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Penelope is a lot of things to many people. She’s mean, cruel, a bitch, someone who’d always get what they want no matter what, her heart is said to be stone cold and her eyes reflect nothing but a black hole, or as, Lizzie would joke, if you stare at it long enough, you’d see a pathway to hell. Josie would normally agree with all of those descriptions during the first few weeks she first laid eyes on the auburn haired girl, that is, until, with some kind of pull from the universe, she found herself falling for the devil incarnate.
And now, Penelope is none of those things.
Josie doesn’t really know when her feelings started. Maybe it was during the first time the evil temptress smiled and winked her way, or maybe it was when she bumped to the girl and found her knees crumbling at the sultry voice as the girl apologizes (Josie thought it was so unfair, it was just a simple “sorry, my bad” but the girl somehow made it so… she can’t even finish the thought).
But Josie knows when it happened– when she falls for her.
It was after she had a fight with Lizzie. She doesn’t even remember what it was about, but she remembers she stormed out of the room, tears streaming down on her face, not really knowing where to go. Her dad is out with Hope, she can’t exactly vent to Lizzie, MG is somewhere with the other vamps, and as she thinks hard enough, she doesn’t really have anyone.
But then, Penelope, the Penelope whom everyone is so afraid of, saw her at the hallway, pulled her into a hug and it felt like coming home, whispering to Josie that she’s going to be okay, that she’s fine.
That night, in Penelope’s room, for the first time in a while, Josie was able to let out all the feelings she didn’t know she was holding back.
Until now, Josie doesn’t know why Penelope did what she did. They barely spoke to each other and when their paths do cross, it was always Lizzie raining down insults to the girl and Josie’s just left to the sides, watching as the so called dark lord just smirks.
She’d like to think it was fate.
Maybe it was the universe finally nodding her way.
Or maybe because Penelope is really none of those things that people assumes about her.
It wasn’t the girl’s duty to make sure she wouldn’t pass out crying in the middle of the hallway, but she took care of her, whispered sweet nothings to her until she calmed down, and listened to her without any hint of judgment behind those hazel eyes.
She’d hear stories about a person that’s just destined for you, the other half that the gods tore apart from you.
And she thought, during that night, maybe she found her person.
“Hey! Jojo!”
Josie blinks, snapping out from the reverie she was in. The first thing she sees is the concerned look of the so called Satan incarnate, eyes gleaming with worry and lips forming a pout.
“Are you okay? You’ve been spacing out so much”, Penelope says as she bites her lower lip, “the one time I actually want to study you’re out here daydreaming. So tell me, what’s on your mind this time?”
Josie just smiles, “Nothing, just thinking about you as always.”
Penelope laughs shyly, cheeks reddening and Josie feels her heart swell at the sight, it’s only her who could get such a reaction from the girl in front of her. Only her, and she can’t help but feel special about, which is such a first thing for her.
“Smooth. But I’m not taking you back to my room until we finish this homework.”
Josie hums, “well if that’s what you really want.”
Penelope playfully rolls her eyes at the girl and smiles, “But really, what’s on your mind?”
“Like I said, I was just thinking about you,” Josie says, “and how you’re actually real life teddy bear.”
Penelope scoffs, “Excuse me? You may be my girlfriend but I will not take this disrespect,” the brunette crosses her arms and her lips form a pout, “I’m not a teddy bear. I’m actually a Panda who just wants to laze around and eat a bamboo stick whenever, and besides, they’re cuter.”
Josie laughs and in that fit of laughter, she gets a glimpse of the soft look that Penelope is sending her way, and Josie swears, it’s like she’s falling in love all over again.
But then again, when is she not?
Every day, she finds herself falling harder for the girl, be it over the smallest things like the way how Penelope’s throws her head back laughing like a little kid, the way Penelope’s eyes shine so bright when she talks about the things she loves, the way Penelope kisses her, the way Penelope is adamant about being the big spoon only for Josie to wake up and see how the brunette ended up being the little spoon. Josie thinks she could never run out of things to list as to why she’s freely falling for Penelope Park.
“If you say so, Miss Penelope Panda Park.”
Penelope groans, “Whatever Saltzman, you’re lucky that I love you.”
Josie's hearts stops, her stomach doing somersaults, unable to stop herself from the huge grin forming on her face. It’s not the first time the Penelope has told her that but still, every time she says it, it still does so many things to her.
And maybe Penelope’s right, she’s lucky to be love by the girl in front of her.
For Penelope Park is many things. She’s kind, she’s caring, her hands are the softest things Josie has ever held, when Josie stares into those deep brown eyes, she sees all the love behind it—all the love that’s just reserved for her.
“Yeah, I’m lucky,” Josie says, surprised with the words she let out.
“Oh god, you’re being mushy and now I’m feeling mushy too,” Penelope says as she buries her face on her hands.
“Well, you are soft, like mashed potatoes,” Josie says.
Penelope removes her hands on her face and stares at her, trying hard to stop her laughter, “What does that even mean?”
Josie just shrugs, a soft smile on her face.
Penelope smiles back, eyes meeting hers as Penelope reaches for her hand on the table, holds it and squeezes it.
“It’s weird. I never thought I could feel like this, but then I found you. You’re ruining my reputation as the dark lord of this school but…” Penelope moves forward, her face inches away from Josie, hazel eyes flicker to her lips then back to hers, “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
And when Penelope’s lips meets hers, Josie thinks the same.