Chapter Text
LaCienega's POV
You'd think after having a serious amount of PTSD after getting relentlessly bullied in her youth, for having abnormally large feet, you'd even think that she decided to have a change of heart, and, she has–after getting a flight to her hometown for college, and couldn't be more grateful for her parents’ financial help, she thought it'll be easier escaping from the pain and frustration it took a kid to deal with after being traumatized (let alone being emotionally devastated for love), but it wasn't easy as she thought.
She was apparently 1,012 days in of being healed, physically and emotionally, she couldn't say the same for mentally, at least not aloud. Her therapist was all about baby steps, and quite frankly, it helped her grow a little backbone and sense of responsibility after lacking it so much in middle school, and she hasn't exactly done an apology tour within the people she's hurt in the past; but she'll definitely put that on the backburner for safekeeping.
She noticed that her plane was finally moving into Chicago, and she already misses Cali with an aching passion in her stomach, and she moves onto the stairs with her bags bruising her palms. Chicago should be fun for a Criminal Justice program.
The crew, excluding Penny, had promised that they'd be flying first class (to go to college here) and to see LaCienega today, although it's a little bit later than she expected, the group chat was buzzing with adrenaline, homesickness, and weird feels she already loved, and she smiled as she noticed the mascara slipping down her cheeks; okay, it's fine to be emotional.
♡
Dijonay called her, and they're currently headed to McDonald's to catch up on all the drama she's missed out on since graduating high school–and apparently there's a lot going on: Zoey and Maya are in a relationship, Michael's dating Sebastian still and is now a choreographer/fashion designer, she and Darrius are getting engaged in less than 8 months (Dijonay's word, she doesn't wanna rush things) and Penny's… now a versatile basketball player at PU where LaCienega's studying at, and she successfully carried the team on her back by getting them to the championship game twice in a year, and Kareem's focusing on his music career, but she squeals more at Penny's accomplishment.
She wonders if she has abs now… just a thought since her build's looking mighty different, but good.
Being childhood friends with her makes it crazy to believe, but she met her when she was 6 and Penny was 5, her first kiss was with her in the sandbox during recess while the teacher wasn't looking, and she's been extremely confused about her mutual feelings nowadays. By elementary school being her greatest, happiest moments, she developed a small, teensy tiny crush on Penny Proud; at lunch she'd purposely make excuses after excuses just to see her and sit with her, and then tell her corny jokes she found interesting. On LaCienega's 8th quinceañera, Penny brought her a Rarity charm necklace since she had a My Little Pony obsession at the time, and around June 4th, LaCienega spoiled the hell out of Penny with rare antiques and a necklace of her birthstone (she's forgotten the name), they've been inseparable ever since.
Middle school was the crash and burn, the crash course, what-fucking-ever you'd like to call it; but that's where their friendship became disastrously tragic–Penny stopped wearing the white diamond studded earrings LaCienega got her, she grown avoidant and borderline cold… then came Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Brown, the name she grown to hate now (even after the fact they dated once) but she couldn't stand looking at his ass everytime he would come around, and LaCienega knew what she had to do.
Penny cried, she remembers the night too well, it even plagued her dreams–she kept saying “he broke up with me!” in a sobbing voice, “he left me for you,” and LaCienega allowed her heartbroken best friend to get her tears all over her shirt.
If you knew what I did, just to get you back.
♡
LaCienega's taking a fluoxetine as something more than just avoiding her visibly shaking hands and rattling bones, it's now 1,021 days since she last saw that pigtailed dumbass.
Fuck, and she's sobbing quietly against her pillows as she pretended it's Penny she's holding onto.
♡
Days passed on slowly, quietly, and LaCienega's awake past 4:35 AM, looking at Penny's Instagram account like she isn't flying in today around 11 AM sharp.
The first thing her eyes widen astonishingly on is Penny's full glam look, her parents are also in this, but she's clearly mogging them with her wink-and-smirk facial expression, her dress, low and cut with a slit on the right side, and the stilettos.
