Chapter Text
Colin Bridgerton is in love, with miss Penelope Featherington of 14A.
It started over a year ago, on the first day she moved to her current apartment, the one beside his.
Or…that is what he kept telling himself.
But if he was being truthfully and painfully honest with himself, He did not know when it had started. It may have been the first time he read her novel, or maybe when he first read her short stories on her blog. It also may have been the moment he discovered her poetry thread on twitter all those years ago. Her wit, her humor, her writing had strummed a string of his soul and his life had never been the same since.
He never thought he would be one of those hopeless romantics, who fell in love blindly, without knowing the person they fell in love with.
Yet he did.
But to his defense, he did not not know her.
He always felt like he knew her, truly knew her. He knew the woman behind those words. She let out so much passion, so much raw emotions in her writing, leaving imprints of her wonderful mind behind her works. Her words flow through him like a river, drifting his whole being into the sea of vulnerability and empathy. She made him feel things he had never felt before. It was as if his whole body had been struck with lightning, completely and assuredly amazed by the genius that she is.
And maybe that is why he read her writings over and over again, for the emotion she was able to encompass him with. And maybe that is also why he followed her on every single one of her social media platforms, for the excitement when she posted witty comments, for the joy when she tweeted amusing tweets over mundane stuff.
He could only imagine how amazing it must have felt to actually know her, to be her friend, to have a right to fall in love head over heels with her.
But he knew he didn’t have that privilege. His practical and realistic mind would never allow himself to admit that he was in love with her. He always thought it was not love, it was pure and utter admiration and respect. There was nothing more to it. And there is no way there is ever going to be something more than that. No way.
Well, that was until his sister, also his landlady, Daphne, told him that Penelope is going to be his neighbour at their family dinner.
Even then, after the ache and pure excitement bubbled in his chest, he still wouldn’t admit it.
Until he returned from his travel (Bali this time), in his ugly beige cargo shorts, unruly hair and sleeveless gray shirt. Jetlagged, cranky, and tired, trying to get into his apartment as fast as he could, but unfortunately blocked by moving men in front of him.
He stared at the floor, confused, trying to remember which of his neighbours was in need of moving men.
Then he looked up and locked his green eyes with her brown ones for the very first time.
He smiled instantly.
And he knew right then and there, he is in love with Penelope Featherington.
Suddenly his mind is in perfect clarity, but he could not think about anything but her. He paid no mind to the moving men in front of him, keeping his eyes locked onto hers. As if he is a bride walking down the aisle of that gray apartment corridor.
He wanted to do so much. He wanted to shake her hand, wanted to ask her to sign his books, wanted to ask her to spend the rest of their days together.
But he knew that is not the moment to profess one’s love.
All in good times.
So, he played it in the only way he knew how. He played it cool.
Acting nonchalantly, as if his heart is not about to burst out of his chest. “Hi, I’m Colin, 14B, you must be new?”
He didn’t think he could fall for this woman deeper, until he heard her sweet sweet voice, and saw rosy blush crept onto her cheeks.
“Yes, I’m Penelope, 14A. Nice to meet you Colin 14B.” She said shyly.
He chuckled.
He didn’t want to walk away, he wanted to stare at her more, he wanted to spend some time with her. He wanted to connect with her.
Play it cool, Bridgerton!
Yet, he walked away, to the door of his own apartment, right beside hers.
“Well, see you around, Pen of 14A.”
He leaned his back against his door, smiled ear to ear right after he closed his door.
Colin lives for the moments they share.
The anticipation he feels every time he walks out her door, hoping she would walk out too.
The stolen glances and chaste friendly smiles in the corridor,
The rushing of heartbeat when the elevator is too full, and they stood incredibly close to each other.
The universe has brought her to his orbit, and he will not let this opportunity go.
He uses his spare time to plan on how to woo her, how to be her boyfriend.
He brings her foods from all around the world.
He poured his heart and soul to find the food he thought Penelope would like. He also prepared a story to tell her about the food he brought.
But all the things he prepared, gone from his head, the moment he saw her eyes, every time.
He is tongue tied. His heart rate speed up. His palms start to sweat.
He always ended up giving her the food without saying the things he prepared. He is too shy.
He is exasperatedly in love with her. He has never been so sure, it is in his bone, in his blood. His heart cannot adore another. All of its pieces, all of its folds, nooks, and crevices are already hers.
Yet he cannot bring himself to say it to her.
All in good time, perhaps.