Lara Jean Covey sat at her favorite spot by the window, the soft glow of the late afternoon sun casting a golden light over her small bedroom. She held her pen loosely between her fingers, poised above her notebook but unable to form the right words. Normally, writing love letters was easy—letters to boys she admired from afar, words meant to stay safely tucked away in her private box of memories. But this time, she was stuck.

Her heart swelled as she thought of Peter Kavinsky, the boy who had changed everything. He had turned her quiet, imaginary love life into something real. And yet, today, her mind kept circling back to something she couldn't quite shake—the girls who had come before her in Peter's life. The relationships he'd had, the history they shared, it all made her wonder how she fit into his world.

The lyrics of Taylor Swift's "All Of The Girls You Loved Before" played in her head: "All of the girls you loved before made you the one I've fallen for..." It was true. Peter's past relationships, including his very public relationship with Gen, had shaped him into the boy she loved now. And for all her insecurities, Lara Jean was learning to appreciate that.

She sighed, tapping the pen against her notebook, still unsure of what to write. The thought of all those girls—Gen in particular—still made her stomach twist sometimes. But Peter had always been open with her, honest in a way that made her feel safe. Maybe that was what she needed to focus on, not the past but the present, the fact that Peter chose her.

Just then, her phone buzzed, pulling her out of her thoughts. It was a text from Peter:

Peter: Hey, Covey. You coming to the treehouse tonight?

Lara Jean smiled, her heart fluttering at the sight of his name. The treehouse had become their spot—a place where they could just be together, away from the noise of school, family, and everything else. She quickly texted back:

Lara Jean: Of course. I'll be there in 10.


Later that evening, Lara Jean found herself climbing the familiar ladder up to the treehouse. The air was cool, and the sky had turned a soft shade of pink as the sun set in the distance. As soon as she pulled herself up, she saw Peter sitting on one of the old, worn couches, his legs stretched out in front of him, looking as relaxed as ever.

"Hey," he said, flashing her that easy, confident smile that never failed to make her heart race.

"Hey," Lara Jean replied, settling down next to him. "How was your day?"

Peter shrugged. "Same old, same old. School, lacrosse practice, and then... thinking about you." He winked, making her blush.

Lara Jean laughed, rolling her eyes playfully. "You're such a charmer, Peter Kavinsky."

"I try," he said, leaning back and draping his arm over the back of the couch, his fingers brushing lightly against her shoulder. "But seriously, how's your day been?"

Lara Jean hesitated for a moment, unsure if she should bring up what had been on her mind all day. But this was Peter—they'd promised to be honest with each other. She took a deep breath.

"I've been thinking," she started, turning to face him fully. "About us."

Peter raised an eyebrow, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Us, huh? Should I be worried?"

"No," Lara Jean said quickly, shaking her head. "It's just... I was thinking about all the girls you've been with before me. I know we've talked about Gen, and I know that's in the past, but sometimes I can't help but wonder how I fit into all of that. Like, how do I compare?"

Peter's smile faded, and he turned to face her, his expression softening. "Lara Jean, you don't need to compare yourself to anyone. Gen was... Gen. We were good together for a while, but it wasn't what I have with you. What we have is different. It's real."

Lara Jean bit her lip, feeling the familiar warmth of Peter's reassurance settle over her. "I know that, logically. But it's hard sometimes, knowing that you've shared so much history with someone else."

Peter sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Look, I'm not going to lie and say Gen wasn't important to me at one point. She was. But everything I went through with her—every mistake, every fight—it all led me here. To you."

Lara Jean's heart skipped a beat at his words. "Really?"

"Yeah, really," Peter said, reaching out to take her hand. "All of those relationships, all the girls I've loved before, they helped me figure out what I want. And what I want is you."

Lara Jean felt her cheeks flush as she smiled, a weight lifting off her shoulders. "I guess I never thought about it that way."

Peter grinned, giving her hand a gentle squeeze. "Well, now you know. So, stop worrying about the past, okay? You're the one I'm with now. You're the one I want."

Lara Jean leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "You always know exactly what to say."

Peter chuckled softly. "I've had some practice."

They sat there in comfortable silence for a few moments, the quiet of the treehouse wrapping around them like a warm blanket. Lara Jean felt a sense of peace settle over her. She hadn't needed to be afraid of Peter's past. If anything, it had made him the boy she loved now—the boy who was kind, patient, and always willing to make her feel like she was enough.

"You know," Lara Jean said, breaking the silence, "I was writing a letter to you earlier."

Peter looked down at her, surprised. "Another one? How many letters do you plan on writing me?"

Lara Jean laughed, sitting up to face him. "I don't know. It's just something I do when I'm feeling... well, when I'm feeling a lot."

Peter smirked. "So, what did this one say?"

Lara Jean bit her lip, suddenly feeling shy. "I was trying to write about how grateful I am for you. For us. I was thinking about how every relationship you had before led you here, to me. And how every guy I wrote about before—every guy I thought I was in love with—led me to you."

Peter's smile softened, and he reached out to tuck a strand of hair behind her ear. "Well, I'd say those guys didn't stand a chance."

Lara Jean giggled, her heart swelling with love for him. "Maybe not. But still, I think I needed them. I needed to go through all of that to understand what love really is."

Peter leaned in closer, his voice low and sincere. "And what is it?"

Lara Jean's breath hitched as she met his gaze, her heart pounding in her chest. "It's... it's this. It's being with someone who makes you feel safe. Someone who makes you laugh, who understands you, who's there even when things get messy."

Peter smiled, leaning his forehead against hers. "I like that."

They stayed like that for a moment, their foreheads touching, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the treehouse. It felt like time had stopped, like the rest of the world didn't matter.

"You know," Peter said softly, his voice filled with affection, "I think we're pretty lucky."

"Why's that?" Lara Jean asked, her eyes still closed.

"Because we found each other," Peter whispered. "And I wouldn't change a thing about how we got here."

Lara Jean smiled, her heart full. "Me neither."


Later, as they walked home hand in hand, Lara Jean couldn't help but feel grateful for everything that had led her to this moment. Peter had a past, and so did she, but that didn't matter anymore. What mattered was that they were together now, building something real.

The lyrics of "All Of The Girls You Loved Before" played softly in her mind once more: "Every dead-end street led you straight to me..." She realized that she didn't need to worry about the girls who had come before her. They were part of Peter's story, but now, so was she.

And as they walked through the streets of their quiet town, Lara Jean knew one thing for sure: she was exactly where she was meant to be.

The End.