Bite Me
The Dinner Party
“Peter!” Pete’s mom said as she ran up hugging him.
“Hi, mom.” He said giving her a hug back and a look at me.
“Thanks for driving him here Jon. And you must be Amanda. Jon told me on the phone that you got Pete to come here to Chicago.” She said walking over to me and giving me a hug too.
“Yeah.” I said surprised she was hugging me.
Pete’s mom then hugged Jon and then had us follow her inside. Once inside I met Pete’s dad and his younger brother and sister. It was nice to see Pete with his family even if he didn’t want to be here.
“Pete I made your favorite things for dinner and since you have met everyone, Amanda I think we can all eat now.” Mrs. Wentz said walking into the dining room.
Pete pulled me aside as Jon walked into the dining room. My nervousness just got worse because I think Pete is going to yell at me. How was I to know that his mom would make dinner?
“Thanks, Amanda. You know I can’t eat. They don’t know. Do you know how hard it is going to be to try and fake that I still love my mom’s cooking?” Pete said grabbing my wrist.
All I could do was look down and apologize. I followed Pete into the dining room after he had his say and sat down across from him. I was sitting beside his mom who was on one end of the table and his sister.
“So, Amanda, how did you meet Pete?” Mr. Wentz asked me.
Wow, what a conversation starter. I guess I have to answer questions like this though. I did get myself into this mess. I looked over at Pete who was giving me a look.
“I met Pete a few days after I moved to L.A. I live with my best friend who got a job promotion. She moved from New York to run a new store opening up in L.A. We decided to go to one of the clubs that wasn’t far from her store and got attacked walking to our car as we left the club. That’s where Pete came into the picture. Him and the boys rescued my best friend and I and we have been friends ever since.” I said glancing over at Pete.
“I see.” His dad said.
“So how long have you been in L.A., Amanda?” Hillary, his sister asked.
“Just a few months, since March, I think.” I replied.
“Amanda, I’m sorry if we are making you feel uncomfortable. It has just been long time since Pete has had a girl over.” Mrs. Wentz said.
“Mom!” Pete said embarrassed a bit.
Pete had everyone laughing and his brother was teasing him a bit. So this is what its like to have a normal family. I sat all quiet again slowly eating my food. I think Pete noticed something was wrong and rubbed his foot against mine. He mouthed “You ok?” I just nodded. At least he acknowledged me again instead of giving me looks.
“So where did you live before L.A.? Your parents must have been sad to see you leave where you were from.” Mr. Wentz said.
“Um, Dad, I think you should just drop it.” Pete said trying to stick up for me.
“It’s alright Pete.” I said giving him a thank you look. “I was born in Kentucky. I lived there until I was six. I then moved to Florida and now as you know, L.A. My mom died when I was six and I was sent to live with an aunt in Florida. I don’t know who my dad is.” I said looking down.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” Pete’s mom said.
“Oh, it is ok. It has worked out alright for me. I went to college for awhile and then moved to L.A. I help Bev run Jackie’s big store there. Jackie if you have never heard of her is a big fashion designer who owns stores all over New York, Paris, and London. Bev interned for her a few years ago before being promoted to run the L.A. store. It is awesome to be apart of.” I said.
“Well it sounds like you are doing just fine then.” Mr. Wentz said.
After supper was over I helped Pete’s mom do the dishes. I didn’t mind at all even though she said she would do them. It just felt right. Pete’s brother and sister left and Jon went to watch some tv with Pete’s dad. Pete stayed in the kitchen talking away with his mom.
I told Pete I was going to sit with Jon and he pulled me close as he was leaning against the kitchen counter. It left me confused because I thought he may want to talk to his mom alone and that he was still mad at me.
“I need you here for what I am about to do.” He said whispering and squeezing my hand.
“Wait, you aren’t going to erase this memory from them are you?” I said whispering back to Pete.
“No. I would never do that.” He said.
“Ok, then.” I said leaning against the counter beside him.
“Mom, there is something I need to tell you.” Pete began.
“Sweetie you can tell me anything.” His mom replied putting away the clean dishes.
“I am going to tell you something that I don’t want Dad, Hillary, or Andrew to know about ok? And it is something you aren’t going to like.” Pete said with hurt in his eyes on trying to tell his mom he is dead. All I could do was let him hold my hand and give him a reassuring look to let him know I was there for him and not leaving his side as he began to tell his mom, he was a vampire.
