A little too late (A Pete angst Story)

Chapter 8

~A week later~ Pete POV

We all turned in and finished our projects for us all to get As on them. Our presentations will be used during Mental Health Awareness month. In celebration of getting an A, Danny and I discussed hanging out and inviting Wynter but Rose wanted to go as well. Danny was already planning to bring his girlfriend and Wynter was close friends with them both so he pulled me to the side and agreed he and his girlfriend would make sure that she was okay. We go back to Rose and tell her that we will ask her when we see her and as if on cue Danny spots her and waves her over. She hesitates for a split second but walks over.

"Hello everyone"

Danny changes into his British voice which was always a guaranteed way for him to get what he wanted from her.

"Winnie, you know I love you right?"

"Oh no...how can I be of service Danny?"

"Darling, it's not much. We were just wondering if you would want to hang out with us and celebrate us getting perfect scores on our presentations"

"Before Danny could continue Rose jumped in catching Wynter's attention. Danny quickly wrapped his arm around Wynter's shoulder almost as if comforting her so she could keep things together"

"It was my idea, I have yet to be able to spend time with you. You're one of the few friends of Pete's that I don't know much about"

"May I ask what it is that you are hoping to come out of this, I am relatively quite introverted so it is not personal that you have not met me"

"You seem really important to my prince and Danny. Anyone who means that much to them I feel is a really good person and I would like to possibly become friends"

"Well...I'll tell you what. If your prince wants me to come then I will join in. I have to get going so when he makes a decision just have him or Danny let me know"

And with that, she is off. Never changed her tone of voice or even hesitated, if I didn't pay attention to how she leaned into Danny as if she wanted to melt then I would have thought that everything was fine. As much as I have tried to avoid this I can't if I want to move forward with her. She feels that there is something more going on with Wynter and me if I refuse to let her around us so I'm sorry but hopefully you will do me this one favor.

"So, what do you say? Can she join us babe?"

I look at Danny and he nods toward me letting me know he has my back.

"Of course, anything for you. We just have to pick a day and time and I will let her know"

~Night of the dinner~ Wynter POV

It is taking me a lot to not make an excuse for not showing up for this dinner but I bought each guy flowers to force me to go because I do not like wasting money. I bought Pete a yellow rose since they mean friendship and joy and I bought Danny a purple tulip because purple means royalty. I arrive at the place where all our parents went to a different section of the restaurant to hang out and handed each one their flowers before sitting down. Both of them said thank you and we ordered food and then talked about random topics. It wasn't awkward or uncomfortable so I was able to relax...at least that was until Rose decided she wanted to quiz me I guess.

"So Wynter, how close would you say you and my prince are?"

"Not very, we're just friends. Our parents knew each other so we just happened to be around."

"He said you two were best friends, what changed that?"

"Sometimes people just start to grow apart a bit for their own good. Space can sometimes save situations"

Pete looked at her and put his hand over hers and asked her a question confused as everyone else.

"Rose what are you getting at here?"

"You avoided me meeting her forever and now we finally meet and she is pretending that you two are not more than friends"

"We aren't, I have never dated Wynter"

"Wynter do you love Pete"

"I love him just as much as I love all of my friends"

"You know what I meant"

"Rose, he loves you so whether I did or did not it does not matter. I would never sabotage someone else's relationship"

"I heard you singing in the music room, you are not over him and I don't think you ever will be"

"Regardless if I have not done anything to ruin your relationship and I stay to myself why does it matter if I get over him"

"Because that gives him somewhere to run to whenever we have problems, you have always been th-"

I get annoyed with everything so I grab her hands and gently place them on my face guiding her so she can feel and maybe imagine what I look like. One of my biggest insecurities is my looks so I tried to make sure my personality compensated for that. She stops talking and I can feel her become relaxed. 

"See? You have nothing to worry about. Now if you excuse me, I'm a get going. Congratulations on your presentations boys, I'm truly proud of you.

I take her hands off my face and get out of my seat heading to my mom. I hear Danny and his girlfriend call after me but I ignore them. I just want to get out of there. My mom gets her stuff and we head out without me ever looking back at that table.