I'll Be There
Chapter Eight
Clare chewed her lip nervously as she, Alli, and Connor headed over to the table where Riley and Peter sat. She couldn't help it, although it was irrational. It wasn't as if Peter was going to bite her but she didn't know how to behave around him. There was no getting past the fact that they'd kissed yesterday. She was terrified that things were going to be awkward now. No matter what Alli said, she was sure that the kiss had been purely accidental. There was no way Peter Stone liked her like that.
"Come on Clare! Sit down!" Alli hissed as she looked up from where she sat between Connor and Riley. She eyed her nervous friend pointedly until the other girl had no choice but to take her seat beside Peter.
Clare's shoulder brushed against Peter's and she jerked slightly, blue eyes gone wide.
The blond boy frowned at her discomfort and slid away from her just a little. The last thing he ever wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.
Riley's eyebrow rose and he turned his head to look at the girl beside him. She too looked at them oddly. He leaned in to whisper to her, "This is awkward." He mumbled.
Alli turned her head slightly and nodded in agreement. "I know. I don't know why they just don't talk about it." She said, speaking of the kiss that their friends had shared.
"Well what do we do?" He asked of her. "How do we get those two to talk?"
She shrugged casually and bit into her sandwich, leaning in to whisper. "I'd suggest we somehow come up with a way to leave them alone."
"What are you two talking about?" A curious Connor asked of them, studying Riley and Alli carefully.
Neither Peter nor Clare seemed to notice how any of their friends were behaving as they pushed the food around on their trays and stared off into space.
Alli and Riley exchanged a look and Alli leaned in to whisper to Connor whose brows furrowed,head turning to his seemingly nervous friend and the blond boy beside her. He didn't pick up on social cues easily and wasn't very good with change but even he could tell that something was wrong. His first friend he'd ever made was acting so strangely. She just wasn't as talkative as usual and her mind seemed to be elsewhere.
Finally, casual as she could be, Alli stood to her feet and Riley did too. Alli urged Connor to stand up as well, looping an arm through his as she held her tray in the other.
That's when Clare looked up, panic overflowing her blue eyes. "Where are you three going?" She pratically squeaked out.
"Oh." Alli breathed, making her dark eyes look all wide and innocent. "We have----something we want Riley to see." With that, Alli and Riley hurried off, pratically dragging Connor with them.
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Clare smirked at Peter, finally relaxing. "Could our friends be any more obvious?" She asked with a laugh.
Peter shook his head, chuckling softly. His eyes twinkled as he looked at Clare.
She blushed under his gaze and ducked her head. Her right hand fidgeted with her fork while the left clenched and unclenched.
He reached over and placed his hand over her's carefully, trying to get her to calm down.
Clare looked up and her eyes connected with his. "I'm sorry." She apologized, "I know that I'm acting like a weirdo but----"
Peter nodded understandingly. "I get it. I guess...I shocked you yesterday, didn't I?"
"A little." She murmured softly, eyes flickering softly. She shook her head. "I just...it confused me. One minute we were talking and the next...." She trailed off with a little laugh.
His face turned serious and he put his fingers under her chin so she would look at him once more. "Hey, I don't regret the kiss. I mean...I hadn't planned on doing it, but I don't regret it."
Clare grinned. "I didn't regret it either." She said a bit breathlessly. "But---I'm not ready for another relationship yet. I just had my heart broken by KC a few days ago and I don't want to use you as rebound. Can we still be friends though and maybe a little later we can date.....if you want to that is." She mumbled carefully.
Peter smiled at her and gently reached in to touch the cheek. "Of course. I'm not willing to lose you as a friend and if you need time---I'll give you it. I don't want you to think of yourself as a rebound from Mia either."
He was rewarded with a flash of teeth, sparkling eyes and soft lips pressing against his cheek as the bell rang. He'd give her time. All the time in the world.
Next Chapter: Mia attacks Clare over Peter, KC causes trouble, a month passes and Peter and Clare are closer than ever--are they ready for the next step?
