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P E T E R K A V I N S K Y
''Can I buy you a coffee as an apology?''
''I don't like coffee''
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''You're forgiven.''
''I'm- Excuse me? Dude, you bumped into m-''
It takes a second or two, maybe ten, for the sight to sink in, even though it is right before her brown and large eyes, realer than life. Her eyebrows arch for the sky.
The boy that stood inches taller than the rather average heighted girl, had the kind of face that stopped anyone in their tracks.
He had tousled dark brown hair, which was thick and lustrous and his eyes were a mesmerizing deep shade of hazel-brown that had none of ordinary.
His face was strong and defined, his features molded from marble, probably. He had dark eyebrows, which sloped downwards in a warm, welcoming expression, that gave Rita an uncommon and unknown feeling at the pit of her belly, when paired to the smile that appeared into his thick lips as he noticed Rita's expression.
Off course, he had to be used to it: the sudden pause in someone's natural expression when honored by his presence, followed by a nonchalant gaze and a weak, embarrassed smile. And of course the blushed cheeks that accompanied were a dead give-away
''No. You bumped into me.'' He spoke in a raspy and strong voice, and chuckled. A chuckle so adorable it made Rita's face turn a deeper shade of red, if possible.
The curly haired girl was all sorts of confusion, for starters, he was a brunette and she had always liked blondes, with blue eyes to pair. But he was handsome alright, and amazement doesn't quite cover it.
''You know you bumped into me!'' Rita ran a hand through her hair, raising the sunglasses further into the top of her head, the collision had caused them to tilt. She was trying with her life, to hide the urge to smile as she wasn't gonna give it to him, that she in complete bewilderment.
''Nah, I could have totally swerved past you'' He shook his head.
''Look okay!'' She raised her hands in defeat ''I bumped into you I'm sorry.'' Her lower stomach was already hurting, she couldn't afford to argue with the kid back and forth to defend herself and risk peeing her pants.
''No! You were right I bumped into you!'' He said quickly, almost as if he was scared Rita would leave thinking she really bumped into him, with him knowing she hadn't.
The girl furrowed her eyebrows.
''You're weird, and I really need to use the toilet so-''
''Wait!'' He grabbed her wrist softly, but still strong enough to make her skin crawl and have her turn around to face him again. ''Can I buy you a coffee as an apology?'' He pointed with his thumb to a table of the coffee shop he was already in the way to exit before the whole situation.
''I don't like coffee'' She admitted gaining hold of her hand again.
''A milkshake?''
''Hate milk.''
''Hot chocolate?''
''It's burning outside man'' Rita laughed taking a quick glance to the outside, people still wearing summer clothes. It was September not November- she felt like saying.
He was beautiful, but wasn't so bright was he? Or maybe he was just trying really hard to apologize.
''A soda?'' He furrowed his eyebrows.
''Too much sugar - Dentist dad.'' She lied and she felt bad for a handful of reasons, but she really needed to pee. Yes, above hanging out with a beautiful human she wanted to empty her goddamn bladder.
''A water?'' He tried again. His eyes scanning her face, maybe he was trying to read her. But she had been told she wasn't easy to figure out. A family thing maybe?
''You know what? '' Rita smiled, finally giving in. An idea had dawned on her like a fresh breeze of wind. ''Yes, I'll have a water. But first let me go to the bathroom please and thanks.''
''I'll be waiting.'' He smiled as if he had just won the lottery, making Rita blush. Again.
She walked quickly to the bathroom, holding it in for as long as walking there from school was taking a toll on her so when she finally did her business she felt 20 years younger. And she was only 17.
Standing in front of the squared mirror she proceeded to brush her hair. She had straightened her hair in the morning; Isaac said it looked good on her, but if she was being honest she preferred it the natural way. She smiled at herself in the mirror.
Curls looked like pasta and she was getting hungry. Closing her shoulder bag she exited the bathroom.
''Here!'' The boy waved from the nearest table to the bathroom. Rita shook her head, trying to get the brain cells that seemed to wander off their usual spot whenever he smiled, to go back and properly make her function.
''So you have my apologetic water?'' She asked smirking faking a demanding tone.
''I do.'' He smirked back and moved his body to reveal one of everything he had referred as an option.
One coffee, one milkshake, one soda, one goddamn hot chocolate and the agreed water.
Rita opened her mouth to speak several times but he had completely bewildered away her ability to form words. Her eyebrows stood high in her forehead for a while, for so long that the boy had to freshen his smile, as his lips probably cramped up.
''Duuuudeeee.'' She finally came out with something, prolonging her speaking.
''Call me Peter!'' He said in a smirk as Rita sat down, still eye widened at the sight.
He had really done that.
''I'm Rita'' She told him either.
''Well Rita, here's your apology.'' A smile crept in his face and the air grew thick with a tenderness that couldn't help but make her breathe slower, deeper, happier and she felt the heat raise to her cheeks as Peter looked in her direction, still grinning.
She snapped her head away.
