Chapter 13- Can't Pretend (Part 3)

Peter was ecstatic when they finally reached the ski lodge. Gen had not bothered him that much as Emily was sitting next to Greg, so they had engaged in a conversation.

More so, Emily's hand was on Greg's Leg and he didn't seem to mind.

Peter has peered a couple of times to look at Lara Jean but she just looking down as a book while Chris was fast asleep on her. A few times Gen would interrupt him gazing at her and a few times Greg would tell her:

"Gen you do know Covey is his girlfriend right?" Greg frowned and Peter would look at Greg not sure how to react to the defenses

But then Gen would simply say, "For now."

So when the bus finally came to a stop in front of the lodge, Peter didn't waste time grabbing his stuff and walking out the bus.

Gen had to tell Greg where to get the hotel cards anyway and give him forms.

"Then just tell everyone what their assigned rooms are." Gen said simply.

Peter heard Greg say, "Fuck that!"

"What do you mean fuck that?" Gen said. Peter turned to watch their interaction.

"Look don't worry about," Greg said, "I'm going now to get the key cards. You will give Miss Lenon hers. She's upstairs already inspecting the rooms."

"And what will you do?"

"Get the other key cards to everyone else," Greg said simply, "Trust me this is a bullet proof plan."

Peter grinned and turned away from them.

Peter walked into the lobby with other guys from the lacrosse team who seemed to arraigning booze.

"Yo Kavinsky you in?" Jason asked.

"Yeah," Peter said high fiving him, "Talk to Greg too I know he'll be keen."

"Yeah," Jason laughed and walked with the other guys to the bell boy. They dumped their bags. Peter walked into the warm lobby and could not help but look at the ceiling in awe.

Every time Peter came here, he couldn't help but take in how beautiful this lodge was. People were starting to move in including, Lara Jean and Chris. Lara Jean had not even bothered to look in Peter's direction.

Greg has walked in with the key cards with large smile on his face. Peter sat on the arm of the couch and watched as his friend made his announcement.

"They said, 'Greg, make sure everyone

sleeps in their assigned room.'" Greg smiles and flashes the cards to everyone, "And I said, 'Overruled,

sleep where you want, sluts.'" He then threw the cards up in the air.

Peter turned to his best friend who picked up a card and smiled.

"This is your plan," Peter grinned, "Letting people go wild."

"Should you be thanking me," Greg said, "You can literally chill with your girl without the worries and woes of any interruptions, curfews, crazy exes and-"

"See you on Black Diamond, Peter?" Gen says From up stairs next to Emily. Peter looks at her and frowns, "Last down the slope owes the other

a hot toddy."

Even though what she was saying was innocent, the way she said it made the connotation much worse.

Peter looked at Lara Jean who looks a little...hurt?

"Speaking of crazy exes." Greg said looking between Gen and Lara Jean, "What the hell is going on?"

Peter sighs and then looks at his best friend, "I have to tell you something."

Peter then turns to see that Lara Jean is smiling again but now with Lucas James and Chris. She has taken books out of her bag and Lucas James arm is linked to hers.

Peter wished his arms were linked to her.

"I have to speak to you now!" Peter grabs his friend and they go to a bedroom to go get ready to hit the slopes.

"It was fake the whole time!"

It did not take Peter and Greg long to get into their gear and get to the start of the slopes.

It also did not take long for Peter to tell Greg the story and for Greg to Facetime Trevor and clue him in. Trevor was all the way in Beijing for a layover before flying over to Malaysia and then going to the village where his grandparents live.

"Can you keep your voice down!" Peter said looking around and finding that only a few people had made their way to the slopes.

"Dude," Greg said frowning, "What the hell!"

"I second that well done," Trevor said from the cellphone, "Just in a calmer way."

"Ok let's see if we have this right," Greg said, "You and Gen broke up," Peter nods, "Then you and Lara Jean started to make her jealous so that you could get back together with Gen," Peter thought about how it sounded and realized that this sounded like a terrible movie or awful romantic book, "You want that satanic succubus back."

"Wanted." Peter sighed.

"Wanted?" Trevor and Greg said confused.

Trevor then smiled and said, "You don't want Gen back."

"Dude did you not hear what he just said," Greg said frowning at the phone, "It was all part of the plan why would-"

"Are you that dumb G," Trevor laughed, "Home boy is feeling Lara Jean."

Greg looked at Peter who was grateful that he was wearing his googles so they could not see his reaction. Peter just keeps quiet.

