Why not? - English

Prolog - Penny

I just saw Sam and Charly disappear around the next corner of the house when I drove in front of the Whole Fish coffee from the other side. I watched them go and wondered why Sam looked so depressed. He always kept himself upright. But seeing him walking next to Charly with his hands deep in his pockets was strange and I couldn't help but think about it. Or was he just bored because he had the day off? I smiled at that thought as I got out and went into the Coffee.

"Hey Bronwyn," I greeted her as she turned to me from behind the counter. The twins shouted a cheerful hello before packing up their books and running upstairs while I sat at the table in the corner and reached for the map.

"Hey Penny. Back again? Isn't Elvis cooking anything today?" Bronwyn asked me with a smile as she came over to me and put a glass with water in front of me. She already knew exactly what I wanted. I didn't know why I was still studying the map. So I put it away again.

"No, he's still in Newtown getting the new tires put on at Jupiter and Steele is eating yesterday's leftovers today."

"So the usual?" I just nodded and boredly reached for the salt shaker to give my fingers something to do. I've been a little agitated inside all day and tried to distract myself. "What's wrong with you, Penny? Shouldn't you look a little happier than that?" she asked me and I looked up at her in surprise. How did I look? And why did she think I should be happy?

“Why do you think that?” I asked her.

"Well yesterday you were here with Ben. You didn't seem to have such cloudy thoughts then as you do now. You both seem to get along well," she said with a grin and I looked at the table in front of me embarrassed. It was the last thing I wanted to think about - not after the dream I had last night that had been bothering me all morning.

"Oh, yeah. Sure. We get along well," I just mumbled and looked at the salt shaker again.

"But?!" Bronwyn asked, but I ignored her. Maybe then she would just make dinner and start with another topic. "Penny?" she then asked me and I heard her pull the chair back. When I looked up, she was sitting across from me and seemed really worried. Sighing, I put the salt shaker back in its place.

"Please excuse me, Bronwyn. A lot has happened in the last few weeks that I can't get out of my head," I simply objected and put on a smile, hoping that would put the matter to rest. I couldn't talk to anyone about it. Not here in Pontypandy.

“And what would that be?” she asked anyway.

"It's okay, Bronwyn. I prefer to work things like this out with myself." Was that too bold? Her look became even more serious. I was really sorry about that. I didn't want to be a burden to anyone. But she could just leave it alone, right?

"That doesn't sound so great. Did Ben do something to you?" she then asked me quietly - certainly so that the tourists two tables away couldn't hear her.

"What? Oh, no. What makes you think that?" I asked her, shocked at her assumption. What impression did I make on her?

"I was just putting two and two together. I mean, you seem to be very interested in Ben since he came here, and last night you were eating here and having a good time. But today you're making a face like something happened.", she replied confused. But I felt bright red at her words.

"Actually, I just didn't sleep well. It's been happening to me a lot lately," I just mumbled before I found the courage to ask her what interested me most: "Is...is it...so obvious, that I had a little crush on Ben?"

"I don't think there's a woman in the whole city who doesn't have a crush on him. Including me. He's so good-looking too," she sighed with a grin before becoming serious again. "But why are you talking about the past? Did something happen that made you think differently about Ben?"