This is Us [ Elijah Mikaelson ] 2

twenty-three [penelope]

"I don't think anyone is ever ready, but when someone makes you feel alive again it's kind of worth the risk."

-Nikki Rowe

Penelope sighed as she lounged on the beach chair with her kindle. She looked up and shook her head with a smile on her face as she looked at Rebekah, in a small, red bikini, luring some of the beach boys to their doom. Rebekah twirled a piece of her blonde hair around her finger as she returned a smirk to a muscular blonde man who was smirking at her. Penelope shook her head again as she watched her friend as she made her way to the man.They've spent the last three days at the beach with the weather being so nice and Rebekah told her: "How can we stay at the beach with private access and not take advantage of it?!"

So for the past three days, they've come to the beach. It was still hot and humid but the ocean breeze was nice and cool as it blew around her. They've been in Florida for a little over two weeks, and today was the first day that Penelope felt...free. She woke up feeling a little nauseous but Rebekah had come in with a bowl of freshly cut fruit and yogurt for her to eat for breakfast before getting out of bed. She's had to do that every morning, eat something light before getting out of bed or else she's throwing up. This was also the first morning that she had woken up with a full night's sleep. Penelope was going to enjoy the day, it was sunny and beautiful, the beach wasn't as crowded thankfully, she was well rested and she wasn't feeling like she was going to vomit. Penelope felt as if all her troubles were finally fading away and she could finally allow herself to enjoy this vacation.

"Hey," A male voice broke Penelope's attention away from her book. In the seat beside her was a man, who seemed tall, very muscular and toned with beautiful tanned skin. Penelope looked over at him and tucked down her sunglasses to get a better look. He had a big, friendly smile, green eyes and sandy blonde hair.

"Hi," She greeted him back with a forced polite smile and then went back to trying to read her ebook.

"You from around here?" He asked and Penelope glanced at the water as she took in a breath and held it.

"Nope," She replied then went back to trying to read.

"Where are you from?"

Penelope didn't exactly know how to answer that. Did she say she was from Mystic Falls or from New Orleans? Neither really seemed to be the truth at the moment. However she didn't like how this guy was looking at her and really wanted him to leave. "New Orleans," She decided. 

"Really? I'm also from New Orleans," His answer caused Penelope to stiffen, and the sudden feeling of being on edge began to fill her.

"Interesting," She replied stiffly.

"Do you  live in the inner city and the quarter or outside the city or something?"

"Or something," She replied a bit sharply, hoping the guy would get the hint and leave her alone.

"My names Ron," He told her with a smirk, leaning closer to her. "Whatcha reading?"

"A book," Penelope sighed as she locked her kindle and looked at him. "I don't want to be rude but...is there a reason you're talking to me?"

"Well, I saw you, thought you were hot and wanted to come chat," He replied smoothly, his smirk growing. "Figured we could get to know one another a little bit, I could take you to lunch or dinner tonight...we could have a little fun afterwards," He suggested, giving her a wink and Penelope blinked at him.

"Not interested." She told him flatly and he simply rolled his eyes but his smirk never went away.

"Come on, beautiful. You're on vacation, I'm on vacation. We'll have a wild night of fun, and I'm sure I could blow your mind," He was confident, Penelope would give him that but his confidence made him come across as arrogant, and even if Penelope was single, that alone was a huge turnoff.