“Hi, mom.” He said giving her a hug back and a look at me.
“Thanks for driving him here Jon. And you must be Amanda. Jon told me on the phone that you got Pete to come here to Chicago.” She said walking over to me and giving me a hug too.
“Yeah.” I said surprised she was hugging me.
Pete’s mom then hugged Jon and then had us follow her inside. Once inside I met Pete’s dad and his younger brother and sister. It was nice to see Pete with his family even if he didn’t want to be here.
“Pete I made your favorite things for dinner and since you have met everyone, Amanda I think we can all eat now.” Mrs. Wentz said walking into the dining room.
Pete pulled me aside as Jon walked into the dining room. My nervousness just got worse because I think Pete is going to yell at me. How was I to know that his mom would make dinner?
“Thanks, Amanda. You know I can’t eat. They don’t know. Do you know how hard it is going to be to try and fake that I still love my mom’s cooking?” Pete said grabbing my wrist.
All I could do was look down and apologize. I followed Pete into the dining room after he had his say and sat down across from him. I was sitting beside his mom who was on one end of the table and his sister.
“So, Amanda, how did you meet Pete?” Mr. Wentz asked me.
Wow, what a conversation starter. I guess I have to answer questions like this though. I did get myself into this mess. I looked over at Pete who was giving me a look.
“I met Pete a few days after I moved to L.A. I live with my best friend who got a job promotion. She moved from New York to run a new store opening up in L.A. We decided to go to one of the clubs that wasn’t far from her store and got attacked walking to our car as we left the club. That’s where Pete came into the picture. Him and the boys rescued my best friend and I and we have been friends ever since.” I said glancing over at Pete.
“I see.” His dad said.
“So how long have you been in L.A., Amanda?” Hillary, his sister asked.
“Just a few months, since March, I think.” I replied.
“Amanda, I’m sorry if we are making you feel uncomfortable. It has just been long time since Pete has had a girl over.” Mrs. Wentz said.
“Mom!” Pete said embarrassed a bit.
Pete had everyone laughing and his brother was teasing him a bit. So this is what its like to have a normal family. I sat all quiet again slowly eating my food. I think Pete noticed something was wrong and rubbed his foot against mine. He mouthed “You ok?” I just nodded. At least he acknowledged me again instead of giving me looks.
“So where did you live before L.A.? Your parents must have been sad to see you leave where you were from.” Mr. Wentz said.
“Um, Dad, I think you should just drop it.” Pete said trying to stick up for me.
“It’s alright Pete.” I said giving him a thank you look. “I was born in Kentucky. I lived there until I was six. I then moved to Florida and now as you know, L.A. My mom died when I was six and I was sent to live with an aunt in Florida. I don’t know who my dad is.” I said looking down.
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry.” Pete’s mom said.
“Oh, it is ok. It has worked out alright for me. I went to college for awhile and then moved to L.A. I help Bev run Jackie’s big store there. Jackie if you have never heard of her is a big fashion designer who owns stores all over New York, Paris, and London. Bev interned for her a few years ago before being promoted to run the L.A. store. It is awesome to be apart of.” I said.
“Well it sounds like you are doing just fine then.” Mr. Wentz said.
After supper was over I helped Pete’s mom do the dishes. I didn’t mind at all even though she said she would do them. It just felt right. Pete’s brother and sister left and Jon went to watch some tv with Pete’s dad. Pete stayed in the kitchen talking away with his mom.
I told Pete I was going to sit with Jon and he pulled me close as he was leaning against the kitchen counter. It left me confused because I thought he may want to talk to his mom alone and that he was still mad at me.
“I need you here for what I am about to do.” He said whispering and squeezing my hand.
“Wait, you aren’t going to erase this memory from them are you?” I said whispering back to Pete.
“No. I would never do that.” He said.
“Ok, then.” I said leaning against the counter beside him.
“Mom, there is something I need to tell you.” Pete began.
“Sweetie you can tell me anything.” His mom replied putting away the clean dishes.
“I am going to tell you something that I don’t want Dad, Hillary, or Andrew to know about ok? And it is something you aren’t going to like.” Pete said with hurt in his eyes on trying to tell his mom he is dead. All I could do was let him hold my hand and give him a reassuring look to let him know I was there for him and not leaving his side as he began to tell his mom, he was a vampire.