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Always and Forever, Lara Jean and I

Being the best friend of Lara Jean had a lot of perks. She was super funny, she was

amazing at baking, she always had a good book to recommend, she had a great sense of style,

and so on. I could go on all day. Another huge perk of being friends with Lara Jean was getting

rides to school from her boyfriend, Peter. Lara Jean and Peter were the underdog couple. No one

ever saw them getting together and most people in the school were genuinely shocked, but now,

they’re the school’s power couple.

However, being the power couple doesn’t mean they’re safe from drama. Trust me,

they’ve had their fair share of drama over the time that they’ve been together. The fake

relationship, the hot tub video, John Ambrose McClaren, and don’t even get me started on

Genevieve. They’ve been able to brave all kinds of issues that would’ve broke many other

couples. They fight, all couples fight, they get over it. Although, this time, I think it’s different.

This fight seems a little bit more final.

They’ve had a great year, don’t get me wrong. Our time in New York over spring break

for the senior trip was incredible. Peter even asked Lara Jean to prom on that trip with a

reference from one of her favorite movies which was so thoughtful and romantic. Peter has his

moments where he’s thoughtful and caring and, basically, the best boyfriend a girl could ask for.

But, every few amazing things he would do for Lara Jean, he would do something that would

make Lara Jean upset and make me want to make him regret making her upset. Sometimes I

really question who he is as a person, but when it comes down to it, there’s not a doubt in mind

that he loves her. But that brings us to now. Something’s changed.

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“He hates me, Jade, that’s it. He hates me.” Lara Jean wailed to me as she laid on my bed,

her head in my lap.

“He doesn’t hate you, Lara Jean, he’s probably just upset, he’ll get over it.”

“Will he? I don’t think so… It’s really- it’s different this time. Something’s different.”

Lara Jean was at my house crying about what happened during our beach vacation. I

guess her and Peter fought really bad. It also doesn’t help that Lara Jean is still upset that Peter

hasn’t signed her yearbook. I want to roll my eyes and laugh at the overdramatics but a part of

me agrees with her. Their argument was just… it was next level. I wasn’t sure if their

relationship was going to survive this. But I wasn’t going to sit by and let them fall apart without

at least trying to step in.

“I’m calling him.” I declared.

“You’re- wh- no! You can’t just ​call​ him, Jade!”

“Why not?” I countered, “It’s you he’s mad at, not me. I’m good friends with both of

you.” I saw her look and corrected myself, “I mean, more so your friend of course, but still.”

Nice save.

“I mean… I don’t know what that would do, Jade. I’m not going to stop you, but I think

you should do it when I’m not here. Just in case I feel the need to say something and I ruin the

whole thing.”

I agreed with her and let her cry to me for another hour while we watched Netflix and ate

some various snacks. I really felt for this girl. I had grown up my whole life with both her and

Peter and I knew them both insanely well. I, of course, always clicked more with Lara Jean

because I wasn’t allowed to have sleepovers with boys, so our friendship had a different
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advantage. So, being as close to the two of them as I was, it hurt me almost as much as it hurt

them when they fought. It was particularly hard for me when Lara Jean came over crying

because I had to be the strong one to keep her in check. So, an hour later, when Lara Jean left, I

knew it was my duty to call Peter. I dialed the numbers and it rang twice before he answered.

“Hello?” He answered. He didn’t sound too good.

“Hey. It’s me.”

“Is she with you?” He didn’t say a name, but him and I both knew that I knew who he

meant.

“No. She just left. Peter, what’s going on? Talk to me.”

“I… I honestly don’t know Jade. Was she upset?”

“Of course she was upset.” I said, trying not to make it sound like I was guilt-tripping

him. Because I really wasn’t trying to do that.

He sighed a heavy sigh and I could ​feel​ his exhaustion. “I think it’s over for real this time,

J.”

“What makes you say that?”

“​She​ broke up with ​me,​ Jade. I don’t have any say in that. And she’s going to William

and Mary. How do I handle that?”

