Always A Step Behind: An EarnPete Fanfic

6. Making Amends...still

Earn

Some minutes after Yuri left with her father who fetched her after our awkward lunch, Pete and I were now standing at the taxi stand waiting for  a cab.

We were both silent. Nobody tried to talk. I personally didn't know what to say. And where were these taxis when you needed them anyway?

I let out a sigh and looked up to Pete. He had his brows furrowed. His face looked like a mixture of annoyance and amusement and some other extra emotions that I could yet to fanthom.

The asshole refused to talk.

Few more minutes, taxis were still nowhere to be found.  And I could no longer bear the silence.

"Oiiii, Pete! So embarrassing!We both let Yuri pay for the meal. What if she thinks wrongly of us and accuse us of faking the pissing contest just to score free food. Aren't you worried?"

...

"Pete?"

...

"Are you mad again?"

...

"Look, in my defense, I really didn't plan on ruining your date with Yuri, okay. I just happened to be there at the music shop." I flinched a little when I gave my explanation because there's honestly only a minute truth to what I said.

Pete looked at me. I braced myself for what he's about to say, but then he looked away again.

I saw a taxi coming. I was about to step out of the cordon to get to it when Pete stopped me, "Did Noh ask you to spy on me with Yuri?!"

I was dumbfounded. I hope I heard wrong.
I turned to Pete, letting the couple behind us get our cab.

"I might have heard incorrectly, what did you say again?!"

Pete rolled his eyes for the nth time today. Yes, he's an eye roller.

"So?... Did Noh make you do it?!?"

......

Hearing no answer from me. Because I honestly didn't know what to answer him yet. Pete walked straight to the exit of the mall's compound. Leaving me behind. Again.

"Hey, Pete! Wait." Why did this asshole walk too fast!

"Pete!"

"Hey!"

I finally caught up with him and stood in front of him, as I tried to keep him from walking away again.

"Look, Listen to me, okay?!?" I said in between pants. Sweat obvious on the sides of my face. Gahhh, why is Thailand so hot?

"Let me explain."

"Go on, I'm listening."  Pete said nonchalantly.

I took a deep breath. I was contemplating on how to explain everything without sounding so defensive and diva like when asshole Pete started walking again. Damn him! Wasn't he bothered by the Thailand heat?!?

"Hey, asshole, wait up!"

I was half shouting half panting. This asshole sure knew that he had this height advantage over me and went on striding long steps to get away from me.

"Been waiting for you all my life, Earn, maybe it's the right time you catch up!" Pete said apathetically.

"Just so you know, I'm not gonna embarrass and tire myself  altogether just so I could explain to you. What I'm going to say is embarrassing enough, so please spare me with the walking!"

Pete heard what I said. Halted and faced me. He walked up to me with ang urging face, telling me to speak without even talking. I straightened myself and after catching some breath, I began:

"First of all, Noh has nothing to do with all of  this." It's the truth. He rolled his eyes with my preamble. I knew that he was never a fan of Noh, but I didn't think, it's this severe.

"I haven't been thinking of Noh, only if you never mentioned him, there's no way he'd ever be in this conversation." I continued.

"But you did follow me, it was intentional, wasn't it?"

"I...fine!" Here went nothing. It's either I explained or he'll be back with his cold war game and started avoiding me again. And as much as I didn't like to admit. But I hated it! I hated not having Pete around me no matter how annoying he became.

"It's just that, these past few days you were all Yuri this and Yuri that. You even went as far as turning me down for her. Which is a first for me. I don't know, maybe I'm just too caught up with my self and am being so stuck up that I refused to share. I am so used to having you all for myself, and now that you have someone new you want to hang out with, I kind of feel weird and selfish and possesive and...urrgh! Am I making sense?"

I looked up to Pete, amusement all over his face. Then he looked at me intensely that I started to feel conscious. And then, the most unexpected thing happened!

"Pete...I---" My lips froze mid sentence. Next thing I knew, another set of moist lips are on mine!

Pete kissed me!

In the middle of a crowded shopping district!

And...after I got shocked,

I kissed him back!

What the freaking fvck!