Chapter Text
"Honestly, the worst thing you can do is stare."
Penelope's snide remark jolts Josie back to reality. She didn't even realize she had zoned out.
"Uh- I-," Josie sputters, unsure of her words, or herself, in this moment.
"Look, JoJo, it's not a big deal. Just remember, a picture lasts longer, and I'm always ready to pose," Penelope winks at Josie.
A now speechless Josie stares once again at Penelope, dumbfounded as she chooses that to exit on.
Josie is left with a whiff of Penelope's signature scent, a longing for her to come back and an open textbook in front of her. Knowing that after that encounter, there is no way she will be able to focus or get any work done, she closes her textbook and gathers up her many multicolored highlighters and notes. Standing and attempting to quell her palpitating heart, she takes a shaky step back towards her dorm. Exhaling a breath she didn't know she was holding, she walks in a haze back to her room.
Lizzie finds her some time later laying on her bed staring into space.
"Jo? Hello? Can you hear me?" Lizzie attempts to get her sisters attention. Seeing this would be a futile task, she approaches Josie with caution, careful not to startle her out of her trance. Lightly sitting on the bed next to her, Lizzie gently touches her shoulder, "Josie, are you okay?"
Her sister's touch drawing her back to reality, she responds, "Hmm? Oh, yes. I'm fine. What time is it?"
Her sister's daze still puzzles her slightly, but Lizzie doesn't want to push, so she answers, "It's almost seven. Do you want to go get dinner?"
Seven o'clock? How could it be seven already? Josie thinks, I was just leaving the library at five.
Remembering Lizzie's question, Josie says, "Oh, I didn't realize how late it was. But, no, that's okay. I'm not hungry."
Becoming concerned, Lizzie pushes, "Are you sure? I could just bring you something if you don't want to leave the room."
Still slightly in a daze, Josie is only hearing half of what her sister says, but she sits up anyway. "No, that's okay. I'm good. But, don't worry about me, you should go get something to eat. I'll be here if you need me."
Begrudgingly, Lizzie stands and walks to the door and opens it, remarking, "Okay, Jo. I'll be back in a while," before leaving and closing the door behind her.
Still unable to form completely coherent thoughts, Josie stands and makes her way to her desk, hoping she can focus and finish the work she started earlier.
After staring at an open textbook for 20 minutes, Josie slams it shut with a huff, angry that Penelope has this kind of power over her.
Knowing she needs to get out of her own head, she quickly throws on a jacket and grabs her phone and keys, and starts to walk towards the school grounds, thinking a walk in the crisp, brisk air might help.
Since it was after seven during the fall, the sun was setting and the air was getting chilly. Josie shivers in her light jacket, wondering around the side of the school.
Hearing a giggle in the distance, she passes it off as the blustering wind and falling leaves. After all, the cafeteria was serving dinner at the time so it was unlikely anyone else would be out here.
Listening to the crickets chirping, Josie continues her trek around the school, trying her best to get Penelope out of her head.
As much as she tries, Penelope's signature smirk keeps making its way into the forefront of Josie's mind. Not only that, but Josie swears she hears another giggle that sounds like Penelope.
Her mind must be playing tricks on her.
The sun was almost behind the trees now. Josie picks up her pace to reach the entrance again, because she doesn't want to be out here alone at night.
But maybe, after hearing the giggle for a third time, she wasn't alone.