The Loneliest Girl in the Universe

Chapter 3

Since that day, she tucks herself in a corner of that bar, reading her books and eating fries that Ash so graciously offers her. They don't talk much, but she prefers it that way.

She still feels that she's getting to know him in the way he looks grumpy except when he looks at her. She pretends that his gentle looks are only reserved for her.

She laughed at the book she brought today, giggling at the misfortune of her character, her voice resounding across the bar. Ash looked up from organizing the cash register, a ghost of a smile on his face.

It went on like this for a couple of weeks. Fez often wondered why Ash wanted to work every damn day at the same time. This is why.

He often wondered when it would be the day that he would get to talk to her. He didn't know why his mind itched to know what she was like.

It's not like he's a stranger to girls. He's had girlfriends before. The first one he ever had almost gave him HIV.
He didn't judge or slut shame but he sure as hell didn't want a bitch that didn't tell him she had it.

He was scarred after that. He had suddenly become a fucking government worker, making every girl he slept with get tested before he slept with her.

Yeah he used to be a gangster, but he also didn't wanna catch anything. Lexi would kill him.

The one foreign subject he had no experience in was how a mousy girl like Penelope can open up and talk to him.

He's used to girls being obvious about what they wanted. He had no idea what he was dealing with when it came to this girl.

On a particularly sunny day, he looked at the time, and realized she hadn't come. He was almost pissed for having her fries ready.

Fez had been there that day, watching his brother looked confused at Ash's change of mood.

"Yo what's wrong witchu?" He asked. Ash shrugged, having his usual scowl on his face, before going to the back to do bookkeeping.

Fez mainly blamed it on teenage hormones. But in reality, he was too busy with Lexi to investigate why his little brother had an extra layer of bitch on him that day.

The next day, she showed up right on time. Her hair was in a loose bun, the tendrils of her almost ginger hair falling throughout her face and back of her head.

She had on a dress today. It was simple and had strawberries all around it. He almost choked when he saw it showed her small waist.

Her ballet slippers clattered on the floor, looking down as always and walking to her usual spot. She took her book out, opening it to the last page but stopping when Ash took hurried steps towards her.

He stood in front of her on the table, causing her to look up, her eyes wide at the sudden closeness.

"Hi." She spoke gently.

"You weren't here yesterday." He didn't ask, he just stated it.

She furrowed her eyebrows, before looking at her hands holding the book.

"It was a nice day yesterday. I went to read at the park." She found herself explaining. She had a need to tell him, as if she disappointed him.

He nodded, looking around the bar, before deciding to sit across from her. She looked startled, but smiled softly at the action. Like a pleasant surprise.

"You don't talk very much." He also stated.

"Is that bad?" She self consciously asked. His eyes widened, shaking his head quickly.

"No! That's not what I meant—-fuck I'm sorry. That's not how I meant it to come out, like it's bad? No it's not a bad thing. Some people don't shut the fuck up. That's a bad thing. You know?"

She found his rambling cute, not ever seeing him say more than a sentence to anyone here.

She smiled, "it's okay. I didn't take offense, or anything. I see you don't talk very much either."

He blushed, before he smiled back at her.

"I was never one to say too much shit." Ash admitted.

"I used to watch Matilda when I was a kid," she began, not even knowing where all this courage came from.

"And I would see how she would find so much solace in her books. And I always noticed how even though she probably knew more words than a full grown adult, she never talked too much. She spoke enough when necessary." Penelope continued.

"I fuck with that movie, my sister in law made me read the book when I was younger," he recounted.

"You read?" She asked.

"Fuck yeah, I read. There's some badass books I fuck with," he confessed. She smiled wider, showing her teeth for the first time with him.

"You should show me your favorite books," she batted her eyelashes, somehow involuntarily. Her eyes widened, realizing she was flirting with him.

"I'll show mine if you show me yours," he smirked. She frowned, not knowing what to do. Instead, she stuttered her reply, shutting down and opening her book back up.

"I should Uhm...I should get back to my book." She stuttered, letting out a nervous laugh. He frowned, watching her lock herself in her shell again. Fuck, that was too forward.

He began to walk away before he heard her timid voice, "it was nice talking to you, Ash."

He looked back at her, smiling gently, "you too, Penelope."

They were both fucked.