So, I've had this on my computer for-ev-er & since I'm struggling with my story Wrapped I thought I'd try to see where this takes me. Its a bit of a different version of Pete, one that's not quite so lovey-dovey as my Wrapped version but lets see if he won't change eventually...
Enjoy!
"Can't believe yer draggin' us to a club all in the name of some bird," Pete groaned as Dave led him and the rest of the boys through the half-crowded nightclub. A grin broke across Dave's face as he spotted his leggy blonde girlfriend Jules leaning against the bar, clearly waiting impatiently for him to show.
"Oi, suck it up," he yelled back to the boys and as they came into view of Jules each one of the boys looked a bit happier as they saw the collected gaggle of girls milling about the bar.
Pete hung back, catching Bovver's eye in the process who was looking the girls up and down, an indifferent look on his face, "Stuck up lookin' twats huh?" he said gruffly and Pete rolled his eyes but as he glanced over at the girl wrapping her arms around Dave and the other girls around he tended to agree. The group of girls was teetering atop ridiculously high heels, wearing tight dresses or low-cut tops with heavily made-up faces.
"It'll be like shootin' fish in a barrel," Pete said with a grin as he smacked Bovver on the back and joined the rest of the boys who were already eyeing the remaining ladies up and down. A willowy blonde with a large chest sidled up to him and he gave his most casual smirk in her direction causing her smile to turn Cheshire cat-like, bingo, he thought as he introduced himself.
"Pete," he offered his hand out to her by way of introduction.
"Ashley," she said as she took his hand lightly and leaned in to kiss his cheek, staring up at him through her lashes in a look Pete was more than familiar with, a look that said this was going to be all too easy.
"Petey!" Jules shrieked interrupting the meeting as she dragged him away, "Come meet all the girls," she said, slurring her words ever so slightly as she pulled him towards the bar. Jules rattled off random names while pointing in the direction of her friends and Pete was barely able to keep up with all the interchangeable faces.
"And this is Digger," she finished off pointing to the final girl. He hadn't noticed her until she'd been pointed out, most likely due to her being about a head shorter than the rest and dressed decidedly different.
He looked her up and down, eyes widening in surprise at the beige t-shirt she was wearing that read 'Weekend Forecast: Mostly Drunk with a Chance of Horny' and the way her soft, wavy dark hair was thrown casually up in a ponytail, long bangs swept across half her face. She was barely wearing any makeup and she met his stare with a set of soft gray eyes that smiled up at him, "Hiya Pete!" she said with a grin as he took her hand in his, shaking it in comical over-exaggeration.
And that was it. She turned away from him to continue chatting with Dave whose eyes were crinkled with amusement at whatever she was saying to him. Feeling slightly dismissed he shrugged and turned away from the bar to chat up Ashley as she seemed to be the most promising of the group.
An hour or so later Pete glanced down to see both his and Ashley's drinks empty so he shoved his way through the now nearly full place only to find Digger leaning over the bar trying to get the attention of the bartender. Just as he reached her and was about to speak he noticed another man sidling up to her other side. Pete eyed him up and down taking in his average height, light blonde hair and a strong set jaw with a large nose that looked like it'd been broken more than a few times.
"Can I buy ya a drink miss?" the bloke yelled to her over the crowd, loud enough that Pete could hear him clearly.
Digger looked up startled as though she wasn't quite sure why he was talking to her, "Oh – no, no thank you." She politely declined, turning her head away from the stranger as she continued her attempts to attract the bartender effectively ending the conversation on her end.
"Uh, why not?" the guy persisted and Pete smirked, surveying the scene with interest. She didn't seem like the type of girl that was easily picked up in bars.
"Well," she started slowly as though speaking to a child, "I'd rather not sleep with you."
Pete nearly choked at her words and the man's face fell considerably, "Erm, listen I just wanted to buy you a drink…dinna say nothin' bout –" he said awkwardly.
"Yes," she said cutting him off while still speaking slowly, "And in the buying of the drink you would then assume that I liked you and would like to go home with you. Which I do not. So…you have a good evening!" she said brightly with a small wave to the now thoroughly shamed man who stormed away from her.
Digger rolled her eyes and flashed a brilliant smile at the bartender who was now leaning towards her, "What can I git ya love?"
"Whiskey soda, pretty please," she said as she slid a ten pound note across the sticky bar.
Pete stood tapping his foot while still waiting for this strange girl to notice him. Finally he decided to just break the ice, "So can I buy you a drink?" he chanced, while biting his lip in order to keep the serious look on his face.
Her eyes caught his and he couldn't stop the smile at the annoyed look until she noticed it was him, "Funny guy Pete, eh?" she replied with sparkling eyes, "Well it doesn't count that you just watched me buy my own."
