Two Birds [Book One]

[Chapter 11] Coffee

This is my second chapter named after a Chappell Roan song, and it certainly wont be the last!

Tara was nice.

While Penny couldn't completely understand her bestfriend's choice, she could understand the appeal of someone like Tara. She was pretty, funny, kinda boring but overall a decent person to hang out with.

Though she would never willingly feed her brother's already massive ego, Penny would be the first to admit that he would be her first choice of partner for her best friend. In fact, the two were so compatible that she always assumed that they would end up together.

So when Carla invited Penny and the rest of their friends to a cafe to formally introduce Tara to the group Penny jumped at the opportunity to get to know the dark haired stranger and maybe get answers to why Carla was so drawn to her.

Arriving at the cafe, Penny stopped in her tracks at the sight of the lovestruck teens wrapped up into each other in a small booth in the corner. The blonde's heart ached for her brother but Penny pushed that hurt down deep inside of her and plastered a wide smile on her face. She had promised herself she would be open minded about the new relationship.

Carla looked up from her and Tara's conjoined hands and her eyes caught on to Penny's, her expression grew uncharacteristically excited and full of glee. She waves her friend over while Tara reaches over across the table to move the black bag on the seat in front of her to make way for Penny.

Penny flashes a toothy grin at the girls and makes her way over to their table.

"Hey Carla!" Penny greets her friend and waves to Tara before sitting.

Carla gestures to Penny while looking at Tara. "Tara, Penny. Penny, Tara."

The girls squeak out awkward greetings towards each other. Penny quickly averts her gaze towards the door and back to the couple in front of her, waiting for others to arrive and save her for this situation that is quickly starting to be unbearable.

"So, Pen, what do you like to do?" Tara broke the silence before it could get awkward. Slinging her arm around Carla's chair.

Penny snickered at the new-found nickname then tilted her head to the side in thought.

"Umm, well, I like to crochet, I make plushies!" she added with a smile.

"Oh, do you sell them?"

"No, I just make them for my family and friends." Carla let out a sigh of relief that they were getting along. "Like, I just made one for my brother-" Carla's eyes snapped toward her friend, glaring at her with the intensity of a thousand suns.

"Penny!" she stage whispered, despite Tara being right there looking very confused at the turning atmosphere.

'Sorry!' Penny mouthed from across.

"What's going on?" Tara awkwardly chuckled. Moving her eyes back and forth between the girls in confusion. "Carla?"

"Um, sorry, there's just some weird beef going on with my brother and Carla." Penny attempted to laugh it off while her friend across the table grew progressively more red and flustered.

"Penny!" Carla exclaimed significantly louder. Going to kick her under the table but ended up hurting her toes on the other girl's robotic skin. She winced silently to herself, cursing in Spanish to herself under her breath.

"Carly, It's ok." she laughed, placing a comforting hand on her girlfriend's shoulder. "I'm sure whatever 'weird beef' you had with this kid is long in the past. I wouldn't worry about it." Carla returned her gratitude with a side smile, either ignoring or forgetting her previous anger at Penny (more-so at her brother) and prioritizing her new girlfriend.