THIS LOVE | luke hughes

xviii.

PENELOPE WAS SITTING IN Jack's room, tossing a hacky sack that she had found in the air as she blew air past her lips, watching as Jack packed his bags. He was going to an F1 race with Cole and Trevor, meaning he would be gone for a few days. He had invited Penelope to go with him, but she never really got into F1, being more of a Nascar girl due to her dads constantly making her watch it as she grew up.

"When are you getting your haircut?" She asked as she looked to the boy, eyebrows furrowing at the length of his hair. Sure, he had grown his hair out before but currently it was a lot to maintain. "You have awards in a few weeks and Nashville humidity is no joke." She reminded him with a grin on his face.

"I don't know, I'm kinda liking the long hair." He said and looked in a mirror in his room, running a hand through it. "Gives the girls something to tug on." He smirked he looked back to her. He soon was letting out a small 'ow' as she threw the hacky sack at him, hitting his arm.

"You're disgusting." She stated as she pushed herself up on his bed, crisscrossing her legs in the process. "I'm jealous you get to see Trevor and Cole again." She said and watched the boy go through his closet.

"I invited you several times, Penny." He reminded her as he looked over his shoulder and back to her before his eyes went back to the closet. "Plus, Trevor will be back soon." He shrugged as he walked over to his suitcase, picking up the hacky sack and tossing it back to her.

"Soon isn't soon enough." She groaned and fell back onto the mattress, earning a laugh from Jack as he watched her toss the hacky sack again. "I wanna go to a concert." She hummed out, keeping her eyes on the ceiling.

"Yeah? To who?" He asked as he folded a shirt up and placed it in the suitcase.

"Bailey Zimmerman, I've been listening to a lot of his music recently." She shrugged as she caught they hacky sack again before placing it on her check. "Or Taylor Swift, I've been a Swiftie since day one." She said and held up her pointer finger while looking at him.

"Maybe we'll go see them both," he said and flopped down onto the bed next to her. "I think you forget all three of us make money." He grinned and looked at her, causing the girl to groan.

"You know I hate asking for favors," she said as she looked over to him with a small frown on her face before it replaced with a smile. "Besides, you know the waitress-bartending job I got?" She asked as she sat up, smiling as she grabbed her wallet she had with her.

"The one you stormed out on because the boss was a perv and told me to not drive to New York to beat his ass?" He asked as he also sat up, watching as she opened her wallet. "Yes, I do know." He said and nudged her gently.

"I saved up the money I earned and..." she trailed off as she pulled out a large stack of tips she had earned. "Three hundred dollars." She said and placed it on the bed.

Jack hummed as he looked down at the cash that rested on his comforter. "How many of those ones do you think has been in a strippers thong?" He asked while picking up a one dollar bill and waved it in front of her face.

"You're disgusting." Penelope repeated her words from earlier as she pushed his hand away from her, earning a loud laugh. "I show you my money and you're wondering about a strippers thong being full?" She questioned as she began to collect the money she had sat out, shoving it back into her wallet.

"A man has his thoughts." He hummed while putting the dollar he held into the wallet. "What we're you and Luke talking about last night?" He asked as he pulled his suitcase towards him.

Penelope shrugged as she looked away, scratching her head in the process as she really didn't want to answer. "Nothing, he just apologized." She stated as she stood up and grabbed a hockey card that sat on his desk. "You have a Cole card?" She asked as she turned it towards him.