John Hughes Movie

Chapter 26

Lara Jean

"So here we go. Part five: not with a fizzle, but with a bang." Emma Stone's raspy voice played over the bedroom tv speakers. My head rested on Peter's chest as we watched one of my favorite high school rom coms. It had been a few days since Peter broke down about his dad. I was trying to be there for him. I came over every night and we'd watch a movie before he'd pass out from exhaustion. He was working so hard with school and lacrosse that sometimes I thought being there was distracting him, but he said he wanted me there. So here I was.

"I just don't get why her friend is mad at her. Like it makes no sense." He sighed and adjusted himself under me. He was in a mood since I came over. Well honestly, he's been in a mood since the night we saw his dad. His words were sharper. Far from the sweet nothings I had become accustomed to by my sweet Peter Kavinsky.

"I thought it was no talking during a movie." I looked up to him with a devilish glint in my eye. We had set very strict movie rules when we were watching them for our class project so we could both pay attention. The project was so much of our grade that we couldn't play around. But now, when we basically watched something every night before bed, I let it slide. I smiled thinking he would get that I was making a joke but his face remained neutral.

His jaw clenched a bit and made the sharpness of his jaw even more pronounced. In any other circumstance, I would admire how strong and sexy it was. Tonight, it seemed rough in a mean way. I reached up and placed my hand where his jaw met his ear. I started swirling my fingers lightly down his jawline. This was one of his favorite things. It was the key to get him to relax and become the cuddly puppy dog he is. He lifted his shoulders and cracked his neck to the other side. My hand air born, no longer connected to him. I put it back on his chest. There was something off. I wish he would talk to me about the million thoughts running through his mind.

"What's going on in that brain of yours, Kavinsky?" I rested my head on his shoulder. The cotton of his white t shirt felt warm and soft against my cheek.

"No talking." He nodded towards the screen. His face still staring straight ahead. I kissed his shoulder and snuggled into him. Emma Stone and Penn Badgley could have been earning Oscars with their performances and I wouldn't be able to tell. I was just concerned with him. I listened to his heartbeat, strong but erratic, like he couldn't calm down. It made me feel nervous, why couldn't he just tell me what was wrong.

I thought to open my mouth, but stopped myself cold. Don't be annoying. Let other people process things the way they need to, Lara Jean. I took a deep breath trying to quell my thoughts about his thoughts. I just loved him so much that I wanted him to feel okay. I didn't want him to live in pain about his dad. I wanted to solve his problems so we could go back to our love bubble and never leave ever again. My leg began to shake up and down. All my anxiety deciding it would get out some way.

"Can you cool it with the ants in your pants?" He finally looked down at me and his green eyes instantly made me feel at peace. I knew everyone could see them when they met Peter, but to me his eyes seemed to shine special for me. They were my lighthouse in the stormy seas. As long as I could see them, I knew everything would be okay.

"Sorry." I placed a quick peck on his lips. I needed him to know I was here for him if he wanted to talk. If he wasn't getting the message from my words, maybe he'd get it with his actions. I tried to turn back to the movie. It just came out that the guy from Twilight had an STD and Amanda Bynes was freaking out. I loved this movie. I've seen it a hundred times, but I couldn't focus on it.

I looked back at his face. It looked sadder than usual. It didn't have his usual sparkly person glow. I knew it had something to do about seeing his dad. His dad looked so much like him, or I guess, Peter looked so much like his dad. They were both tall with a curly mop that made him seem more innocent than they were. Their faces were almost identical. They both had strong brows and a small beauty mark to the left of their nose. It was like I got to see what Peter would look like fast forwarded twenty-five years. Well expect not with the bloodshot eyes and haunted features of a drug addict.