[b]Chapter 9 – Bob POV[/b]

Pete, Ashley and I waited out front of the café for the others to show up.
Pete and Ashley were talking and occasionally bringing me into the conversation, not that I minded, I had things on my mind. I was nervous for today for two reasons:
1) it was my first time being around Pete and Ashley’s friends without Gerard or Mikey there, and 2) I was scared I’d jump Pete any second if I didn’t stop myself. I liked Pete, a lot. Don’t get me wrong, I like him as a friend. But I like him a lot more, as more than a friend.
Frank showed up first. I let out a sigh of relief and earned a look from Frank. I hated the connection vampires had sometimes, it was practically like putting a sign on your head the told everyone your deepest, darkest secrets. He raised an eyebrow before turning to look at Ashley as he got a hug. He was going to ask me about it later, I just knew it.
“BOB!” I heard a familiar voice call out. I looked up to see my cousin Emma dressed in the weirdest thing. She was wearing this black jumpsuit type thing with brown boots and supporting a different hair cut. Quirky family I guess.
“Finally,” I said, giving her a hug when she came over, “What took you so long?”
“Oh, I just got out of the hairdressers… What are they gaping at?” she asked.
I looked over to see Ashley, Pete and Frank staring at us, mouths open.
“Errr….. This is my cousin, Emma. Emma this is--”
Emma cut me off, “Bob, these are my friends…”
“What? I… What…. Huh?”
Ashley spoke up, “Bob, Emma is my best friend. We’re just wondering how you forgot to tell us this… minor detail.”
I could feel myself blush, “I guess I forgot.”
I looked at them all, Pete and Ashley kinda just stared at us. I looked to Frank who was blushing deeply. He caught my eye and turned away. When he looked back, I followed his eye to Emma, who was now talking with the twins. I raised an eye brow. He blew it off and went to get us all a table.
I looked back to the twins and Emma, only to catch Pete’s eye, he blushed and looked away. I got a warm fuzzy feeling from the thought of that happening again. I knew I’d have to be careful today.
Frank returned with a waitress who led us to a table in the corner outside. Frank pulled out a chair and offered it to Emma, she smiled and took it. Frank, on the other hand, looked like he was going to have a heart attack from this. His face went very red, very fast. I shook my head and sat down in between Emma and Pete. I was in for a fun meal.
~~~
We all sat in a circle on the grass in the park near the manor. It was sunny and a cool breeze wisped past occasionally. Frank and I were careful to sit in the shade and refused to move. The others didn’t really care much.
Pete planted himself next to me with Ashley on his other side. Emma sat next to me and Frank. Frank was clammy, I could tell from here. He was clammy, sweaty palms, loss for words, head over heels. A vampire, sweaty and at a loss for words. It was a sight to see.
“Hey Bob, can you enlighten us to as how you are related to Emma?” Ashley asked.
I opened my mouth to speak but Emma cut me off, “Through my dad’s side. They adopted us into the family when he died. Not much to tell.” She said. I knew it was hard for her though. She never met her father and it killed her.
Frank looked at her longingly and settled for pulling her into a one-armed friend hug. Ashley pouted and patted her hand. I looked to Pete and he was staring off into the distance with a look on his face, pain? Sympathy? I didn’t know but it was adorable either way.
We talked for hours about anything, school, home, embarrassing moments. Anything we thought of. They learned more about me without the whole truth, which was nice.
Everyone slowly drifted off, Ashley and Emma went off shopping, and Frank had work. It left me and Pete sitting next to each other, on the grass, alone.
“Let’s start heading back,” I said.
“Yeah, it would be good. It’s getting late and my mum’s just… really cranky when we’re home late and stuff.” Pete said, pre-occupied.
We walked out of the park and up the street. Being suburbia, we could walk in the middle of the street and not get run over. I always like that about Adamsville.
Pete stopped about 3 houses away from the corner.
“Bob, I need to tell you something…” he said.
“Well… Wha--” I was cut off by Pete. Well more his lips. They crashed down on mine with no mercy. I felt his tongue run across my lip and wind its way past my lips. Not that I cared. I’d wanted this and I now had it. I lapped up every second of it. Our tongues twisted around each other’s and when they actually touched, it was like static electricity. I ran my hands through his hair just as he bit my lip before pulling away.
“I’m gay,” Pete said, breathless and with a grin.
“I kinda guessed,” I replied.
He grabbed my hand as we continued walking.
Then it hit me.
We were mates.
The static electricity in our first kiss.
Pete and I were mates.

Notes

[b]Author's Notes:[i] Ash and Jay[/b][/i]

Can't you hear the collective 'nawwwwwwwwwwws' going across the internet?