Sheldon x Penny

Chapter 1: The New Neighbour

{Sheldon and Leonard have just returned from the high IQ sperm bank. When they get to the top of the stairs they notice that the apartment across the hall from theirs has become occupied by a new tenant.}

"New neighbour?"

To their surprise, a woman stood in the living room of the apartment adjacent to theirs. They examined her as she rummaged through the boxes scattered around the couch that had been left behind by the previous tenant.

"A significant improvement over the old neighbour",  joked Leonard, distracted.

"200 pound transvestite with a skin condition, yes she is." Sheldon agreed, with a slight tremble in his voice as he found his eyes drawn to the pleasingly proportionate woman who stood just metres away from them.

Startled, she turned her head to find the two of them peering into her new home cautiously. Her eyes first met with Leonard's, scanning diagonally upwards to meet with Sheldon's. She studied the sapphire blue of his irises that grew darker as he narrowed his eyes in a failed attempt to read her. Despite his extraordinary intelligence, It was no secret that Sheldon found social queues challenging at the best of times. He relaxed the muscles in his face in defeat.

"Oh hi". The girl smiled at the two of them, her eyes warm and inviting.

"Hi" Leonard shot to attention for a second like a soldier taking orders, startled at her acknowledgement of them, before returning to a submissive hunch.

"Hi" echoed Sheldon, with slight delay. He felt uncertain of the protocol in this particular situation.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"Hi?"

The girl scanned the two men that stood before her, perplexed by their awkward stance and juvenile clothing. 

There was a pause. All three of them glanced to the ground that become hot with tension. For a second, Leonard prayed that it would open up, swallowing him whole.

"We don't mean to interrupt, we live across the hall" he said in a desperate attempt to dilute the prolonged silence.

"Awh that's nice" the girl responded, confused by the dynamic of the two's relationship. 

Unlike Leonard who immediately attempted to correct this misunderstanding, Sheldon continued to study her, silent, which was unusual for him. He always knew exactly what to say. In fact he often felt obliged to contribute to a conversation, imparting his wisdom on the academically inferior. In this moment however he felt as though he was the inferior one. He hadn't spoken to many women before, not outside of a professional environment anyway (excluding his mother, his sister missy and his precious me-ma of course). His eyes made their way up her body, analysing. She was pleasingly symmetrical from top to bottom. She was conventionally attractive, the kind of woman he would see on the adverts in between episodes of his favourite sci-fi shows. 

The tips of his fingers began to feel cold, his palms slightly clammy.

"Guess I'm your new neighbour, Penny." She stepped closer to the two of them, introducing herself. They remained in the same place as they were when they first encountered her, vibrating on the spot like the particles in a solid.

"Leonard. Sheldon" Said Leonard, speaking for himself and his socially defective friend who clutched the strap of his bag, nervously.

"Hi"

"Hi"

"Hiiii" penny played along with the awkward exchange once again.

 Leonard's attraction to her became immediately apparent. His lip quivered slightly as his eyes moved back and forth from her eyes to her breasts, behind the thick black rims of his glasses.

'How predictable',  penny thought to herself as she stared back at him. He was cute - a short man with dark eyes and thick eyebrows. Sweet and slightly perverse, but she let it go. She was used to this kind of attention.

Her gaze once again returned to the tall slender man who stood beside him. His face was satisfyingly plain, not a pore or blemish in sight. She studied his narrow features and blank expression. He was mysterious, difficult to read, unlike his friend who had the word arousal written across the slight bulge in the crotch of his pants.

She felt slightly disheartened by this. She had always disliked the way men would drool over her, however in this brief moment she felt disappointed that Sheldon had not. Was she not as attractive as she'd thought herself to be?

This feeling was quickly brushed aside as she reminded herself that this was an anomaly.

"Well, urm, welcome to the building" Leonard announced, waving his hand timidly in an attempt to make her feel welcome.

"Thank you, maybe we can have coffee sometime". Penny's tone sounded genuine but her eyes stayed fixed on Sheldon.

"Oh great" Leonard's voice wobbled with an anxious sense of hope. His mind fooled him for a second into think that this girl might have actually been interested in him.

However the facade immediately crumbled under the monotone echo of his roommate, who remained unsure, looking down at his companion for reassurance.

Penny nodded at the two of them with an uncomfortable smile.

"Well bye"

"Bye "

"Bye"

The beautiful woman disappeared behind the door that closed gently, clicking back into to the door frame.

With an excited exhale Leonard turned to their own apartment, pulling his keys from the pocket of his jacket before turning back to Sheldon who remained facing the opposite way. He stared for a moment at the now closed door of their new neighbour, Penny.