"And if you hadn't? Would I have a half a shot in hell of sleepin' with you?" he said, only half kidding.
Digger coughed slightly as a bit of her drink got stuck half way down her throat and she glanced up at him smirking down at her. Rolling her eyes, she gave a slightly flirty smile as she stared up at him through thick, coal-black lashes, "Hmm, dunno bout that mate – doubt you could handle me."
"That a fact?" he said, lowering his voice and leaning towards her.
"Oi! Diggs, ya wanna shot?" a voice interrupted and she jumped away from Pete as though she'd been burned. He grimaced as he noticed Jules pulling Digger away from him and was replaced with Dave watching him was wary eyes.
"Get that thought right outta yer head mate – she's way outta yer league," Dave shouted at him over the thud of the music while Pete rolled his eyes at the thought that any female could be out of his league.
"Nah Gospel of Paul bruv, stay away from her, she's a good girl," Dave said seriously, voice taking on a warning tone.
Pete raised an eyebrow at him, "Alright mate, fine – I'll leave 'er alone." He stared down the length of the bar towards her, watched as she threw back a shot and smacked her lips happily, scrunching her nose in slight distaste. He tried to tear his eyes away from her but found it difficult and without thinking he asked, "So what's her deal?"
Dave gave an aggravated sigh but answered him quickly, "She doesn't have a deal. Digger is just…just Digger. Guess with a name like that she's bound to be unique. I don't know how to explain her, she's an absolute space-cadet. And I've never been in a room longer than three minutes with her without laughing my tits off. She's Jules' best mate from Scotland – guess they met at Fresher's week. Absolutely bonkers she is, but in the best way." Dave finished with a glance in direction of the two girls who were currently still giggling from the after-effects of tequila.
"Bonkers?" Pete asked, quirking an eyebrow but his eyes never leaving the new girl who'd caught his eye, watching the dark hair shine in the dull light of the club. He stared at the alluring fullness of her pink lips and the way her oddly colored pewter eyes sparkled as she threw her head back in laughter. His eyes dropped lower to stare at the full chest and he subconsciously licked his lips.
Dave rolled his eyes at him, "Get it out of yer head mate – go for the easy kill, Ashley's waitin' over there." He nudged him back towards the blonde who was not so shyly eyeing him up and down. Pete sighed and turned back towards the other girl with one last glance towards Digger, "Off limits bruv," Dave said with one final warning before he rejoined Jules.
Pete rolled his eyes at Dave's odd streak of protectiveness before rejoining Ashley. Brushing it off he figured he may as well take what he could get.
Pete's eyes snapped open in confusion as he glanced around at the unfamiliar surroundings and he felt the makings of a brutal hangover slowly creeping on. Forget the raging headache, his tongue felt like it was wearing a sweater. He glanced to the right of him and noticed the blonde head of the girl Amanda? No…Ashley, from the night before.
"Shit," he muttered softly as he carefully crept out of the bed, quickly gathering his clothes from the night before. As he dressed silently he contemplated leaving his number but to be honest the girl wasn't really worth it.
He managed to escape the room with the blonde still fast asleep clutching a pillow and he breathed a sigh of relief. He tiptoed down the hall, barely aware of his surroundings, just concentrating on getting out when he spotted the main door to the right of a small kitchen.
Just as his hand hit the doorknob a loud voice startled him from behind, "Morning sunshine!"
Pete felt his heart leap to his throat as he whirled around to see Digger standing there in a baggy pair of flannel boxers and an oversized t-shirt, "Someone's walk of shaming!" she sung out happily as she reached into the fridge to grab a pack of bacon.
"Oi, you mind keepin' yer voice down," Pete managed to grumble out, hangover now fully attacking as he turned to leave again after he managed to wrench his eyes away from her backside. Hangover or not, she was fit.
"Oh," she responded brightly, "Leaving so soon?"
He turned to face her again and saw the smirk firmly placed on her full lips. Choosing to ignore the question he took a step towards her, "Who wakes up at 5 AM after a night of drinking?" he asked, trying to keep the annoyance of out his voice. She may be fit but no bird was fit enough to be so loud so early.
"Those of us that haven't slept yet," another voice responded and Pete twirled around like a kid caught stealing a cookie to find Dave staring at him with slightly glazed eyes, still in the clothes from the night before with Jules looking a bit worse for the wear as well but at least dressed in pajamas.
"Not all of us crept out early to 'hit the sack' as you so charmingly put it last night," Jules finished for her boyfriend. Pete stared at the three people in the small kitchen, horrified that he'd been caught sneaking out and the fact that the irritating imp of a girl Digger wouldn't stop smirking at him.