Greg then smiles and looks at Peter, "Thank god!" Greg laughs, "Lara Jean is amazing dude."

"I know." Peter sighs, "But I don't think she likes me."

"I beg to differ," Trevor said smiling, "I see the way she looks at you. I see the way she talks to you. I see the way she talks about you."

"Yeah," Peter said, "It was part of the contract and the agreement. We both had to look into it. But I didn't think that I would really get into it."

"An agreement?" Greg frowns, "What agreement? Like some freaky Shit?"

"No it wasn't like that." Peter sighed, "We didn't even kiss and in the beginning it felt weird but I really didn't mind."

"Damn son," Greg laughed, "No kissing! Your sex life is almost as worse as Pikes."

Greg was generally a funny guy. However sometimes his jokes could be borderline inappropriate and offensive. It didn't generally bother Peter or Trevor but it seemed like today, Trevor was not into his humor.

"Fuck you asshole!" Trevor snapped, "My sex life is a lot better than yours in fact it's more meaningful."

"What's that supposed to mean?" Greg said confused.

"You think we don't know that you are smashing Emily again," Trevor said, "At least I'm not not using someone."

"No but to use someone you have to have sex dumbass." Greg snapped. Peter could tell that Greg was angry because he was technically being called out for being a sleazeball.

"And who says I'm not having sex?" Trevor snapped.

Greg put his mouth right at the mouth piece of his IPhone, "With that Sophomore? Please She literally said that she is not dating you!"

"That was a month ago." Peter frowned at Greg.

"Doesn't matter we haven't even seen them hang out!" Greg snapped.

"You think I would flaunt my relationship in front of you!" Trevor said clearly angry, "You who talks shit all the time and says objective Shit and makes uncomfortable comments. Who is pretending to be into Emily just so she can put out!" Trevor breathes, "I understand why Peter never told you about his fake relationship because you would have found a way to throw it in Gens face just to be an ass."

"Newsflash asshole," Greg said, "Peter didn't tell both of us."

"Yes But Peter tells you everything," Trevor snaps, "You think I don't get how sometimes the both of you isolate me."

"Don't be a little bitch Pike!" Greg said laughing with no humor.

"Fuck you Greg!" Trevor snapped, "and fuck you too Peter!"

"What did I do?" Peter asked frowning.

"You standing there saying nothing like you always do," Trevor said, "Gen has been saying Shit about Lara Jean behind her back since you two started dating or fake dating or whatever… She has not been talking about you, she's been talking about Lara Jean!" Trevor said, "Have you done anything about? No!"

"How do you know people have been saying Shit?" Peter asked.

"Pammy!" Trevor snapped, "And Yes Stanfeild I have been sleeping with Pammy the fucken sophomore!"

"Big whoop!" Greg snapped at his phone.

"You know what," Trevor snapped, "I hope your plan works Peter. I hope things get back to normal. Peter will be with Gen and you Greg will be a sad and lonely jock who can't even score a ball right."

"Fuck you!" Greg says and hangs up.

Peter looks at Greg who stamps is feet down, "Fuck you too Kavinsky!"

He then storms off to a different slope.

For the rest of the day, Peter skis without talking to anyone. Physical activity had always helped Peter think but this time around all that was on his mind was Lara Jean and how she was not talking to him.

As he walked back in the afternoon he decided that tonight while everyone was drinking he would go to the hot tub.

He bumped into someone.

Emily.

"Hey." She smiles. She was wearing her ski gear.

"Hey." Peter said and tried to walk around her.

"Are you coming to the little hotel room party?" She asked.

"Who's room?" Peter asked.

"Oh Jason's." Emily said happily.

"Uh no." Peter said, "I think I'm going to just chill alone tonight." She looks disappointed so Peter tries to make her feel better, "I know Greg will definitely be there."

She smiles and then says, "Gen will be there too."

Peter looked at Emily as she walked back into the lodge. He thought for a moment that he could go and fulfill the contract.

There was nothing stopping him. Gen was practically begging to get back together at this point and that is what Peter has previously wanted.

Wanted..

That was the key word today, Peter thought.

He did not want her and he did not want to take advantage of Lara Jean anymore or any girl for that matter, including Gen.

He just wants Lara Jean. That's it.

"Emily!" Peter said before she walked into the Lodge. Emily turned to look at Peter, "You should just tell Greg what you want."

Emily frowned and then looked like she understood before she said, "The same goes for you." She then walked in.