“Come on, Peter. If anyone could make a long-distance relationship work, it’s you guys.

Besides, it’s really not that far away, only a couple more hours than you were originally going to

drive to see her. If you guys really tried, I think you could easily work this out. I know you love

her, and it’s so obvious she loves you too.” I knew I had gotten through to him when I heard a

small sigh on the other end.

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“Yeah but… what if she doesn’t want me back?” He said the last part in a whisper.

“That’s nonsense and you and I both know it. She wouldn’t have been here crying her

eyes out for an hour and saying she made a mistake if she didn’t want to get back together.

You’re just afraid that it’s not going to work out. You’re afraid that you’re going to put your

heart back in the relationship and it’s going to get broken. But, the truth is, Peter, that the best

things in life are worth getting hurt over. And this relationship, in my opinion, is one of the best

things you’re going to have in your life.”

“You’re right… yeah, you’re right!” He got louder the second time.

“I know I am.” I laughed.

“I’m coming to get you, be ready.”

“Wha- I- wait what?”

“You and I are going to Lara Jean’s house.”

“Why am I going?”

“I need you to mediate just in case things get ugly.”

“They’re not going to get ugly, Peter, but okay, fine.”

I sat in my room waiting for Peter to arrive. I was starting to get nervous. I didn’t think

things would get ugly because they obviously love each other and they belong together. But I

was a little worried. I was around for many of their fights, considering they’ve had very few, and

the yelling is kind of scary, I’m not going to lie. But what’s much scarier is the silence. When

they’re silently in a fight and I feel like I’m going to choke on the tension in the room. This time,

though, I was putting all my eggs in one basket with my hoping and keeping my fingers crossed

that everything would work out.

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I heard a knock at my bedroom door and looked up to see my dad, who informed me that

Peter was waiting for me outside. I quickly grabbed my phone and a sweater and ran out the

door, anxious to get this whole thing over with and, hopefully, have things back to normal. I got

into the car with Peter and as he drove away from my house, a nervous silence settles over us. I

could ​feel​ his anxiety about this whole situation and I knew if I said anything to try to cheer him

up, not only would it not help, but I’m pretty sure I would break him out of his thoughts of what

he’d say to Lara Jean. Those were important and as uncomfortably anxious I was, I decided to

leave it and stay quiet.

As we pulled up to Lara Jean’s house, I felt both of our nerves reach a high. We

exchanged a nervous look and both gulped, opening the car doors. I couldn’t believe how

nervous I was, considering it didn’t even directly affect me. I almost wanted to laugh, but it

really wasn’t funny. I closed the car door, saying a silent prayer that everything would be okay.

Peter and I silently decided that I’d go and knock on the door first. I reached the door and raised

my hand in a fist, poised to knock. I took a deep breath.

Knock knock.

Pause.

Knock knock.

The door swings open, revealing a confused Lara Jean. “Hey Jade? What’re you doing

here?”

“Before you say anything, I have someone here to talk to you and you have to promise

me to hear them out and talk rationally please I’m begging you.” I rambled on.

“Um… okay. I promise. What’s this about?”

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“Me.” Peter said and stepped up to the door.

Lara Jean let out a small gasp and gave me a look of surprise. “C-come in.”

Peter and I came in and sat down. I sat in the dining room that was hooked to the kitchen,

to give them space as they sat on the kitchen island. I was there if things got bad, but I didn’t

want to interrupt things working out. I watched and listened from afar as they talked things

through rationally and actually worked things out.

By the end of it, they had completely worked out the long-distance issue and from what I

could tell, they were back together. Peter gave Lara Jean back her yearbook that she had been

complaining about not being signed by him earlier. Peter signed it the cutest way ever, he had

put an updated list of rules from when they were fake dating and it melted my heart. They were

so perfect for each other and I was ecstatic that things hadn’t gotten ugly. I decided that they

were okay and that it was time for me to leave. I winked at Peter and he mouthed ​thank you​ to

me. I nodded and started walking out. I waved goodbye to Lara Jean and made my way out the

door.

Some people really are meant to be.