After a while of not ever awkward silent, she could feel his eyes still on her as his voice sounded, so she silently and slowly inhaled and exhaled as the conversation cheerfully progressed, hoping secretly that his thoughts about her were good.
''I need to confess one thing. Dad's not a dentist.'' She tried to avoid speaking of the reality of things, and Peter didn't seem too keen to ask.
She laughed at his attempt to mimic her accent, sipping next at the milkshake they shared. She really didn't like milk, but this one tasted like heaven and time seemed to dissolved into itself, but neither of them seemed to notice.
What a cliché.
Well, not until Peter's phone rang.
Both of them jumped, breaking their shared trance, although he kept smiling.
''Fuck!'' He cursed of a sudden, startling the girl who almost spilled her water on her lap. ''Tell him I'll be right there man, hold him up.'' He stood up in the fastest jump collecting his wallet from the table. ''I know. You're the best, love you bro.'' He said before hanging up and sliding his phone into the back pocket of his jeans.
''I'm sorry'' He said softly, although his face was calm, the way his body moved showed Rita he was in a rush, desperately needing its owner leave. ''I already skipped yesterday. Coach will bench me.'' He had told Rita he played something, something she didn't hear because the waitress had approached them asking if they needed anything else. Feeling too anxious to ask him to repeat she just nodded and smiled telling him how cool it must be.
''Go!'' She shook her disappointment away, and smiled. ''Thanks for all of - this'' She said as she collected all the cups that were now empty together and pulled them towards her. He nodded. ''See you around?'' He smiled at her question and nodded.
''Definitely.''
Rita looked down at the empty crockery and smiled, no one ever did put effort into something as Peter had just because he bumped into her.
''Hey Rita? Last name's Kavinsky'' His voice echoed through the coffee again. Rita glanced up, he was half inside half outside, securing the door with his hand, classic smirk smeared across his face. ''Find me.'' The girl shushed him and gestured him to go. Peter winked and turned around.
It didn't even bother her people were looking.
''Peter Kavinsky'' she whispered shaking her head with a smile across her face.
The ghost of the last god damn smirk he gave her, still lingered in her mind, although and unfortunately fading, Rita still could remember the way it made her want to slap him for being so handsome. He was so handsome he turned peaceful people into aggressive beasts. What kind of superpower was that?
''Rita c'mon'' She whispered to herself, shaking her own mind into reality. She wasn't the type of girl to fall head over heels with a guy, especially not within 2 hours of knowing them, it was ridiculous.
''What?'' Amor asked, raising her head from the lovely mess she was creating on the coffee table.
''Sorry mi amor, thinking loud.'' Rita apologized using her favorite pet name, advising her little cousin to keep focused on her ought. Even though they were drawings, she should focus on coloring inside the lines.
On the phone she had thrown as far away on the cough as possible was still open Peter's instagram page. It was unfortunately. private.
Off course she had found it, but off course she wasn't going to follow him, thence the phone being so far from her slippery and clumsy fingers. Not this soon.
The door opening sounded loudly throughout the house a few moments later; Rita looked over her shoulder, watching Isaac step inside the house.
''Hey you.'' Rita smiled.
''You didn't go see me practice today.'' He protested kissing her forehead, then filling his sister with kisses to which she giggled happily before proudly showing him her drawings. Lara Jean had to go home to take care of her little sister and she wasn't going to stand alone at the bleachers, dying of boredom. Lacrosse wasn't that fun.
''Went to the coffee shop in the corner of the school and forgot.'' Rita thought about asking Isaac if he knew Peter, but then again, she didn't want to give the boy too much importance. In reality, she didn't want to make something else out of someone just being extremely nice to her. She had trained for years not to overthink, and was throwing it all away for a smile? But his smile was so amazi- NO.
''Gonna take a quick shower-''
''Yeah, ya need it'' Rita joked, Amor chuckled loudly pointing at her brother pinching her nose. She was truly adorable.
''When the bell rings it's my mate. Don't leave him outside.'' Isaac informed Rita before making his way upstairs.
Rita didn't know any of Isaac's friends, but then again, she had been in town for less than a week, and the boy for the life of him, couldn't hold up and maintain a social network for more than a few days.
''Rita, can you play princesses with me?'' Amor asked in a pout over her pink over-sized glasses.
''I can!'' She agreed what made Amor run full speed to her bedroom to get her princess makeover kit.
Next thing Rita knew she had on this intense pink blush brushed across her cheeks, bright blue eye shadow adorning her eyelids paired with a violet shiny lipstick.
On her head rested a plastic silver tiara with fake green jewels.
''Oh!'' She exclaimed upon looking in the entrance hall mirror. ''I've never looked better'' She smiled assuring Amor she was indeed talented.
''You're Mulan! You have the same hair as her today!'' She stated demandly, pointing at Rita's straight hair.
''I do, it's true'' Rita cheerfully said, picking Amor up from the floor so she could compose Rita's tiara that was ''Not perfect enough to be of a princess''
Chimes suddenly echo through the walls of the house.
''Rita?''
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