It's the next day. You barely slept last night because you were thinking about what Pete said to you earlier that evening, about liking you in a more-than-friends way. You love Patrick, you really do, you even see yourself marrying him one day, but you can't help but wonder about what would happen and what it would be like if you were to leave him for Pete.
You are already dreading today, but when Patrick asks if you wanted to come to the studio again, it seems that your amount of dread triples. You really don't want to go, you don't want to see Pete, but if you don't show up then he'll know that things weren't the same between you two anymore. And you don't want that. You cherish his and your friendship, it means everything to you.
"This is awkward," He had said to you over the phone last night, but his confession the night prior wasn't as awkward as what happens when you show up at the studio with Patrick - you spot Pete looking out one of the windows, curtains pushed to the side as he watches you and Patrick walk in. You swallow hard.
Patrick leads you to the lounge where you meet up with Andy and Joe. Pete comes in shortly after. The four discuss what they'll be doing today - which is recording the instrumental portion of the song. So that means you're pretty much going to be on your own today (you've been to the studio many times before, so you know the drill).
Patrick kisses you on the cheek before leaving with his friends to the studio to record the song.
You walk over to the couch and plop down, sitting across the three red leather cushions, your back to the arm and your right leg crossed over your left in front of you. You pick up the Kerrang! magazine that's sitting on the coffee table and begin leafing through it.
Just then, the doors clicks open behind you. You glance over your shoulder and see Pete walk in, closing the door behind him. You set the magazine down.
"Pete?"
"(Y/N)," He replies, walking over and sitting down on the arm chair adjacent to the couch you're on, which also happens to be the arm chair you were hiding behind during your game of pillow war with the guys. "We need to talk," He tells you resolutely.
"Don't you have to-" You begin to ask when he cuts you off.
"Yeah, but they think I'm in the bathroom. I've got like five minutes tops, so...about last night-"
It's your turn to interrupt him. "Did you really mean that?" You inquire in a whisper, moving down the couch so you're closer to Pete, "That you like me in more-than-friends way?" You question even quieter.
He hesitates to answer, and when he does, what he says crushes you - more than it should've. "No. I didn't mean it. I wasn't thinking when I said that. I shouldn't have told you that. It was stupid of me. I'm so sorry, (Y/N)."
Despite how you really feel, you play it off as if you're relieved. "Oh, okay. Good. Because then things would be really awkward with everyone. You know?" You laugh nervously and he just smiles sympathetically at you. "So...just to make clear," You tack on, leaning forward, "You don't like me?"
Again he hesitates before saying, "Right."
"And what you said last night wasn't true?"
"Right."
You nod your head and sit back in the couch. He looks over at the clock on the wall.
"Well, I should be getting back," Pete stands up and slips his hands into the pockets of his skinny jeans, "Hey, can we agree to keep this between us? You know, not tell anyone? Especially Patrick?"
"Of course," You assure him. He smiles in gratitude before leaving the lounge. You watch as he leaves. The door closes behind him and you sigh.
Pete walks down the hallway and to the bathroom, up to one of the sinks and grabs onto the sides, failing to hold back the tears that form in his eyes and threaten to roll down his cheeks. He hates himself for lying to you, lying to himself. But he knows that this is for the better - to keep his feelings locked up inside, because letting them out is only going to cause trouble. And that's the last thing he needs right now. It's the last thing anyone needs right now.
To Be Continued...