Summer At The Store

Just Two Friends Dancing At A Party

"Are you going to that party at Gabe's tomorrow?" Peter asked hauling a heavy box of new arrivals out to the floor.

Lara Jean leaned down and took out a beautiful blue and white jewelry box. "Didn't get invited." She shrugged and turned to find the perfect spot for the box on the shelves.

"Of course, you're invited. It's Gabe's. Everyone is invited."

"Um, I don't think I have plans. I could just Facetime with John earlier than normal." She shrugged.

"So, you'll be there?" he replied, trying not to get his hopes too high. Lara Jean usually put up a fight when it came to parties.

"I will be there." She smiled. "It's summer, I should have fun, right?"

This elicited a small shimmy from Peter. "Maybe we'll get Party Lara Jean back!"

"What is Party Lara Jean?" she giggled nervously.

"Party Lara Jean is what we called you when you drink too many Smirnoff Ices and dance around like nobody's watching." He smiled remembering the last party they went to before they broke up. "You're also the nicest drunk I know. You spent 45 minutes telling Mikey Danforth how excellent of a performer you thought he was in the school's musical after he played a dancing fork in Beauty & The Beast. It took us an hour to leave because you insisted on finding every single one of our friends to tell them in great detail why you admired their souls."

"I sound fun." Her cheeks were red in embarrassment.

"The most." He decided not to tell her about how she tried to straddle him while making out when they got in the car. He couldn't have one of his most favorite memories of their time together tainted by her embarrassment. "I had to text your dad that we were going to be late because of it."

"And he was okay with that?" she froze for a second. "I don't remember getting in trouble."

"He knew I was taking care of you." He shrugged.

Lara Jean felt a pang in her chest. Peter, among a lot of things, was her fiercest protector. She loved how safe she always felt with him. She gave me a small smile. "I'll call Chris and see if she wants to ride together."

She plopped down on her bed later that night & held her phone in front of her as she dialed his number. She adjusted a pillow under her while the phone rang.

"Hey LJ!" his face appeared on screen. His phone was perched up on his desk. His head was turned to the side, leaning on his hand.

"Hi John Ambrose." She smiled back, looking at her boyfriend dreamily. "How was work? Get any perps convicted today?"

He sighed. "It was fine. Mostly filing and entering data into a spreadsheet all day. The other intern started today though. She seems cool. She's going to be a college freshman at Howard."

"I'm glad you have a friend there now. I was getting a little worried about you all alone."

"When are you coming up? I haven't seen in you so long." He pleaded.

"You've been gone like two weeks." She shook her head, loving how much he wanted to be around her. "I miss you too."

"How was your work today? Pal around with Peter all day?" he said with a sneer in his voice.

"I sold someone a table today." She beamed with pride. "My first real piece of furniture."

"That's awesome, babe. I'm proud of you."

"Thanks. I'm going to a party tomorrow night to celebrate."

"You're going to a party?" John's eyebrows shot up.