Dying to Breathe

8.3 : a concrete role

A/N: OMG IM SORRY I WAS LATE. I was hella distracted (kid drama. Not my kid, my sister's. His daycare teacher is a whole bag of nasty and low-key emotional-abuse, so I've been w o r r i e d and trying to help find solutions with my sis.) ANYWAYS, thank you for your patience and here you go <3

Chapter 8, Part 3: A Concrete Role

Stealing glances of the far-too-beautiful young man, Penelope licked her chocolate ice-cream to cool her down. The blue goldstone eyes held hers, his pink lips tilting upwards as they shared looks across the crowded picnic table.

Nina finally had a lunch off from student council duties and thus made sure to gather everyone that she could for lunch in the outdoor canteen. However, the spurt of warm weather had made for an easy escape—the group deciding to ditch the academy for an impromptu trip down to the fresh water lake on the other side of the academy in the little town next to the city.

Gabriel looked over her thrown together outfit (her sister's 90s inspired purple sleeveless top layered over a white t-shirt, paired with the academy's plaid skirt), his eyes catching hers again, "Elly, right?" He spoke in a teasing hum as everyone held their own conversations around them.

Penelope quickly took a bite out of her ice-cream, refraining from laughing nervously as the pain from the coldness on her sensitive teeth made her shiver instead. She nodded curtly, trying to look everywhere but at him now that he was directly addressing her.

"You don't work this weekend, right?" Nina abruptly grabbed her arm, oblivious to the knowing smirk her brother was currently giving Penelope. "I was thinking we should go back to the club Saturday since we're going to El's party Friday. Oh, also I wanted to ask what happened to you when you disappeared last Saturday?"

Penelope choked. Her eyes being sure to avoid certain amused blue ones—she never was the best liar in her family (it's safe to say Millie won that award). "Yeah, that's fine. As for Saturday, um, I think I broke some guy's nose actually." She decided to skip the unnecessary parts with a thoughtful hum. "He called me a cab and I went home—that's when I sent you that text."

"You broke some dude's nose?" Wren interrupted with a snort next to Gabriel, making Penelope glance up again, "Did you punch him or something?"

"Or something." She mumbled, feeling a deeper blush creep up on her face as she vividly remembered the distinct sound the door created when it made contact with his unsuspecting face. Wincing she found her eyes gravitating back to Gabriel.

He looked at her curiously, "Busy night?" He hummed as she felt her foot become entrapped by his under the table.

She felt a surge of panic, looking around for any witnesses but everyone was busy in their own conversations already. "Ah, it was... interesting." Penelope scratched her neck, biting her bottom lip as the memory of their first kiss fluttered in the form of butterflies.

She wished she could kiss him again right there.

She felt the vibration of her phone go off, distracting her from the tightness in her chest for a moment.

(1) Bite your bottom lip like that again, and I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep this a secret anymore.

Dropping her phone facedown on the table after reading his text, she looked up with widened eyes. She took another bite of the melting ice cream.

He laughed, "Tell me about yourself, Penelope." Playing footsies with her under the table, he leaned towards her.

She blushed, "What do you want to know?"