Chapter 12- Can't Pretend (Part 2)

Peter searched high and low for Chris.

He could not believe that Lara Jean was making him do this. What was she playing at. Since it was Friday and the ski trip was Monday, most people had skipped school to get ready for the trip or had skipped last period.

Peter was going to play hooky with Greg and Trevor since Trevor was leaving for Malaysia on Saturday afternoon. But since Lara Jean was making it impossible to get her on this trip, he was going to have to bail.

But it seemed like Greg was going to have to bail too.

"Listen," Greg said at the last period by his locker, "This dumb coordinator shit really sucks."

Trevor was standing at the locker too.

"Gen and I have to organize everyone into rooms. Make sure that we have everyone dietary requirements and-"Greg said But Peter interrupted him.

"Hey," Peter said, "Can I see that list of people who are going on the trip."

Greg frowned but took the list out of his locker. He handed Peter the list, "why?" Greg asked.

"You didn't get any cancellations right?" Peter asked looking through the list sighing in relief that Lara Jean Song Covey was still on the list.

"Just Pike," Greg said looking at Trevor who just shrugged at Greg's glare, "Why? Who are you looking for."

"Can someone take someone else's place on the trip?" Peter asked

"Uh I don't know," Greg frowned, "I mean it's not like we pay for these trips, the school does so I can't think why it would be an issue."

"Dude," Trevor frowned too, "Lara Jean is going though?"

"It's not for Lara Jean," Peter sighed, "She won't go unless Chris goes."

Trevor looks confused at this logic as does Greg.

Peter sighs maybe his friends could help him figure it out. So he decided to tell them, "Gen sort of cornered me today."

"Oooh." Trevor and Greg nodded as if they understood.

"She wants to get back together."

"Wait that rumour is true?" Trevor said.

"What rumours?" Peter asked frowning.

"Pammy told me about this." Trevor said casually.

"And Emily told me." Greg shrugged.

"Wait a minute," Peter said, "You and Emily are talking again."

Trevor also looks at Greg.

"As friends." Greg rolled his eyes, "I missed our friendship."

Greg obviously did not want to talk about it so that is when Peter just looked at Trevor and they shook their head.

"Anyway…" Peter said, "So now back to Chris. Can she take Trevor's place."

"Sure." Greg said shrugging, "I'm not taking this shit seriously anymore."

"Don't say that to Gen." Trevor laughed land then looked at Peter, "As much as you have the logistics down I gotta ask, have you even spoken to Chris."

"I still have to find her."

"Well here's your chance now," Greg said, "Here comes the rebel without a cause now."

Peter watched Chris as she walked towards the three boys. Peter wondered if Lara Jean had spoken to her beforehand.

"Pike," She said, "Miss Loren said said I should give you your test back since you won't be here on Monday."

She hands Trevor her test.

"Thanks." Trevor smiles at her but Chris just rolls her eyes before turning around.

"Hey Chris Wait Wait Wait…" Peter said pulling her back. Chris turns and look at Peter, "You feel like going on the ski trip next week?"

"No," Christ snorted, "I don't do school organised events."

"What?" Greg said confused.

"You see Unlike you losers I don't do the whole conforming thing." Chris said and then turned again but Peter held her shoulder.

"Wait," Peter said. Chris turned again to look at Him.

"Ugh," Chris said in a irritated manner, "Can you stop Kavinsky. Wow I've been in Greg's presence for too long. I can literally feel him pulling my brain cells out my head."

"Wow!" Greg frowned and looked at Peter, "You expect me to give her the extra space."

"Shut up!" Peter hissed at Greg.

"Ok Kavinsky you better tell me what's going on before I turn around again to walk away and if you even think of stopping me I will kick you in your balls!" Chris said.

Peter believed her because everyone had seen her do it before to someone on the lacrosse team.

Peter sighed, "Lara Jean wants you to go."

Chris frowned then without saying anything more She turned and walk away. The look on her face then turned into one of understanding yet confusion.

"So you will go?" Peter asked.

Chris turned and walked backwards, "I'll text you."

Peter, Greg and Trevor looked at Chris as she walked away and were completely confused.

"Jip," Greg sighed patting Peter on the back, "Lara Jean is definitely not going."

Peter spent the rest of weekend stressing about the ski trip. He did text Lara Jean but she had not responded but she was generally bad with her phone. So he texted Chris and she just sent laughing emojis.

Peter then decided to not assume the worse and prepare for what could be the best couple of days at the Ski lodge. When he closed his eyes on Saturday night in bed…

All he saw was Lara Jean.

She was wearing a red dress that looked like it came from the olden day's. Her hair was down and messy due to the wind. She was dancing around in the snow and she didn't seem to get cold.

She was smiling at him.

She was laughing with him.

She ran to him and took his hand. Her hands were warm considering how cold it was.

And then she said, "I love you…" Peter has smiles until she continued and said, "Josh."

Peter woke up suddenly and picked up his phone to call Chris again.

"Hello?" She sounded like she was sleeping. Peter looked at his alarm clock, it read: 3am.

"Chris!"

"God Kavinksy!" She groans, "You never called me this much when you dated my fucken cousin!"

"I've been trying to call you all weekend and-" Peter said But Chris interrupted him by saying, "God Can you relax. She's going."

Peter couldn't believe it. He couldn't stop himself from smiling.

"You know what's crazy…" Chris said sighing, "I always thought god I can't believe how in love that love sick puppy is with my cousin."

Peter kept quiet.

"But now I can't even remember a time that you and Gen were together," Chris continued, "now when I think of you,I think of LJ. And I think of how happy you make her."