That night when Peter left the room, Greg was no where to be found, so he had probably gone to arrange booze with Jason and the rest of the guys from the team. Peter had thought about going to Lara Jeans room but decides against it.

On his way to the hot tub he walked past Chris who stopped him.

"Aren't you going to that mini hotel party in 203?" She asked,

"Nope, hot tub." Peter says and continues to walk as Chris takes her phone out and starts texting. Peter realises that he should have asked her if Lara Jean was going to the party, but Peter wanted thinking room and wanted to give her space before he told her the truth and nothing but the truth.

The hot tub was empty as there was no one around. He switched on the jets before taking his robe off and climbing into the warm water.

It felt good and seems to help with his tension knots.

"All by yourself out here?" Peter turns to find Lara Jean standing behind him in her red coat with her up. I guess we back to up hair do again, Peter thinks. He turns back to look in front of him.

"So what, now you're ignoring me?" Lara Jean scoffs.

"Oh, I'm the one ignoring you?" Peter peers at her as he points at herself, "That's funny."

She walks around to the foot of the hot tub where the steps are and steps up to sit on a boulder that surrounds the hot tub. She sighs as she says, "Sorry I'm not a good skier, you didn't offer to teach me."

"Oh and I'm supposed to be sweet to you after you don't sit with me on the bus?" Peter says softly but harshly realizing that he took the bus thing more personally than he thought he would.

"Shouldn't you be thanking me," Lara Jean says as Peter frowns at her, "that you got to sit next to who you actually wanted?"

Peter scoffs without humor as he places his arms on the hot tubes edge.

"For someone who has such good grades, you can be so dense sometimes." Peter states in a even calmer fashion.

"What?"

"Yeah." Peter says deciding that his opening is now, if he doesn't take it. He never will. "I wanted to sit next to you, Lara Jean." Lara Jeans expression remains the same so Peter continues, "I even packed the snacks. I asked Kitty where to find those yogurt drinks you like so much."

"The Korean store is all the way across town." She says logically like it was impossible for someone to go out of their way for her. But he would, over and over and over again.

"I know," Peter says, "So if I went all the way across town," Peter starts hoping that he could get somewhere with her help, "to get something you like, that means…"

Lara Jean frowns a little in a cute way before saying, "You must really like yogurt?"

Peter scoffs and splashes the water slightly.

"You are impossible."

Lara Jean then takes her slippers off and places her feet in the water. She leans down on her legs and says, "Sorry I didn't sit next to you."

"It's alright." Peter shrugs because he means it. He does not know what his next move is but he knows that he is wasting time not telling her how he feels. Peter looks up to find that Lara Jean is looking at him.

But really looking at him.

Sort of like she is trying to look for something. Some meaning. Some understanding. Some reassurance. Some validation or indication of something.

All Peter can think is that, she is beautiful.

Without warning, Lara Jean takes off her coat reveling her night gown. She then slips into the water. Peter is shocked and a little aroused at the same time.

What is happening, Peter thinks.

"You're coming in," He says trying to sound causal but failing, "...in your nightgown?"

"I didn't bring a bathing suit." Lara Jean shakes her head and says nervously altogether. His body was not prepared for this and neither was his heart. She stands in front of him when she touches his knees.

"Hi." She says as simply as the day she said 'let's do this' agreeing to this fake relationship shit. She say it as simply as she is explaining it al. She say it as a confirmation to everything.

She liked him too.

"There's no one like you, Covey." Peter whispers and lifts her up so she can sit on his lap. She places her hand around his neck and is smiling just as much as he is. He then leans down to kiss her.

It's soft, and graceful and enough to send chills down his back even though they were in warm water.

When the part, Lara Jean has an intense look on her face and for the first time, Peter notes how it does not look like she has a million questions on her mind. However Peter wants to make sure she is ok.

"What?" He asks.

"Nothing." She says simply and then leans in once more to kiss him some more.

As they kiss, all that is going on-in Peter's mind is that she is his and he is hers. No fake. No contract. No Sanderson. No Gen.

Peter pulls her in closer to deepen the kiss, and when she moaned a little Peter like he needed more of her as he did not have enough.

But…

Authors note

But what?????

If it were up to me I would have continued but it's really up to you. Review review review and I will post chapter 14. I am holding ransom. That is an awful joke but please review and I'll have chapter 14 for you before you know it.

There were a few things that I added that only made sense to me but you are more than welcome to disagree that you don't think it should go down like this.

Thanks for reading lovelies.