for Greg to pick up when something is wrong. He also knew to ask once and if Peter didn't answer he would let it go.
Peter sighed. People would find out soon enough, "She broke up with me."
"What?"
"For a UVC freshman named Brad." Peter sighs.
"Well then," Greg takes his phone, "More reason to move the party to your house."
"What did you not hear anything I just said." Peter says standing up.
"Uh yeah," Greg nods, "and all I heard is that you finally found a way to get rid of that succubus."
"Dude I'm not in the mood for this." Peter was well aware of the fact that his friends hated Gen and her attitude but still that was the girl he loved.
"Come one nothing major." Greg says, "I know Owen has that sleepover tonight because you told me this on Monday. And your mom is hanging with your aunt up state."
Peter looks at Greg like he has lost his mind.
"We will keep it small," Greg says, "Me, you, Trev and Audrey. We will play PS and drink beer."
Peter looks down thinking that this could be good for him.
"I know it stings," Greg says looking at his best friend sympathetically, "but you're Peter Kavinsky bro...the bounce back is about to be legit. I can see it already."
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