Blooming Penelope Featherington

Secrets.

"You love me. Real or not real?" – Suzanne Collins.

Penelope reached Eloise's room, a little out a breath... that girl can run. Penelope looked around her ajar door and saw an emotional Eloise collapsed on the floor crying into her hands. Penelope immediately ran towards her and wrapped her arms around her. Eloise didn't hesitate, she sunk right into Penelope and kept on crying.

Penelope not only felt like a bad friend for not noticing this, but she felt so connected to Eloise in that moment, she started sobbing too. She hated to see Eloise hurt, she never got like this, ever, so it was heartbreaking.

Colin was extremely harsh. Penelope was annoyed at him for being so cold, but she couldn't hold it against him, or get involved, as she knew never to get in the middle of siblings. Especially the Bridgerton's. Would Eloise be annoyed at her for not shouting at him? Would Colin be annoyed at the fact she ran after Eloise? This whole situation was bloody complicated. Trust Penelope Featherington to fall in love with her best friend's brother, she certainly didn't make things easy for herself. But then... That wasn't the Featherington way. Her and Colin had just agreed to enter some sort of relationship less than ten minutes ago, and well she didn't know where her boundaries lay anymore.

It was all pretty confusing.

Eloise pulled back from Penelope, "Thanks, I'm sorry for all that."

Eloise apologised. Penelope wiped the tears from her face and stood up, while pulling Eloise off the floor, "It's ok, I'm sorry about the whole Colin thing," Penelope replied a little nervously.

Eloise sighed loudly and plonked herself on the edge of her bed, "So are you two really together? Are you still in love with him?"

Penelope nodded a little sheepishly.

"Wow," Eloise crossed her arms and bit her lip.

She looked deep in thought.

"I'm sorry, it's been a wild few days and we had literally just finished speaking about us... when you appeared," Penelope explained while moving herself towards the bed to sit next to Eloise.

"Well I can't tell you not to be together, it'll take me time, but I'm happy for you Penelope... maybe not him, but for you, I'm happy. Colin just grates me sometimes; he can be such a prick. I truly don't know what you see in him," Eloise smirked and then nudged Penelope's side with her elbow.

Penelope reached to her side table and grabbed a tissue and passed it to Eloise, "You know I've always loved him El... it's been difficult. We've both said and done things, but I love him nonetheless..." she paused and grabbed Eloise's hand, "...But hey! Enough about me, what about you and Phillip? Why didn't you tell me anything?"

Eloise sat and explained everything.

Philip had never travelled much due to home commitments, and with his dream to save the planet, he wanted to travel and make a difference. Eloise said his nobility about said causes were the reason she fell in love with him in the first place. But getting older, Eloise wanted roots, she wanted a life...with him. Eloise had never been one who wanted to marry, or have any solid commitments, so seeing her like this really warmed Penelope's heart. Eloise hadn't spoken to Philip about any of it as she didn't want to lose him, but Penelope assured her, she had never seen anyone look at Philip the way he looks at her. Communication is key.

It was pretty ironic that Penelope was quoting "communication is key" as she failed to reveal her true feelings for 15 years....

She was still holding the book secret too.

Penelope and Eloise lay on her bed side by side and spoke for at least another hour. They both came to the agreement that everything would he fine, they'd deal with whatever came their way. Eloise was happy and gave her blessing for her and Colin if the PDA was kept to a PG level in front her, as she said seeing any type of 'touching' would be 'fucking gross'.