Chapter Text
There were three things that Lara Jean Song Covey knew about cruises.
The first was that the food there was amazing and she wished she could have it every day for the rest of her life. (Okay that’s a stretch. Maybe just until she’s tired of it. But who’s ever going to be tired of fancy and delicious food?)
Second, she could spend hours just admiring the waves crashing against each other.
And third, if your older sister has a boyfriend, you’re now the babysitter…
“Absolutely not.”
“But Lara Jean, please—“
“No, Mar-Got. When dad was away from home last time, you also asked me to babysit Kitty, while you had fun calling your boyfriend in your room.”
“Please Lara Jean, pretty pleaseeee.”
“No.”
“This is the last time, I promiseee.”
“That’s what you said last time.”
“I’ll pay you 15 bucks.”
“No.”
“I’ll buy you the newest edition of Dork Diaries.”
Lara Jean is a good girl.
Hence why she doesn’t need a babysitter.
Kitty on the other hand…
“Lara Jean, c’mon, let’s go on it again!” Kitty said for the twentieth time. Kitty enjoyed going up and down the big slide at the kids club. Lara Jean preferred to sit in the corner and finish her book. “Kitty, please,” Lara Jean huffed.
How many more times does she have to do this?
The kid’s club was somehow even louder than the rest of the ship. Between the laughter and screams of the children, the big and colorful slides, and the muffled announcement coming through the speakers, Lara Jean was starting to wonder if she could legally abandon Kitty here.
Probably not.
Worth a try, though.
But then again she really wanted the new edition of Dork Diaries.
Decisions, decisions.
“Can’t you just go on your own, Kitty?”
They squeezed through the small space that led them to a giant slide.
“Yeah but it won’t be as fun ya knoww.”
She let out a groan, “I’m gonna kill Margot one of these days.”
“Can I help?” Kitty suddenly whipped around.
Lara Jean flinched, “Only if you wanted to cover for me.”
“Then can I at least watch?”
“Sure.”
Kitty went down the slide ten more times. Lara Jean had stopped following after the fifth time. She was now sitting near the bottom of the slide, with her back against a pillar, reading her book, occasionally looking at Kitty to make sure her legs and arms are still attached to her body.
“Lara Jean, I wanna go play in the sand pit!”
“Sure, just don’t wander off and be in a spot where I can still see you.”
“Okayyy!”
“And don’t talk to strangers!”
Kitty was already gone. Oh well.
She watched Kitty run off and start talking to some of the girls in the sand pit.
So much for not talking to strangers.
Well she supposed it’s good that Kitty made new friends.
A small part of her wanted that for herself as well.
But whatever, she thought. At least now she can focus on reading this book until Nikki’s 28th diary entry—
Someone tripped over her ankles.
“Oh—“
Thud.
“Oh no, I’m so sorry—“
The boy was now kneeling on one knee, rubbing the other and wheezing, “No, no. It’s okay. I’m sorry.”
He stood up and brushed invisible dirt from his pants.
She stared at him.
He had messy dark brown curly hair, faint freckles on his cheeks, and was wearing a blue Star Wars shirt, with white sleeves and short cargo shorts.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
Lara jean tilted her head, “Shouldn’t I be the one to ask you that?”
“Well I was the one who tripped over you so…”
“But you’re the one who fell.”
“Oh, well, I’m good, it’s fine, nothing to worry about, heh.”
He glanced behind him.
“I’m going to go back now.”
He pointed over his shoulder, slowly retreating.
“Sorry again by the way,” And with that he took off.
She blinked.
The boy was gone before she got the chance to say anything.
Huh.
Somewhere above her, the ship’s speakers crackled with another announcement, but Lara Jean barely paid attention.
Then she looked down to her book.
She checked the book’s pages for any folds or tears. Nothing. Good. Lara Jean was uninterrupted for the next twenty minutes.
“Hey.”
Oh, come on.
“Hm?”