"Bacon?" she asked him with a smile as she turned back to the stove, humming softly to herself as she heated a skillet and began to prepare breakfast. She seemed to almost float around the kitchen, a fact that amazed him as she clearly hadn't slept and had to still be drunk.
Pete grumbled slightly as he took another step forward and flopped into a chair opposite Dave. He'd already been caught sneaking out, might as well get a free meal out of it, "Coffee?" he asked roughly.
"Your manners are impressive," Digger stated with a sharp bite as she shoved a mug in his direction before turning back to the stove with a slight humph.
Pete ignored her, any attraction from the night before waning the more she taunted him. He much preferred girls that simply melted at his grin over ones that had a smirk to rival his own. But he took the cup gratefully, gulping down the bitter liquid as quickly as the heat of it would allow him.
"So an all-nighter, eh Davey? Didn't think you had it in you anymore," Pete said after a few minutes of silence, broken only by the sounds of breakfast being made.
Dave was currently face down on the table and the only response he got was a mixture of a groan and a grunt while Jules simply giggled a bit as she softly stroked the back of his head, "He doesn't. He passed out on the floor and only just got up. Its Diggs and I that haven't slept," she said with a nod to the dark haired girl currently dancing about the kitchen making breakfast sandwiches.
"Some girlfriend you are just leaving me there," Dave managed to grumble out through, lifting his head only slightly when Digger filled his coffee cup up, eagerly pulling it towards him.
"Yeah well, you can blame Captain Bagel over there," Jules said, nodding her head towards Digger who replied with a snort but kept quiet as she flipped the bacon and started on frying up eggs, "Finds out her favorite fried chicken shop is closed and I'm thinking I'll finally avoid drunk eating when she remembers a 24 hour bagel place on Brick Lane."
Digger gave a shrug as she joined them at the table, tucking a foot under herself as she leaned over the table slightly. She was dangerously close to him and Pete could smell her lingering perfume and the fresh scent of her shampoo. Shaking his head slightly he glanced down at her, "You look like I could snap you with my pinky yet you eat chicken sandwiches and bagels?"
"She's a fat arse who eats more than Swill. It's amazing she hasn't begun to resemble him," Dave answered, finally looking somewhat alert after having downed his mug of coffee.
"Oi!" Digger gave an indignant shout, "For that you'll be getting the last sandwich and on a wheat bagel to boot instead of your favorite everything. And if I had the size of Swill's tits I'd be pretty pleased with myself," she replied with a wink.
Pete smiled slightly, despite the hangover, as the girl flounced out of the chair to flip the eggs while Dave just rolled his eyes with a grin, "You eat 'ere often mate?"
"Anytime you've got a hangover and/or are still drunk, this is the place to be. Diggs knows how to make grease, grease and more grease. She'll give us all heart-attacks soon enough," Jules said proudly as she glanced over at said girl who was in the process of melting a thick piece of cheddar over three eggs.
"Besides the fact the chicken place was closed, I had to hit the bagel place…the noises Ash was making last night were enough to knock Davey onto the floor and Jules to nearly lose her liquor. She sounded like a cat being strangled," Digger said with a hint of bitterness in her voice as she shoved a sandwich in front of Jules.
Pete flushed slightly realizing she'd heard him last night. He dropped his eyes to the table before shoving back to leave when a hand stopped him, "Sit down bruv," Digger said with a slight shove of her shoulder into his as she handed him a massive breakfast sandwich, "Christ I didn't think you were the type to blush at being over heard. I thought you'd be strutting about in your skivvies at the news."
Jules snorted into her sandwich and Dave, for his friend's sake, tried to bite back the laugh while Pete flushed a deep red, the only difference that this time it was in anger rather than embarrassment. He bit his lip to keep the scathing retort that he hadn't quite formulated yet and he flopped back into the seat, taking a huge bite of the sandwich instead.
"Holy fuck, marry me," he said stupidly as his taste buds exploded and any thoughts of anger at Digger's teasing faded away in an instant.
"Nah, I'm good – I don't do sloppy seconds," Digger said with a satisfied grin as she finally finished making her and Dave's sandwiches and Pete noticed how, contrary to her word, she'd given him the everything bagel, taking the wheat for herself. Pete felt his stomach clench oddly at her words but shrugged it off as he took another generous bite while trying to ignore the odd feeling bubbling in his stomach.
Soo, that's that. Thoughts? (& yes, I've used the name Digger in a short lived story before but I love it too much to let it go.) I'm trying to go in a different direction from Wrapped but I will still be updating that.