LaCienega smiles, types out a cute compliment, and giggles.
so fuego!
Penny replied instantly.
lmfao, thanks mamas.
LaCienega felt her pulse quickening as she rolled her eyes, “Still the childish girl I know,” she muttered in her pillow.
♡
She knew that she'll have to miss Penny's arrival since she had a class at 11, so she finally thanks God for actually keeping her busy and not panicky, and the lesson today isn't so hard as she thought, and turns out, her mom didn't suggest Criminal Justice for nothing, so as she's actively indulged with the lesson, her phone buzzed against her thigh, and she furrowed her eyebrows surprisingly.
I'm outside of your CJ class.
Hopefully, you don't think I'm weird.
LaCienega couldn't contain her smile as it grew wider, and when a girl on her right asked her if she was okay, she embarrassedly cleared her throat, squeaked out: Yeah,” and pretended she didn't blush like a dumbass when Penny texted her.
The bell rang, noisily, finally, and she's met with a 5’7 goddess who she always had a crush on, “Oh, wow…” she rasped out before realizing that she's almost the same height as Penny, and she couldn't resist to playfully pat her head, “You've grown up.”
Penny smiles, “And I'm taller than you, isn't it crazy how the universe works?”
“Maybe the universe's biased,” LaCienega snorted, and she sees that familiar twinkle in her best friend's eyes as she raises an eyebrow, “You okay?”
Maybe, it's the twinkle.
Penny blinked before nodding solemnly, although she knew that was a lie, “Yeah, um, who's your roommate?”
“If you don't mind me asking.”
“I asked the advisors if I could have this dorm to myself ‘til you arrived sooo…” Penny took that as an opportunity to smirk and laugh, like, full-on tossing-your-head-back type of laugh, she cleared her throat, “Aw, you care.”
“I don't!”
She also takes that as a second opportunity to pat her head, “Sure, whatever you say.”
LaCienega couldn't keep her smile hidden this time.
♡
“Are we really gonna watch this?” The Latina asked softly before seeing what her friend clicked on and pressed play.
“Juice is a classic thriller movie,” Penny said conversationally, scoffing, “It isn't scary, it's a plot twist, but actually good, Boyz ‘n the Hood was good.”
“I've never seen that.”
“We're gonna binge watch.”
Probably, an hour had passed, and LaCienega gasped dramatically when Bishop had the audacity to kill Raheem, which led to her ranting, “I think Bishop has main character syndrome, because, there's no way you can kill your friend like that!”
“He shot him for obvious reasons; well, I think it was an accident–but he had the gun in the first place… shouldn't have gave it to Bishop's crazy ass,” Penny said nonchalantly before shaking her head, “Lowkey, 2Pac can play the hell out of a madman, or whatever word fits.”
“Psychopath.” LaCienega comments, and Penny nods, “Uh-huh.”
♡
They gave up on binging 90's movies, instead, the two of them decided to look back at old, but adorable memories; Penny smiled at all of them before staring at LaCienega's lips–now being fully self-conscious, but she turned away and yawned.
“I'mma go to bed,” she stares at LaCienega's eyes before looking away, again, “G'night.”
LaCienega didn't realize that she was pouting until now, and she carefully got out of bed and tapped Penny's shoulder, and she looks at the Latina through her eyelashes, “I just laid down–”
“Let's sleep together. We used to do it all the time as kids.”
Penny rubbed her eyelids groggily before nodding, “It's obvious you wanna be spooned,” she rolled her eyes, “Just don't kick me,” and she pulled LaCienega in swiftly before letting her get comfortable, “Comfy?”
“Yup.”
Of course you are.
“Night,” Penny said, strangled because she felt it, and she put her right arm behind her head, while her left hand was already typing something on Google.
Is it gay for you and your girl best friend to sleep together, and also catch feelings for her in the process?