“Uhm, hey?”
Lara Jean looked up and saw the boy from before.
Man, what does he want now?
“Yes..?” She asked.
“I think your sister is hurt.”
Lara Jean’s eyes snapped open. “What?!” She closed her book and abruptly stood up. She looked around and saw Kitty sitting on the floor wincing, holding her leg.
Of course.
She’d only look away for five minutes.
Five. Minutes.
That was apparently how long it took for Kitty to find a way to injure herself. (Well it’s not five minutes exactly per se, but that’s how long it felt like for Lara Jean when she’s reading.)
“Oh, for goodness sake,” She muttered as she jogged to where Kitty was.
“I think she fell off the spinning ball swing and hurt her leg.” The boy explained as he followed her.
Wait, why is he following her?
“Kitty, are you okay?” Lara Jean kneeled beside Kitty.
“Nooooo.” Kitty’s eyes are watering. She lifted her hand.
“I bumped my knee—“
Oh.
It was bleeding.
“Okay, Kitty stay calm okay, don’t panic.”
She wasn’t sure whether she was talking to Kitty or herself.
“Let’s go to the medical center and-“
“Noooo. We’ll run into dad. I don’t want him to know.”
“Well, he’s bound to know anyways.”
“Well, at least until this vacation is over, or he won’t let me play anymore.”
Lara Jean sighed.
“I think I can help. I know some basic first aid.” A small voice came from behind her.
The two girls looked behind them. The boy was still there.
“There’s a first aid kit just over there. I’ll go get it.”
The boy returned shortly with a first aid kit.
Peter, as Lara Jean soon learned his name was, carefully tended to Kitty’s wound. She watched closely. She’d never seen someone her age handle a first aid kit with that much confidence before.
“I often fall and get injured too y’know, so this is nothing new to me,” Peter said.
“Well I can see that.” Lara Jean smiled playfully, and Peter returned the smile.
“Did you take like a medical club or something?”
“No, my uncle taught me after helping me out a bajillion times.”
“Your uncle’s a doctor?”
“Nope. He just liked being prepared.”
“I see.”
Peter was done in five minutes. Or maybe eight. She wasn’t really sure. Either way, it felt really fast.
“There, all done.” He patted the side of her leg.
“Thanks, Peter!” Kitty gave him a toothy smile.
“You’re welcome,” He smiled back.
“Lara Jean can I-“
“Kitty you literally just fell and cried.”
“I didn’t cry. There was dust in my eyes,” She pouted.
“Kitty…”
“Pleaseee, I just wanted to go there and color. I promise I won’t hurt myself again.”
Kitty pointed at a group of children drawing on digital boards. Well she suppose that’s harmless enough.
“Okay, just be careful this time, okay?”
“Okayy..”
Lara Jean watched as Kitty flex her knee and slowly walk to the area.
“Thanks, for helping my sister.”
“No worries. It’s the least I can do after I tripped over you,” Peter scratched his neck. “I’m sorry again for earlier.”
“You already apologized earlier.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you apologizing again?”
Silence.
“I don’t know, I just feel bad.” He shrugged.
“You’re…not that good at apologizing.”
“I know.”
“Should I trip over you to make it even then?”
“Sure, if you want to-“
“Peter, please. I’m joking.”
“Oh.”
Lara Jean tried not to smile. She failed.
“So, your name’s Lara Jean?” Peter asked, sitting diagonally in front of her.
“Uhuh.” she said. His shirt catches her eyes. “Big Star Wars fan, huh?”
Peter immediately looked down at his shirt.
“Yeah. You like Star Wars too?”
“I know enough to understand it I guess.”
“Who’s your favorite character?”
Lara Jean thought about it for a moment. “Princess Leia. Wait, no.” She thought again. “Padmé.”
Peter’s eyes widened. “Really?”
“Yeah” She squinted. “What’s wrong with that?”
“Nothing, I suppose. I mean she’s great, she’s also one of my favorite characters actually I really like her dresses.”
