Happiness Begins // polin A.U.

Chapter Two: Sucker

Don't complicate it (Yeah)

'Cause I know you and you know everything

About me

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"Why have you been ignoring my brother?" Eloise huffs as she tries to keep up with Penelope's walking pace. They both signed up for a 1 credit walking class so they could at least have one course together.

"What?" Penelope almost stops, but she's at a good heartrate so she keeps going. "Did he tell you that?"

"He texted me the other day. He said you've been leaving him on read. What's up with that? I thought you two were besties." Eloise rolls her eyes.

"He put a bad taste in my mouth, and I haven't felt like talking with him much. I need some space from him."

"But why?"

"He talked shit about me behind my back, and I heard him...I told him I heard him. He tried apologizing to save his own skin, and I'm not dealing with it."

"What did he say?"

"I don't want to talk about it, Eloise." Penelope takes out her headphones from her pocket and puts them in, turning her music up loudly. She starts jogging even farther ahead. Eloise sighs heavily and picks up the pace to stay in time with her friend.

The girls part ways after class. Eloise can't leave well enough alone. She's too curious for her own good, so she FaceTimes Colin before her next class.

"You know, it's rude to FaceTime someone without an appointment." Colin says as he answers. "A call would have sufficed."

"You're annoying, I'm hanging up."

"Relax. What's up?"

"I talked with Penelope earlier. She said you were talking behind her back and that's why she's not speaking with you. What did you say?"

"She didn't tell you herself?" Eloise shakes her head no at that. Colin runs a hand through his hair and sighs. "Anthony and Benedict were teasing me about her."

"Teasing you about Penelope? Why?"

"Because we spent so much time together this summer. They thought maybe something more was going on between us. They started saying how great of a couple we'd make, and that we should get married someday. I blew up at them, and I said I'd never marry her or into that family..." Eloise blinks very slowly. She opens her mouth to speak, then stops herself. She does this a few times, and Colin loses his patience. "Can you say something? I feel bad enough as it is that I hurt her feelings."

"You did more than hurt her feelings, Colin."

"I mean, I get that I bashed her family, but I don't know why she's still so upset. I've apologized over and over."

"You really have no idea why she'd get upset hearing you say you'd never marry her?"

"We're too young to even be thinking about marriage! I blame Daphne."

"COLIN!" Eloise shouts to shut him up. "Just listen for a second! Penelope has feelings for you."

"Well, of course she does. I have feelings for her too. I care about her-"

"No, you fucking imbecile, she's in love with you." Eloise knows Penelope would kill her for this, especially since Penelope has never said anything to Eloise about her love for her brother.

"Be serious." Colin scoffs.

"I am. She loves you, Colin. She has for a very long time, since we were kids."