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Penny was all but squished into the side of the tub, she was surprised that her, Mischa, and Noel could even fit in there together. Granted “fit” was a bit of a stretch, with misha legs dangling over the side of the tub while Noel sat on the edge of the tub against the wall with his feet in the tub she was the only one fully in.
The bathroom in Constanses house was small enough as is, so trying to cram 6 teenagers in there was no easy task. Across from them Ricky sat on the vanity handing ocean clips and hair ties when she asked. Next to Penny Constance sat on the toilet in an old stained shirt as Ocean shuffled around the cramped space sectioning out her hair before they began dyeing it.
Penny picked at her nails as she looked around the room taking in all the conversations. This was the first time she had been invited to hang out with them that wasn’t a school activity. To say she was a bit nervous was an understatement. She knew her and her brother weren’t the best at social interactions but as her foster mom said practice makes perfect. So here penny sat, cramped between the porcelain wall of the tub and mischa. “Who are you texting?”
Mischa looked over to her, his resting scowl turning into a lopsided smile as he spoke “is my fiancée talia! She from my home country Ukrainian” he scrolled through his phone before handing it to Penny with what she could only presume were pictures of talia “ she beautiful, yes?” He excitedly asked her
Penny opened her mouth to speak but was cut off by Ocean scoffing “ Is he telling you about his imaginary girlfriend?”
Mischa squirmed as he tried to sit up squishing Penny into the side of the tub even more “ Talia not imagined She real and she my fiancée. We marry once I move back to Ukrainian”
Penny scrolled through the photos of talia. she truly was beautiful, in all her photos her hair was done up the same way that she had styled some of her dolls hair and the sweetest smile penny had ever seen.
Noel shifted “ real or not I think it’s romantic you know,granted I’m a whore for a good forbidden romance“
Penny looked over to Ricky and signed “ is she real?”
Ricky thought for a moment before signing back “ I’d say it’s a 50/50 possibly “
“Penny back me up, you think Talia real, no?”
Penny looked from Mischa to the photo of talia in her hands “ I think she real “
“HA! In you face little orphan a-hole, penny you my favorite now” he laughed as put his arm around penny
Ocean rolls her eyes as she puts on the cheap gloves that came with the box dye “don’t come crying when she turns out to be some old guy” mischa responded by flipping ocean off as Constance broke out into giggles
Mischa continued on about Talia and how they met while Penny intently watched ocean dyed the ends of Constance's hair a vibrant shade of purple.
Penny felt herself slowly relaxing as she fell into her habit of people watching, while Noel and Mischa talked about a song Mischa was writing for talia.
Ricky was intently reading the instructions that came with the hair dye while Ocean and Constance talked about their upcoming concert.
After a while of this Constance's mom peaked in through the door; she was somehow shorter than Constance with her hair pulled into a haphazard bun. She cracked up when she looked at Penny, mischa, and noel cramped into the small tub. “Are you kids comfortable there?” Penny nodded feeling obligated, as if says sitting in a bathtub for an hour while being squished by a guy twice your size was uncomfortable was somehow rude
“ Well when you kids are ready there’s food downstairs” she laughed as she walked away mischa practically jumped out of the tub at the mention of food leaving penny to slide into the open space “you have Constance moms food penny? It mad wicked awesome” as she stood the blood rushing back to her legs cause that familiar pins and needles to make her stumble having to grabs onto the tub as not to fall
Constance grabbed Penny's arm, steadying her “ are you ok penny?”
Penny nodded trying to wiggle her toes to get the blood flowing “ yes, my legs are just asleep” she sheepishly laughed. Noel helped stead her as she stepped out of the tub and rushed downstairs with them
Penny looked around at them as they ate. It was weird for her to be eating with them at school. She always sat with her brother during lunch and her foster parents weren’t big on formal dinners. Which made watching Ocean and Noel arguing while mischa cheered him on with a mouth full of food all the more entertaining.
Ricky held up his phone as an alarm went off showing that it was time to wash out Constance's hair. Mischa and Noel quickly shoved the rest of their food into their mouths before following after Ocean, Constance, and Ricky back upstairs.
Penny quickly gathering their plates and setting them into the sink
“Thankyou for having us over Mrs Blackwood, I’m sorry if we’re making too much noise ” the older woman smiled at Penny as she spoke “ nonsense dear, I’m always happy to have Constance's friends over '' Penny left to follow the others when she turned away.
It was an odd feeling when it clicked for Penny that she was included in that. she couldn’t help but smile.
She was their friend