Bad Boy's Shy Girl (New Version)

[ 33 ] - Mother Knows All

       It was coming to nightfall by the time my mother had decided we were going to have dinner with Ms. Summers and Peter, and I had no idea how I was going to get out of it to have dinner with Noah and his father. "Peter, why don't you go show Jamie where our menus are, whatever you guys feel like eating is fine." Ms. Summers smiled kindly towards me as she sat comfortably at her dining table alongside my mother, small round glasses with wine poured in them and a bottle of the beverage in front of them as they chatted away.

Peter stood up from the chair beside his mother and nodded his head towards the kitchen, his bangs draped over his eyes like a curtain. "This way." He said gently.

I felt my mother nudge me in my side making me stiffen. "Ah," I uttered and looked at her, eyes wide with surprise.

Ever so subtle my mother shifted her eyes toward Peter waiting for me by the threshold of the kitchen, his cheeks warming from the scene making my own cheeks brighten in color before I quickly stood up and followed him. I wrapped my arms around myself and looked to the ground, forcing my cheeks to cool as Peter and I walked side by side to the kitchen not far from where our mothers were seated, probably watching us like hawks to see how we interacted with each other.

I slowed my steps once Peter opened a drawer closest to the fridge and grabbed a small booklet with colored dividers poking from the sides. He opened it then looked over his shoulder to me, his bangs still covering his eyes, "Wanna come look?" He asked in the same gentle tone as before.

"I don't really have a choice, do I?" I tried to make my voice sound playful and friendly, but it wavered instead and sounded small which made Peter smile a bit. Embarrassed I looked to the floor and walked silently beside him, my hands fisting the flannel that was still wrapped around my waist as my cheeks began to heat up again.

Peter and I had gotten a little more comfortable with each other which made small awkward conversations like this one not as alarming as before. Obviously it would need some time before our friendship was going to get comfortable enough to the point where conversations wouldn't be as awkward, but it felt where we were right now was better than nothing, so I was okay with it. Earlier when he found me shelving books in the room in the back-which, I had come to learn was actually his bedroom later on thanks to Ms. Summers-we had started talking a little bit, and just from that one conversation I noticed how gentle and cautious Peter was with things. Especially when it came to him talking.

He had this calming voice, it was gentle and somewhat quiet, and he was really friendly.

It felt like there was no pressure to talk, or to even think next to Peter. He was just Peter.

Nice, friendly Peter.

"Jamie?" Peter sang from beside me, his finger lightly tapping my bony shoulder further awakening me.

I blinked and turned to him, "Hmm?" I inhaled sharply and my eyes widened seeing how close Peter was to my face, Peter only realizing this seconds later before he quickly leaned away, both our cheeks on fire.

"Erm... your-your phones been ringing for a while. I just-I just thought you should know... " Peter cleared his throat, his brown eyes looking down at the booklet.

On cue my phone began vibrating in my back pocket startling me. I yelped and quickly took it out, my face completely red from embarrassment and turning darker seeing Noah's name displayed over the screen. "Can-can I take this for a second?" I squeaked making Peter nod his head quickly.

"Yeah! Sure! Uh.. i'll just-i'll go over there-take as much time as you need, okay?" He didn't wait for me to respond before he was closing the booklet and rushing into the dining room, cheeks ablaze.