Forever ; W.S

22. here for you

IRL

Penelope lay in bed, staring at the ceiling as the early morning light filtered through her curtains. She had spent hours tossing and turning, her mind unable to quiet down. Ever since she and Walker had started talking again, she couldn't stop thinking about him.

Their conversations had been awkward initially, filled with pauses and careful words. But as the days passed, they found their friendship again. The ease and comfort of their friendship began to resurface, and Penelope smiled more often than not.

She reached for her phone on the nightstand, scrolling through their recent messages. Each text brought back memories of their laughter, shared secrets, and the countless moments that defined their friendship. It was comforting, yet confusing. Penelope had always seen Walker as her best friend, but now, she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more.

She remembered their last conversation, how Walker had opened up about his regrets and how much he missed her. His vulnerability had touched her deeply, and for the first time, she found herself wondering what it would be like to be more than friends with him.

Blake's words echoed in her mind: "Be honest with yourself and with Walker." Penelope knew she needed to sort out her feelings, but the prospect was daunting. What if she admitted she had feelings for him and it ruined everything? What if he didn't feel the same way?

Penelope sighed, rolling over to look at the framed photo on her nightstand. It was a picture of her and Walker from a few summers ago, both of them grinning like idiots with ice cream cones in hand. The memory brought a smile to her face, but also a pang of longing.

Deciding she needed to clear her head, Penelope got out of bed and headed downstairs. The house was quiet, her dad and Blake were likely still asleep. She made herself a cup of tea and sat at the kitchen table, her thoughts continuing to swirl. Her phone buzzed with a new message. She glanced at the screen and saw it was from Walker.

MESSAGES

Walks 🌚

Hey, morning
Just wanted to see how you're doing.

Penelope felt her heart skip a beat. She took a deep breath and replied.

Morning Walker!
I'm good
just having some tea
and thinking about stuff yk

Thinking about what?

Penelope hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. She decided to be honest, at least to a point.

life, I guess
And us
It's been nice talking again

Yeah, it has.
I've missed you a lot, lola.

Penelope felt a warmth spread through her chest at his words. She typed out a response, her fingers trembling slightly.

I've missed you too
It's been tough without you.

Same here
I know I messed up
I want to make things right between us.

I want that too
we just need to take it one step at a time.

Agreed
So, any plans for today?

Not really
Just trying to figure some things out.

If you ever need to talk, I'm here.
For real.

Thanks, Walker.
That means a lot.

IRL

She set her phone down, feeling a mixture of relief and anxiety. It was clear that Walker wanted to mend their friendship, but she couldn't ignore the growing feelings inside her. Maybe it was time to face them head-on, no matter how scary it seemed.

Later that day, Penelope found herself in her room, sketching absentmindedly in her notebook. Her thoughts kept drifting back to Walker, replaying their conversations and the memories they shared. The more she thought about it, the more she realized how much he meant to her.

Could it be possible that her feelings for him had always been more than friendship, and she just hadn't noticed? Or maybe they had grown and evolved, fueled by their deep connection and the bond they shared.

Penelope sighed, closing her notebook and setting it aside. She knew she needed to talk to someone about this, and the first person who came to mind was Sunny. Her best friend had always been a source of wisdom and support, and Penelope knew she could trust her with this. She picked up her phone and sent a quick text to Sunny, asking if she was free to hang out. A few minutes later, Sunny replied, saying she'd be over in an hour.

As she waited for Sunny to arrive, Penelope tried to calm her racing thoughts. Admitting her feelings to herself was one thing, but talking about them out loud made everything feel more real. She wasn't sure what would happen next, but she knew she couldn't keep these emotions bottled up any longer.

When Sunny arrived, Penelope greeted her with a hug and led her to the living room. They settled onto the couch, and Penelope took a deep breath, ready to share what had been on her mind. "Sunny, I need to talk to you about something," she began, her voice trembling slightly. "It's about Walker." Sunny's eyes widened with curiosity and concern. "What about him? Is everything okay?"

Penelope nodded, then shook her head. "I don't know. I mean, we're talking again, and that's good. But I think... I think I might have feelings for him. More than just as a friend." Sunny's expression softened with understanding. "Oh, Poppy. Hate to say I told you so but How do you feel about it?"

"Confused," Penelope admitted. "I don't want to ruin our friendship, but I can't ignore these feelings. I don't even know if he feels the same way."

Sunny reached out and took Penelope's hand. "It's okay to feel scared and uncertain. But you deserve to be happy and to explore your feelings. Maybe you should talk to Walker about it when you're ready." Penelope nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "Yeah, maybe I will. Thanks, Sunny. I needed to hear that." "Anytime," Sunny said with a reassuring smile. "No matter what happens, I'll be here for you."

As they continued talking, Penelope felt a renewed sense of hope. She didn't know what the future held, but she was ready to face it, one step at a time. With the support of her friends and the courage to be honest with herself, she knew she could handle whatever came her way.