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“I love you Jojo. I love you, with all of my obnoxious, selfish, evil heart”
With one last look Penelope makes her way to the door, knowing she has to leave the love of her life behind.
“Pen wait!”
The nickname catches her off guard bringing with it a rush of emotions and memories. She hasn’t heard that name in so long, she had almost forgotten the way it made her feel. Penelope freezes where she is but can’t face turning around, because if she turns around she won’t be able to walk out this door. If she turns around she will have to look into those deep brown eyes. Those eyes that hold so much longing, so much sadness, so much hurt. No she can’t turn around but those few words, the mention of that nickname, has her frozen and rooted to the spot. She waits in nervous anticipation for what comes next, for the tall brunette’s next words. And when they come she isn’t prepared for them.
“I love you too.”
They hit her like a crashing wave, pulling her down deeper and deeper into the abyss of the water, not allowing her time to breath, swallowing her up. She looks up to the ceiling, her breath ragged, her heartbeat racing. She tries to hold back what little composure she has left, but she is failing to hold on to it. She is still frozen to the spot, now letting the tears slowly fall down her cheeks. Those words, so sharp, so meaningful, latch onto her and grab hold. They try desperately to pull her back to a place next to the one the words escaped from. They cut through her like a knife as an internal struggle begins to occur within her. This must be that one reason she needed to hear to stay right? This is all she needed to hear nothing else right? But it comes at the wrong time. It comes too late and she knows it. The plan is already set in motion. She has a plan set out, she does everything on purpose and leaving is apart of that plan, she knows that. But she didn’t plan for this. She didn’t plan for these words to catch her off guard. Didn’t plan to be standing there crying, fighting with her inner self. She catches herself trying to make excuses for why she can stay even though she knows she can’t. She has to leave. For Josie’s sake. She has to leave to find a cure, a loophole, a way out of this mess. But Josie can’t know this. She can’t know that Penelope is actually headed to Europe to meet with Caroline. No it’s easier if Josie doesn’t know this.
She slowly turns her face to meet the brunettes and sees that she is crying too. Wet tears running down her soft pink cheeks and onto pouted red lips. Her perfectly set makeup now leaks down her face. She reminders herself again that she must leave for Josie. She is doing this for her and while she may hate her now she doesn’t care, if it means she can save her, she has to try. Because as much as she wants nothing more than to stay, this time Penelope will be the selfless one and put her own needs aside to save the one she loves. She takes a slow deep breath already knowing her response. Hoping that after she walks out these doors that Josie will forgive her for leaving. That she will one day understand all that Penelope has done, she has done for her. Their eyes meet, Penelope tries to memorize every part of Josie knowing she may not see her again for some time and she wants to hold onto every detail. Penelope manages a soft smirk of a smile and finally manages a quiet reply.
“I know.”