John Hughes Movie

Chapter 3

Peter

"Down and back and you're done for the day!" Coach Tenley yelled from the center line before blowing his whistle. All 48 of us took off at varying speeds. We were split up by position group. I was with the forwards, Trevor was a midfielder and John was a defender. As a forward, I felt the need to show off. We were the ones who scored the goals. We were supposed to be the fastest. That's why I run so much. So, I can prove I am meant to be here.

I had always been naturally good at lacrosse. My Uncle Stan put me and my cousin Ben in a camp when we were 8, and I took right too it. By the end of the week, I had been declared "the lacrosse kid" and there was no turning back. Because everyone told me I was so good, I couldn't let them down. I had to prove to them that I wouldn't let them down. That's why I work harder than anyone else in the weight room, beg our goalie Vinnie to do extra shooting drills and go on extra runs. I hate the idea of letting anyone down.

I suck in a big breath and push my legs to move faster. Coach said I was in contention for captain and needed a push to put me, a junior, over the edge of some of the senior guys. Competing harder than everyone else at practice was my way to show I wanted it. I passed the finish line first and pulled my helmet from my head. My hair stuck to my forehead. I swept it back as the rest of my teammates started to de-uniform.

"When are you planning on being finished with your project tonight?" Trevor asked wondering when I'd be meeting them at the bar as we walked to the locker room.

Last night, they nagged me so hard to go out with them. I had been staying home or with Gen most nights. They called it a "Gen-tervention". After almost an hour of badgering, I told them I would come by after I finished picking a topic for my project with Lara Jean. I didn't get why they were hounding me so much. My girlfriend and I had been binge watching Grey's Anatomy from the first season. Gen had watched it before and had been begging me for years to watch it with her. I finally caved after a night of heavy petting. Most nights watching something in bed would end in some sort of fooling around.

None of them got that. Probably because none of them had girlfriends. They took full advantage of what being a college athlete had to offer. A line of girls at every party who just want to be with you because you play a sport.

"Who are you working on this project with again?" John twirled his stick in his hand.

"Lara Jean. You don't know her. She's in my film class."

"Is she hot?" John swung open the door to the locker room.

"Um...yeah..." I guess I hadn't really thought about her that way. It was so automatically comfortable & friendly that I skipped over the examining if I thought she was hot part of things. My brain ran wild picturing her in my head.

"Glowing review." John rolled his eyes.

"No. She's cute." I think back to her small frame and shiny dark hair. "That stuff goes over my head." I pulled up her image in my head. She was short, or at least shorter than Gen. She was pretty covered up at class, but I assumed she had a good body. She had good style at least. Her skin was glassy and smooth. Her lips full but not in a fake way. Her cheeks blushed harder than anyone else I'd ever known. There was no denying she was attractive. But there was no way I was going to tell them that.

From a few days of texting, I discovered so many things we had in common. We both were scared of clowns and being buried alive. We had younger siblings the same age & could quote every line in the Princess Bride. It felt natural to share with her. Not just jokes or playing around either. We talked about deep stuff. That was something that didn't happen too much in my life. I could tell her things I don't even tell Trevor of John, which is worrying since they are my best friends.