Because You're You (Orange Pekoe, Girls und Panzer)

Worst Nightmare

A few days after Pekoe's last 'encounter' with Vanilla, she was now walking down one of the schools corridors, planning on meeting Alex in the cafeteria for lunch as they normally did.

As she entered the room she saw Alex at the far end, he raised his hand in a waving motion and a wide smile formed on Pekoe's face. She quickly started to raise her hand to wave back, but stopped herself when she saw Vanilla step between her and Alex.

Pekoe let out a sigh and mutter softly under her breath, "So he was waving at her..."

Pekoe's smile turned into a frown as she slowly walked into the cafeteria, taking a seat close to where Vanilla and Alex were now talking.

She looked down at the table in front of her with a solemn expression as she heard Vanilla continue to flirt with Alex as she always did.

"Actually, there's something I've wanted to ask you Alex~" Vanilla said with a seductive smile, glancing over Alex's shoulder to see a forlorn Pekoe sitting just next to them.

"A-Ah... O-Okay~" Alex stuttered in reply, not knowing what Vanilla was going to ask...

(Alex in head) "What could it be?..."

"I-I was w-wondering if you'd g-go out w-with me..."

Pekoe let out a set of short fast breaths upon hearing Vanilla's words. Fear filling her heart as tears filled her eyes.

"N-N-No..."

Alex let out a gasp at her words, feeling his face heat up as she looked at him with an expectant expression.

"O-Of course I will~" Alex responded with a smile.

(Alex in head) "I can't believe it! Vanilla really asked me out!"

"I-It c-can't..." Pekoe continued to mutter as Vanilla led Alex out of the cafeteria, gripping his right arm tightly.

"Heeey Pekoe~" Rosehip announced as she jogged over to the table Pekoe was sitting at.

"B-But I..."

"Are you alright Pekoe?" Rosehip asked with a confused expression as she sat across from her.

"I c-can't b-believe that he'd..."

Rosehip then saw Assam and Darjeeling jogging towards her and Pekoe from the entrance that Alex and Vanilla had just left through.

"Pekoe..." Darjeeling said in a solemn tone, sliding into the seat next to her and wrapping an arm around her "I'm so sorry..."

"A-Ah..." Pekoe muttered, before quickly burying her face in Darjeeling's side, wrapping her arms around her as she sobbed heavily.

"W-What happened?!" Rosehip asked with a worried tone.

"Vanilla asked Alex out..." Assam whispered to Rosehip.

"But Pekoe and him are..." Rosehip started, stopping herself as she realised what happened "O-Oh..."

"But why the hell would he say yes?!" Rosehip yelled, her anger about what had happened to Pekoe overcoming her modesty.

"Rosehip!" Darjeeling scalded, holding Pekoe tightly.

"A-Ah... I-I'm sorry Pekoe I..." Rosehip started to apologize, before being cut off by Pekoe.

"I-It's alright" Pekoe responded as she pulled away from Darjeeling, wiping her eyes "S-She's b-better than me in e-every way. S-She's p-prettier, she's s-smarter, she's j-just w-what he deserves...."

"Pekoe none of that's true!" Rosehip yelled again, glancing over at Darjeeling expecting another scolding. Instead she received an agreeing nod.

"You've known him longer after all~" Assam added with a smile.

"And we all know you care about him more than anything~" Darjeeling said as she wiped some of the tears off Pekoe's face.

"B-But..."

"Personally I think he'd be the biggest idiot in the world if he chose her over you!" Rosehip yelled again "But as much as I think that... I don't think he did...."

"W-What d-do you m-mean?..." Pekoe asked with a surprised expression.

"Yes, what do you mean Rosehip?" Darjeeling added.

"W-Well... U-Uh..." Rosehip stuttered, not sure how to approach what she was about to say.

"Pekoe it's just that... Well you haven't really... Uh..."

"You haven't really shown him that you have feelings for him..." Assam asserted, seeing that Rosehip was dancing around the subject too much.

"W-What?!" Pekoe replied.

"I think I see what they mean Pekoe..." Darjeeling responded.

"A-Ah b-but I..."

"We all know you have feelings for him, but only because you've told us. You're pretty laid back when it comes to demonstrating you're feelings, and when you do, he doesn't seem to notice..." Rosehip noted.

Pekoe opened her mouth to retort, but stopped herself as her mind began to wander.

(Pekoe in head) "Maybe they're right..."

"I believe he sees you as his best friend, but nothing more..." Assam added.

"I... I think you guys are right..." Pekoe muttered, putting both of her hands over her face. "How could I get it so wrong?..."

"It's alright~" Darjeeling said calmingly as she rubbed Pekoe's back.

"B-But I f-feel horrible... I-It's like my w-worst n-nightmare has come true..."

"It'll be okay~" Assam added.

"Yeah! You just need to show him that you're better than Vanilla~" Rosehip said with a smile.

"There's no way I'll even be able to get near him now. Vanilla wouldn't let me..."

Saddened expression then covered all of the girls faces as they realised that Pekoe was right...

A wide smile then covered Darjeeling's face, "Don't worry about it~ I'll make sure that you're deployed next to him next practice, and that Vanilla is as far away from him as possible~" she mused with a chuckle, giving Pekoe as wink as she rose to her feet.

"D-Darjeeling..." Pekoe muttered softly "T-Thank y-you! T-Thank you all!" Pekoe responded with a smile as she rose as well, smiles covering all of the girls faces...