A little too late (A Pete angst Story)

Chapter 7

Pete POV

Rose needed to go to her locker for something so I was walking with her when we heard someone singing faintly. As we continued to walk we noticed it was coming from the music room so we arrived and something is making me want to turn around but Rose holds me in place and reaches for the door. The door opens and shows Wynter singing with everything she has, there's so much pain and emotion that it is hard not to feel things. She has no idea anyone is here and I can't get my body or mouth to move or say something. Rose is slowly swaying back and forth taking in the feelings. As she finishes Rose starts walking forward and that's when Wynter turns and sees us. She looks exhausted but quickly gets up grabbing her things.

"I was just leaving"

"Your voice is very beautiful"

"Thank you...Rose right?"

"Yes, I hope to hear you sing more often if we have talent shows or something"

"Maybe, I got to get back but the room is all yours. Have a good day Rose and Pete"

Before I can process or even stop her she's gone.

"Who was that? Did you know her?"

"That was Wynter"

"Oh, her voice is beautiful. Do you think she would hang out with us? You can ask Danny as well so she doesn't feel like a third wheel"

"I don't think that is a good idea, let's sit for a second"

I lead her to the bench by the piano and we both sit down. 

"Am I missing something here?"

"If I asked Wynter to hang out with us or spend time with you to see if you would become friends she would do it. She would do anything I ask of her"

"But"

"It will be too hard for her and I don't want to make her suffer more"

"Suffer? I don't understand"

"Wynter has been in love with me for as long as I can remember. I never returned her feelings and yet she stayed my friend. As I got older and dated she helped me get girls and was there when things didn't work out. Danny decided to talk to her and be her friend and he pointed out that she was suffering when I was clueless to it. Hearing her sing such a sad song was the first time I got to see and understand that she's hurt although she would put all that aside to make sure I am happy"

"Would she ever try to take you from me?"

"No, she's always said she just wanted to see her sunshine happy, well me happy. She stopped calling me sunshine when I started dating people"

"Does she hate me?"

"No, not at all"

"Okay, I will leave her be then but it would be nice to become close to one of the people that knows you most. Let's go to my locker"

We get up and head to her locker to continue our day.

Wynter POV

So we have the class where we can work on our individual papers and Danny and I ask to go to the media room to record for his presentation. We get there and he has an anxiety assessment he found online that he wants to record himself asking me. I help him set up his tripod and go sit down. I tell him what button to press and he does then comes into the video.

"Hello, I want to ask you a few questions so I can better understand you. I am going to mention a scenario, you answer if it gives you discomfort or you avoid it and on a scale of 1-3 where you rate it.

"I understand"

"Initiating a conversation with the opposite sex"

"Discomfort 2"

"Asking a stranger for directions"

"Discomfort 2"

"Asking someone on a date"

"Avoidance 3"

"Presenting in front of a small group or class"

"Discomfort 3"

"Going to a party alone"

"Avoidance 3"

We continue with me answering about 15 more questions, he explained to me the results and what would happen moving forward and he thanked me for doing the assessment. We cut the camera and started packing up.

"You were amazing, very professional"

"Couldn't have done it without you Winnie, so we are doing your photoshoot after school?"

"Yes, it will be easier to do it that way"

~After school at Wynter's house~ Danny POV

So we arrive at her house and her mom had just finished making some cookies for us that she said we could have before our photoshoot. We go to the living room to brainstorm what symptoms she wants to act out and how she wants it to look.

"So what were you thinking"

"Well I want to do five symptoms, how about I pick three of them and you pick the other two"

"Sure, let's see. I pick sadness and insomnia."

"Cool and I will pick...angry outbursts, increased food cravings and fixating on past failures"

"Alright, now for the ideas for each picture. For sadness I think you kind of looking off in the distance with a tear running down your face would be decent."

"Cool, I'll sit in the fetal position with my arms around my legs on one end of the couch and you can take it from the other end. I am pretty good at daydreaming so although I will be looking at the camera it won't come off that I am focused on the camera"

"Sweet, now what should we do for insomnia?"

"I need you to do darken makeup around my eyes to make the bags under them more prominent. I probably can rest my face on my hand with a clock in front of me reading 3 something in the morning. We will have to play with the lighting so it looks like nighttime but not too dark you can't see me"

We continue on this path of planning and get started shooting. It took longer to plan than actual shooting because she is a natural at showing and expressing what she wants. We worked on the slight editing and photoshop we had to do with lighting and contrast but we finished at a decent hour. She invited me to stay for dinner before leaving and we spent the rest of that time relaxing and hanging out until it was time for me to go home. I went home happy that we were able to complete everything but a part of me is sad because she wasn't acting for any of this. I wish I could save her but I can't and I just hope that over time she can make it through these feelings.