“Righttt.”
“Yeah. I just thought you’d say, erm, I don’t know maybe like Luke?”
“Hmm. Is it because I’m a girl?”
“What? No. I mean you are a girl but like you like Padmé doesn’t have to have something to do with being a girl I mean like-“
She tried her best to hold in her laugh, “Peter I’m joking,” Teasing him is fun, she supposed.
For a moment, neither of them said anything. Lara Jean suddenly became very aware of the fact that she’s sitting across from a boy she’d met less than an hour ago. (You’d think a girl would take her own advice to not talk to strangers.)
Say something.
Anything.
She should probably go back to her book, you know, the sensible thing to do.
Instead, she mustered up the courage to ask, “What about you? Who’s your favorite?”
“Han Solo.”
“Of course.”
“What's does that suppose to mean?”
“Nothing.”
“No, what does that mean?”
A laugh escaped her lips, “It means you’re predictable.”
“I’m not predictable.”
“You like Han Solo.”
“Yeah, cuz he’s cool.”
“He’s a smuggler.”
“He’s a cool smuggler.”
“He’s also a little arrogant.”
Peter shrugged. “Maybe that’s why I like him.”
Lara Jean raised an eyebrow.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“You’re doing the thing again.”
“What thing?”
“The judging thing.”
“I’m not judging you.”
“You are.”
“Maybe a little.”
Peter laughed. “Well okay, I’m predictable. You’re predictable too,” Peter gestured to her book. “Bet you 20 bucks you like to read.”
“You can’t make a bet on something so obvious.”
“I’m still right though, no?”
“Unfortunately.”
Peter made a face that spelled out I got you.
She just rolled her eyes.
“Let me guess your favorite genres then.” Peter stood up and started to pace in front of her dramatically.
“You like romance…”
He paused, holding his chin like a detective.
“…And fantasy”
“No,” She lied.
“Thriller?”
“Getting warmer.”
“Horror?”
“Y-Yes.”
“You hesitated.”
“I did not.”
“You know you’re a terrible liar.”
“And you’re predictable, Mr Han So-Lo.”
“Okay then, Ms. I’m Not Predictable. What’s my favorite genre?”
“Fantasy.”
“Buzz. Wrong. Science fiction.” He chuckled. “Not that predictable.”
Quick Lara Jean. Think of something.
“Huh, so you’re a nerd?”
“Hey!”
Chatting with Peter was fun.
Fun enough to make her forgot about her book.
Fun enough to make her forget about Kitty, which reminded her to do a quick double check to make sure Kitty hadn’t gotten another injury.
Books turned into movies, movies turned into cartoons, cartoons turned into the things they liked and didn’t like, and of course, more bickering.
Every time Lara Jean thought they had run out of things to talk about, Peter came up with another question.
“Hey, by the way, weren’t you playing with your other friends earlier?” Lara Jean looked around. “Where were they?”
“I don’t know.”Peter slowly said, also looking around. “I just met them actually. I don’t usually get along with people that quick I mean, I want to. I’m just kinda shy sometimes.”
“Well, I’m glad we’re different then.” That made Peter chuckle.
She liked the sound of his laugh.
“Yeah, we are.” his smile lingered for a while before it was replaced by a frown. “They were playing tag and no one wanted to be a tagger. So they asked me to be the tagger.”
“And then?”
“They said I’m too good.” He shrugged
Lara Jean raised her brow.
“That sounds like something someone who loses a lot would say.”
“Pleaseee, for the last time, I’m not a loser.” He whined, but he was laughing.
“You areee.”
“Am not.”
“Sure kid.”
“Hey, I’m literally older than you”
“By, like, what? Seven months?”
“Still older~”
“Urgh, whatever.”
They continued arguing over absolutely nothing.
It was silly.
Probably the most she’d talked to someone her age all week.
And despite everything, Lara Jean found herself smiling.