I Don't Want To Be Your Secret (Josh McClorey & Pete O'Hanlon/The Strypes)

Chapter 18

Estelle's POV

The party was going on like crazy and I had just entered the kitchen to pour myself some more wine.

"Don't get yourself too drunk, love." Pete stated, as he came standing next to me.

I shrugged. "I'm good. What's up?"

"Just came to tell you two things." He replied. "One is that Josh told us to stop attacking Amy. So, I suggested we'd stop annoying you as well."

"I'm honored." I scoffed, taking a sip of my wine as I was about to walk off again.

Pete's hands grabbed my waist and pulled me back. "The second thing is that you look hot tonight."

"Thanks." I snorted, slightly blushing. "Was that all?"

The music got turned up, probably thanks to Amy, and Pete leaned in closer to me.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

I shrugged. "Nothing."

He furrowed his eyebrows. "Why are you acting like this?"

"Like what?"

"Like a cold. bitch." He stated. The look in his eyes was more of concern rather than he wanted to hurt me by calling me a bitch. "I thought you liked me?"

"I do." I sighed. "But we shouldn't be doing any of this. It's stupid and meaningless."

"Why would you say that?" Pete mumbled.

"Because you're technically still a bully, everyone thinks so." I replied. "It doesn't feel right to me to go out with you when everyone I know either hates you or is afraid of you. And I don't want to be your secret."

"I'm working on that though." He quickly said, taking a sip of his beer.

I gave him a quick smile. "I know and that's great. You don't need a secret fling slowing you down. So, I'm gonna go and leave you to it, alright?"

"Alright." Pete nodded. "But I'll come back for you eventually."

I was about to reply to him when Amy swung her arms around me from behind.

"Elle, is he bothering you?" she slurred. "I'll kick him out if ya want!"

"Just getting some beer." Pete stated as he held up the bottle and then turned to leave.

I turned to face Amy and she looked at me with a wide smile. Her hair was a bit on the wilder side this evening and her cheeks were red.

"Did you pull or are you super drunk?" I asked with a smirk.

She chuckled. "Bit of both maybe?"

She gave me a firm hug and I had no clue why. I was happy she somewhat had a change of heart, but I was afraid she'd go over her lines.

"I'm glad you're here, I'm glad I'm here, I'm glad we're both here." She sniffled, still with her face in my hair.

"Hey, hey." I said, patting her on the back. "You okay?"

She let go of me and wiped away her tears with the back of her hand. "Yeah I'm fine. Just yano, bit drunk maybe."

"I can tell." I laughed as she left the kitchen while doing some dance moves.

On my way to the living room, I saw Hayley and Jane intensively chatting with each other as they were looking at the couch. I followed their gaze and saw Evan and Rebecca making out with each other.

"Damn okay then!" Jane snickered.

"We knew she liked him, but I never expected for this to happen, if I'm being honest." I said with surprise.

"Well I don't think they're gonna be assholes to her anymore now." Hayley stated with a sigh.

I turned to them and said: "They're off all of our backs, no worries."

"Tssk says who?" Hayley scoffed.

"Says me." Ross said as he got next to Jane.

"And me." Josh added, putting his hand out to me. "We've been dicks to and we're sorry."

I shook his hand, but still didn't really believe him. "Sure thing."

As I turned to leave, Ross got in front of me. "No, we mean it. We really are sorry."

"Yeah it's fine." I sighed. "Just don't expect me to be all lovey-dovey to you four now you apologized, yeah? Just leave me alone."

Ross held up his hands, as if he surrendered. "You got it."

He let me through and I went to find Amy, who I found by the fridge.

"You won't believe this." She said to me as soon as she saw me. "This is so crazy!"

"Rebecca and Evan eating each other's faces? Yeah I saw it." I chuckled, grabbing a beer from Amy's hand.

"Nooo not that." She said. "Well yeah, that too. But Pete and Ross came to apologize to me just a few minutes ago."

"Josh and Ross did that to me too." I said, frowning. "I still don't believe them though. But as long as they're keeping their hands off of me, I'm cool with it."

"I believe them." Amy stated. "I think they feel guilty. And now that Becca's smooching Evan, I'm pretty positive she's gonna hang around with them more, and they with us."

I shrugged. "I'm not gonna be nice to them just because they said they were sorry."

Amy smiled and poked my cheek. "Elle, you should just take the opportunity, forget about the past and rock on."

"You know I'm not good at that, like you are." I chuckled, giving her a friendly push.

The two of us searched for a spot to sit down and rest our feet, when we saw Josh, Pete and Ross stand with Charlotte. She was looking a bit concerned, but that soon turned when Pete held his hand out to her and she shook it. Followed by Josh and Ross.

Amy rested her head on my shoulder and I noticed Josh looking into our direction with a smirk.

Istill didn't believe that 'nice guy' act of them.