◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌
A F T E R P A R T Y
''Are you getting back with Gen?''
''Hell nah.''
◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌
She wasn't intoxicated anymore as the morning grew grayer than she'd expect the next day.
Her head ached of course, but it didn't come close to the way her chest felt painfully tight upon remembering the words she had directed at Peter in the bathroom. She had meant them, she was sure of it, but still couldn't help but think she could have put out her opinion in a less violent way.
''Get you ass out there. We have the whole house to clean.'' She shouted knocking on her cousin's door as she walked aiming for the lower floor.
Rita chuckled as a loud exaggerated groan exit his bedroom.
''I will never drink again that's for sure.''
Rita shrieked clenching her chest.
''LARA JEan I completely forgot you were here.'' Her friend wasn't even visibly offended by the statement, nothing could bug her for a long while after the previous night Rita was sure. ''Did you sleep well?'' Rita smirked pouring herself a big glass of water to satisfy her dry throat.
''Quit being a freaking teaser 'cus.'' Isaac said, shaking his head. ''Where's Alec?''
''He left an hour ago, his mom needed help with his little brother.'' She informed.
''And Peter? I feel like he wasn't even here last night.'' Lara Jean immediately looked towards Rita, probably even hurting her neck.
''I dunno.'' Rita shrugged. ''He's your best friend not mine.''
''I'm calling him. He probably needs to talk about all that Gen situation.'' Isaac said disappearing to the office.
''What did you do?''
''I might have broken his heart last night.'' Rita breathed in with her teeth ceased, placing the cup back on the counter. ''I don't know what got to me, I said some pretty terrible things.'' Her hands were on each side of her face and she hoped Lara Jean had something positive to say.
''You know I love the thing you've got going on with Alec and I love seeing you this happy but Peter, despite everything, doesn't deserve your hatred.'' Rita looked up towards her friend with confusion. He had broken her heart in case LJ had forgotten. ''He always had your feelings in consideration and that I know for a fact-''
''What?''
''What, what?'' Lara Jean suddenly looked confused.
''You said you knew-''
''I don't know anything.'' She tried to turn her back on Rita but she grabbed her wrist. ''OKAY.'' Lara Jean sighed. ''Peter confided to me to have feelings for you long before you knew it. He was always looking out for you, defending you to Gen what earned him some pretty bad fights with her, let me tel you. And yes sometimes it got to him but it's normal.'' LJ said with widened eyes. ''He kept going on about how you just understood him and how Gen could never hope to but he was also scared, scared to leave something that was certain and adventure on a new thing and afford to lose you.You can't blame him for being scared, it's not really something voluntary.''
''W-'' Rita tried to speak but Lara Jean was enjoying her monologue.
''Rita I know you think he was inconsiderate of your feelings and that deliberately wanted to hurt you but he is a mess for that. He feels like he failed either way.'' Rita felt nauseated.
''When you ignored him he came to me desperate out his mind asking for help and he got into the club just to speak to you, he doesn't even like theatre an he was the most excited I've seen him just because you were too.. The kid talked about you like you put the stars in the sky every time you were gone, he has so much affection for you. He was happy for you and Alec when I told him and if that doesn't say a lot about him..'' Lj placed a strand of Rita's curly hair behind her ear. ''Don't push him away. Peter really is not the mean one here and neither are you. You two are amazing friends, fix it.'' Lara Jean had her way with words and they made Rita's brain twirl in tumult.
''I feel such a bitch.'' She confessed covering her face. ''I not once stopped to think about his feelings, and-''
''Peter's coming over to help us clean- What's with those faces?'' Isaac asked raising an eyebrow. Lara Jean eyed Rita carefully.
''Nothing. Eight hands are better than six!'' She switched her from to a smile.
The half hour Peter took to knock on the door was excruciating. Rita knew she wanted to apologise but how, she didn't how. She moved with delay from room to room, her body was mid-reset, and the aspirin she had taken wasn't working wonders on her pains.
She just wanted to lay down and sleep for a week straight, she couldn't handle the guilt boiling inside her chest, she hated to hurt people, more so when it was someone she was extremely found of.
''What a party eh?'' She heard behind her as she picked up red cups from the back garden's landscape. ''You look like you need help here.'' Peter said starting to mimic her actions.
His face was fresh and clean, there were no tears of despair rolling down his cheeks anymore and the tinted under eyes he held were numbed probably by the sleep he had sponsored by the intoxication. He smiled at her and it only made her feel worst. Of course the bright soul standing in front of her wanted nothing but her happiness, how could she have been so selfish? She stood frozen for too long, so long Peter had to awkwardly refresh his smile. She didn't know what to say and how to act.
''Yeah.'' She managed to weirdly put out, handing him a black trash bag for himself. ''I need some hands.''
''I don't even remember anything.'' He laughed.
''You don't? - I mean anything?'' She questioned with curiosity.
She couldn't hide her excitement for the fact he might have forgotten the act she had put on the previous night and it showed on her widened eyes.
''Not a single thing after seeing you dance over the table.'' He smirked. ''Blacked out drunk.''
Rita breathed deeply mentally ordering her own memories chronologically, making sure she was dancing on the table before screaming at him he was worth zero.
''Well, you're welcome for a great fucking time.'' Rita joked throwing a cup at his chest, her mood visibly raising. Peter smiled to the side, licking his chapped lips. His attractiveness was still undeniable.
After a couple minutes cleaning in silence Peter's voice rose up in the air.
''This is needed - I'm sorry Rita. For everything.'' Rita looked from the floor, Peter's eyes fitted directly hers.
''Don't worry about it.'' She said hopeful, meaning it.
''I'm really happy you're with Alec, he's a great guy. He really likes you too.'' He said not hinting his sadness and Rita knew Peter was back to hiding his emotions.
''Thank you Kavinsky, that means a lot coming from you.'' She smiled warmly. ''Are you getting back with Gen?''
''Hell nah.'' He laughed loudly. ''I've saved myself from it, why would I even go back?'' He laughed and Rita did too feeling genuinely proud of him for finally realising the toxic life he was leading.
Agreeing to keep their friendship the two kept cleaning, filling the outside with their joined laughing and weird dancing. It was not ever awkward and somehow it looked like they were never hurt by each other. They truly were something, but what? That had been put on hold.
People say sometimes you meet the right people at the wrong time, and maybe they were staring in one of those situations. Nevertheless the universe seemed to like the pair, and refused to let them be apart from each other, clasping them together whenever they dared to wander away.
・ﾟ✧ ✧ﾟ・
O C T O B E R
N O V E M B E R
◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌ ◌
V
Do you guys like these Instagram additions to the story?
they were really a pain in the ass to do so please enjoy eheh