✓ | TWO YOUNG HEARTS◦𝒑𝒆𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒑𝒂𝒓𝒌𝒆𝒓

28 - SO NOT COOL

▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅▅

"—SO, REALLY, IT'S NOT THAT HARD ONCE YOU UNDERSTAND IT."

Alissa and Peter had been studying for an hour an hour and half, her eyes flickering to his covered wrist every so often, unable to forget about the odd bruising that was painting his pale skin. She tried so hard to believe him, but she couldn't do it. It was clear he was lying, and she wasn't sure why. Rather than commenting on it, she chose to remain silent, working hard to try and comprehend his words as he explained Pythagoras' theorem . In all honestly, she was still quite lost, but with Peter teaching her, and in a much more slow and well thought out manner, she was slowly processing it all better than before.

Alissa bit the end of her pencil, pointing to her homework they were both staring at. "So, if C equals—"

A knock suddenly came to Peter's door, May poking her head inside, offering a kind smile at the two teenagers. "Um, the pizza kind of burnt. . .so I'm just gonna order from Dominos. What kind would you two like?"

Peter and Alissa glanced to each other, looking back to May with large smiles. "Pepperoni," they answered in sync, earning a laugh from the older woman.
A blush came to Alissa's cheeks, her hair dropping over her shoulders when her head dipped down, hoping to hide it. Peter sidedly glanced to her, the corners of his eyes crinkling. May but her lip to try and hide her ever growing smile, faintly backing out of the door. "I'll get right on that. It shouldn't be too long now."

When the door shut, Alissa lifted her head back up, letting out a shaky sigh. She glanced to Peter, finding him already staring, a look of fondness shining in his eyes. His lips were pulled up into a grin, the corners of his bright eyes crinkling just a little. Alissa faintly laughed, letting her eyes dip down, her heart racing by the way he was looking at her.

Never before had she seen him look at her like that, and she couldn't help but wonder if maybe—just maybe—he felt the same way she did.

She knew not to get her hopes up, but it was hard. She'd liked him for so long, spending most of that time just denying the fact that she had a crush on him. Deep down, she always knew what the fluttering and heart stopping feeling was, she just feared to admit it. Most of her friends and family already knew about it, and it was something she finally accepted; as well as her accepting the crush itself.

Alissa bit her lip, looking back up. Something sparked inside of her stomach when their eyes locked, but fearing the possibility of rejection, she chose to ignore it, clearing her throat and focusing back on her assignment that was already past due. Peter shifted, nervously rubbing his hands on his pants, seeming to shake his kind of whatever he'd been thinking about as well. 

"So, uh, this one," Alissa pointed to the problem, "It's. . .I don't know. This is useless," she shamefully admitted, picking up the folder. She stood, walking over to her book bag, stuffing it inside while Peter tried to stop her.

"Hey, don't say that," Peter said, frowning as she solemnly plopped down at his desk, her bottom lip jutted out.

'She looks stunning. Why haven't I ever noticed?' Peter suddenly thought, a smile making its way to his face as he stared at her beautiful face. When he realized what he was actually thinking, he shook his head, knowing that he couldn't get distracted.

"You're doing great. You just need a little more time s'all. You can do it, I know you can," Peter firmly stated, making Alissa look back at him.

A sad smile tugged at her lips, her head tilting to the side. "You really think so?"

Peter nodded surely. He didn't doubt his words for a second. "Of course I do."

"Okay, okay. Thank you, Pete."

Peter smiled, glancing to the TV. "It's time for a break, anyways. We can always finish that in morning. Do you still get there early with Carter?" He asked, making his way towards his TV.

Alissa nodded, carefully watching him. "Yeah, but how do you know what time we get there? You're always late."

Peter lightly chuckled, taking a movie out of its case and placing it in the Blu-Ray player. "I-I have to get there early, sometimes, for, uh, Decathlon," Peter answered, sitting back down on his bed.

"You're still in Decathlon?" Alissa made a face, earning an amused chuckle from the boy across the room from her. "I thought you dropped it."

Peter shook his head, laughing a little, "No, that was robotics. I-I'm still in Decathlon. At least. . . I think I am. I've missed a few meetings." He glanced to the TV, slightly scooting over on the bed.

"Can't you get kicked off the team for—"

"Sit by me?" Alissa's mouth smacked shut, face becoming blank as she stared right at Peter. He was grinning, happily patting the empty spot next to him. "I'm not gonna bite."

Alissa bit her lip, standing without a second thought. Peter scooted over some more, smiling at her as she nestled herself beside him, making sure to give him a little space so they weren't brushing arms. As much as she would liked to just cuddle up against him, she couldn't. However, that didn't stop her from having her hand just be a little closer to jus as he held the remote, pressing play when the title screen for the Empire Strikes Back popped up, the theme music filling that almost silent bedroom.

"Really? Star Wars?" Alissa snickered, turning to look at him, "Don't you watch this enough with Harry and Ned?"

Peter nonchalantly shrugged. "Maybe," he answered, eyes locking on the TV when the movie began to play, not looking at Alissa, "But not enough times with you."

Alissa's heart leapt in her chest, eyes widening. Peter didn't look at her again, too afraid to see what kind of expression was being displayed. She bit her lip to try and stop her smile from growing anymore than it already was, but she lost the battle, a full grown grin coming to her pink lips. She shifted in the bed, her head going to rest on the pillow behind her.

Somewhere along the lines of watching the movie, Alissa felt something brush against her hand. It was warm, but she didn't look, thinking it was the remote, but when a finger took her pinky, she looked down, realizing it was Peter's hand. Another grin couldn't help but come to her face. However, before her or Peter could enjoy it, her phone was ringing, startling the two of them.

She quickly clambered out of the bed, seeing a text from her father, ordering her to get home. Alissa contemplated not going at all, but she knew it wouldn't end so good for her if she didn't, so she had no other choice. She heavily sighed, rolling her eyes as she stuffed her phone into her jeans and turning to Peter with a frown.

"I-I'm so sorry, I have to go," she glumly apologized, "My dad said it's an emergency. I'm sorry, Pete, I-I—let's reschedule. Tomorrow morning? After school?" She rushed out, managing to tug her coat and book bag on without having to pause and look at him.

Peter numbly nodded. "Uh, y-yeah, sure. We can do before and after school, if-if you'd like. I might—"

"Great," Alissa nodded with her hand on the door handle. She flashed him a sad smile. "Thanks for all the help, Pete, I really appreciate. Bye!"

Then the The closed, Peter blankly staring at it. He let out a puff of air, collapsing back on his bed, running a hand over his face. "Bye," he mumbled, clenching his eyes shut.

He'd missed his chance.

Alissa hurried down the stairs of apartment, dialing her father's number. He didn't answer, making her even more furious as she jogged through the snowy streets of Queens, trying to make it home as soon as she could. She tried her father one more time, ending up with his voicemail yet again. This time, she decided to leave a voicemail.

"This is so not cool, Dad. I was in the middle of studying. . ."