Without a second thought Peter says, "She makes me happy too."

You can hear that Chris is smiling when she says, "I'll still kick your ass if you break her heart."

"You know I never took those words seriously when girls friends say that to guys." Peter laughs, "But you I know will kick my ass."

"The same way i am going to kick your ass on the bus on Monday for waking me up." Chris said and then hangs up in typical Chris manner.

Peter goes back to sleep smiling.

Sunday morning Peter texts Kitty.

Kitty, where do you get those Koeran smoothies! Also what other snacks should I get for the trip to the ski lodge.

Peter walked into the den where Owen was playing Fortnite.

"Hey want some company?" Peter asked.

"Yeah." Owen smiled and plugged in the extra controller.

They start playing and Owen asks, "How's Lara Jean?"

"She great." Peter shrugged.

"I like her." Owen said simply.

Peter smiles at his brother and says, "I like her too."

They continue to play and then Owen says, "Dad called."

"Nothing new." Peter shrugged. At least five times a week Peter gets a call from his dad.

"I answered." Owen announced. Peter's jaw clenched. Owen was ten when Peter left. He barely understood what was going on. But he did know that he wanted to go with his dad but he wasn't allowed to and Owen was angry that their father had not taken him with.

"Ok…"

"He wants to spend Christmas with us." Owen continued.

Peter felt like his insides were on fire, "What about mom?"

Owen shrugged and looked at the screen.

"Do you want to go?" Peter asked.

"I don't know." Owen says and looks at Peter who Owen can see is upset, "Peter? I'll only go if you go."

Peter didn't want to keep Owen away from their dad. He wanted Owen to feel what he needed to do.

"Hey little bro," Owen said pausing the game, "We shouldn't leave mom alone anyway."

Peter smiles at his brother as his phone buzzes.

It was from Kitty.

"Hey feel like going for a ride?" Peter asked Owen.

Early Monday Morning finally came and Peter drove into the parking lot. The parking lot was already filled with people and the bus. He saw Greg was standing next to an old Miss Lenon ticking the names of everyone. He took the small cooler bag full of snacks along with his suitcase.

He walked up to Greg who looked exhausted.

"Hey G." Peter high fives his hand.

"Mr Kavinsky," Miss Lenon said, "As you can see Mr Stanfeild and I are very busy can-"

"Miss Lenon," Greg interrupted, "Coach said that he had extra gear that we could take with. Some of the lacrosse guys should be waiting for you at the locker room."

"Of course," Miss Lenon grumbled, "William did mention that. Gregory man the lists."

She the scuffles off quickly.

Peter laughs at the frustration on Greg's face.

"I have had enough," Greg sighed, "The moment this bus leaves these school premises, I am turning into someone who forgets what a coordinator is meant to do."

"Where's Gen," Peter asked looking around, "Isn't she meant to be helping you?"

"Since she did the finances of it all," Greg sighed, "I've gotten the manual labour of it all." He then grins and looks at Peter, "But you definitely are winning this weekend."

"What do you mean?" Peter asked confused by his statement.

"Chris is here." Greg said pointing at the bus, "She was actually one of the first."

Peter smiled and was grateful that even though he was worried that Chris may bail because she was at some concert last night, she still came.

"Is Covey here yet?" Peter asked.

"Not yet."

Peter became nervous.

The last time he saw Lara Jean they had had an argument and she had tried to break up with him. She had not answered his texts nor his phone calls. But Kitty was still speaking to him so that was a good sign.

However, Peter vowed that he would spend this whole bus drive working on getting Lara Jean to tell him what's going on with her. More so, telling her that he was done with the pretending too.

Did Peter just think that?

Yes, he thought, you're done Kavinsky. You know what you want. And it's not Gen.

Peter walked into the bus and took a seat close to the front. He saw Chris fast asleep at the back and making no signs of moving.

Tell her how you feel, was all that was going through Peter's mind.

He watched as minutes later the bus began to fill up and people were chattering excitedly about the trip.

Tell her how you feel, he repeated in his head.

Then, an anxious looking Lara Jean walked on the bus and Peter saluted at her awkwardly as a way to indicate that he had saved her a seat.

She looked at him and began walking up the aisle.

Tell her how you feel.

Peter thought she was making her way towards him but instead she walked past him without saying anything.

Peter stood up and stopped her, "Whoa. Hey. Where are you going?"

"I'm gonna go sit with Chris." She said simply trying to sound anxious but her voice sounding off.

"Chris?" Peter looked at Chris who did not look like she would be much company, "Come on, she's sleeping.I saw her Snapchat. She was up all night at this EDM concert thing."

Tell her how you feel.

"That's more reason to sit with her." She said quickly, "Don't want her to go swallowing her tongue or anything." Lara Jean then walked away not allowing Peter to say anything or

...tell her how he really feels.

Gen pops up without warning and looks at the empty seat next to Peter, she looks delighted.

"Is this seat taken?"

"Uh…" Peter looks at Lara Jean trying to gage if she would come back or if she would show signs that she is upset, she doesn't. So Peter shrugs and says, "No."

He then sits down as does Gen.

"I'm glad we are taking this trip." She smiles as the bus starts.

"Why?"

"I feel like things are slowly starting to get back to normal." Gen said and saw the cool bag, "Oh you brought snacks, great I'm starving."

Peter didn't even move, or object or say anything.

All that was going through his mind was…

He should have told her how he felt.

Authors Note

I know this Chapter is short but I am currently writing chapter 13 and will probably have it posted within the next two hours. I wanted to make sure I do a three part on the ski trip!

So stay patient my lovely I am almost done.