P Is For Pain

Hangout

It was about a week later and Penelope, Junior, Joseph, and Cody were all hanging out at Junior's house.

The four were sitting on the couch, thinking of what to do.

Penelope suddenly got a text.

She saw it was from her father, the contents of the text ruined her whole mood.

It read:

'I know you ate my last cookie, you fat whale. That's okay, soon enough your fat ass will get diabetes and you'll die, just like your mom.'

Penelope was immediately sent into an anxiety attack, not only did she have no idea what he was talking about, she was actually having a good time and then she had to get a message like that.

She was heavily breathing, that's when everyone turned their heads to see Penelope gasping and panting for air, tears in her eyes, and trembling.

Joseph was the first to speak up. "Woah woah, Penelope! What happened, dude?! What's wrong?"

Cody immediately knew what was wrong. "Oh my god, she's having some sort of panic attack!" Cody began using a method to help her. "Alright, what are five things you see."

Penelope began looking around. "I-I see th-the couch, I see you, I see my boyfriend, Junior, I see Joseph, a-and I see the T-T-TV."

Cody continued. "What are four things you feel?"

Penelope was listing things off as she was touching them. "My h-hair, my dre-ess, uhh the couch, my face, a-and glasses."

"Three things you can hear?"

"Y-your voice, my voice, and the fan."

Cody asked next. "Two things you can smell?"

"I-I don't know really..." Penelope answered truthfully.

"Alright that's fine, what is one thing you can taste?" Cody finally asked.

"My m-mouth, I guess." Penelope continued. "Thanks for that."

"No problem, anything for a friend." Cody spoke.

Junior was surprised. "Cody, how'd you know that?"

"I get panic attacks myself sometimes." He admitted.

Penelope, feeling guilty, then said. "Sorry that I freaked out like that."

Everyone, confused turned to look at her, Junior then said. "You don't have anything to be sorry about baby."

That's when Joseph asked. "Hey Penelope, why'd you have that panic attack? What happened, dude?"

Penelope looked down. "I.. uhh, I don't know what to say."

"You can tell us anything, babe. You know that, we're here for you." Junior reassured.

Penelope just took a breath before grabbing her phone with the message from her father and handing it to Junior.

Junior, along with Joseph and Cody who were both reading the text from over Junior's shoulder were all in shock.

Cody spoke up first. "He really said that? What the hell is wrong with your dad?!"

Penelope just sighed. "He's always been like that. And I don't even know what he's talking about, I didn't eat anything."

"I mean, even then. Why the hell is he calling you fat? First off, you're like the skinniest person I know. Second, even if you were fat, why the hell would he just be fat shaming you for eating a single cookie." Cody explained. "On top of that, him bringing your dead mom in that is way out of line."

"Yeah, like what the hell, dude?" Joseph said.

"Yeah, I really don't like him." Penelope sighed.

Junior scoffed. "Yeah, no wonder, I would too."

"Well let's just-" Before Penelope could finish what she wanted to say, her phone went off.

It was Brooklyn calling.

She picked up the phone with shaking hands, answered the call, put the phone to her ear, and spoke in a shaking tone of voice.

"Y-yeah d-dad?"

"What the hell are you doing?! Get back home right now! Don't think that text was it with this!" He yelled.

And with that he hung up.

Penelope got up from the couch. "Um, I gotta go guys, sorry."

And with that, Penelope ran off to her house.

The three boys looked at each other.

Joseph asked. "You think we should check up on her later?"

"No, something else." Cody spoke, in a very serious manner. "We need to call CPS."

~

Ooh cliffhanger