Summer of 76

Chapter 3

Penelope secured her bicycle in the bike stand along with a few dozen others. The rink was thumping. She could hear the sound of muffled disco music coming from the inside. People were scattered outside. Some where leaning on cars, while others stood on the wall. They were all talking and none of them paid any attention to Penelope as she walked by.

Suddenly Penelope felt a swift smack on her butt which was followed by a throaty laugh. She swung around so fast her bag nearly hit a girl walking by. She turned to see a guy sitting on top of a car smiling widely a her. Not an inviting smile like Jack's. More like a cocky smirk that made her skin crawl. He had his shirt only buttoned at the bottom showing off his tan chest that had a thin layer of chest hair. The guy's pants were entirely too tight. His face was sharp, thin and angular. His cheek bones were sunken in. His eyes so blue they were almost white and his hair completely black. His hair was thick and shaggy to where it nearly covered his eyes.

"Hey babe why don't you swing that sweet ass over my why?" he drawled giving her a wink as he looked her up and down.

Penelope recognized him as a guy who had graduated, but failed to recall his name. Her hands clenched into fists and her eyes blazed with fury as she glared at the creep. The creep's friends chuckled next to him looking amused at the reaction Penelope was giving them.

"Excuse me, asshole?" she snarled through gritted teeth as she strained to hold her arms to her side.

"Oooh. Feisty are we?" he said getting up from his perch against the car and stepping closer to Penelope.

As Penelope's arm was coming up to sock the guy in his creepy smiling face, her vision was completely shielded by a light orange color. Quickly, she realized the orange was a shirt.

Jack shoved the creeper back against the car as he loomed over him, standing to his full height. His chest pumping up and down and his normally chocolate brown eyes clouded and almost black.

"I believe you owe this girl an apology?" Jack spat out, disgust dripping off every word.

Penelope peered out from behind Jack's back and saw the guy clutching the car looking up in terror. The guy's so called friends were no longer there. His eyes flashed to her and he smirked again saying, "Until we meet again, babe."

He started to slink away when he turned and winked at her. Penelope jumped, ready to tear him apart, as a snarl escaped her lips.

Thick arms and strong hands wrapped around Penelope's waist preventing her from moving toward the creep and pummeling him into a pulp. She shoved them off and turned to see Jack looking at her a bit amused though his eyes were still not back to his normal brown. A smile threatened the corner of his pink lips.

"I didn't need your help!" Penelope snapped huffing and walking towards the entrance as she hitched her bag back on her shoulder. It had fallen off in her lunge at the creep.

Jack stood there kind of shocked at he watched her walk away after he just saved her. Shaking his head, he jogged after her and stood in front of her, preventing her from moving toward the door a few feet away. Penelope huffed and crossed her arms irritated at the inconvenience.

"I just saved you from that creep, Sid, and you're mad at me?" he asked eyebrows raised as he pointed to himself.

"SID! That was his name!" Penelope exclaimed hitting her forehead with her palm. Then she remembered she was mad and resumed her position.

Jack laughed and shook his head, "You're stubborn...and funny."

Penelope sigh, "Sorry I snapped at you. I was pissed at that creep, but I can handle myself. I don't need to be saved."