She was so pretty. Penny Fitzgerald was the closest thing in Elmore to an angel. The golden, rich yellow of her body, her glowing wings and antlers, my God, she was an eyesore that stung the right way.
Everybody loved Penny. She wasn't unlikable. She wasn't weird. She was perfect.
Sarah G. Lato, on the other hand, was the complete opposite. Big, fat red lips, and a melty head, a rough cone, she wasn't as attractive as everyone else. She was tall, and awkward, and seemed to always somehow embarrass herself.
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Sarah teetered and tottered awkwardly across the cafeteria, holding a blue lunch tray assaulted with the disgusting school lunch served by Rocky. She kept her head down, poised at her feet, desperately trying not to bump into anyone graced with the misfortune of being smaller than her.
Sarah angrily muttered to herself as she looked around for a table, the gazes of everyone fixated on her. She finally accepted defeat and turned away, heading for the bathrooms near the cafeteria. She sighed as she remembered that she wasn't gonna be able to stay in there, as Mr. Smalls or Simian were gonna find her and force her to spend lunch with them.
Sarah finally snuck down the hallway and all the way to the gym bathroom. She opened the door and walked in, getting into one of the stalls and awkwardly sliding down to the ground as she begun to eat.
Finally, she hears some feet shuffle into the bathroom.
"—I know, but i'm just saying, she can act so weird." Masami said.
"The way she acts just disgusts me." Carmen chimed in and leaned against the wall.
"Guys, come on. We're not doing this." Penny's voice said. Sarah raised her eyebrows and peeked through the crack of the stall.
Carmen rolled her eyes. Penny was washing her hands, Masami was staring herself down in the mirror, and Teri was standing next to Masami.
"I swear, everything we say about her, you always defend her." Teri looked at Penny.
"Because, it's wrong to talk about a squad member like that." Penny looked straight at Teri as she dried her hands.
Teri sighed. Masami pulled out her phone and started scrolling, while Carmen walked to Teri.
Sarah squinted. Who were they talking about? A squad member.. but it wasn't any of them. That left Sarah herself, Leslie, and Molly.
Masami smirks as she shoves her phone into Penny's face. "Look at what she posted yesterday."
"A photo she took? Grow up, Masami. It isn't even that bad." Penny raised her eyebrows and put a hand on her hip.
Carmen finally smirked slowly as she looked at Penny, a smug expression on her face. She whispered to Teri, who got the same expression.
"What? Why are you looking at me like that?" Penny asked.
Teri slowly walked up to Penny. "You know, if you're a lesbian, we'd support you."
Penny gasped. "What?!" She yelled out.
"I...I'm.. I.. Where did you get that from?!" Penny shrieked.
Carmen leaned back, laughing. She jokingly turned around and put her arms around her body. "Oooooh Sarah... I love making out with you." Penny blushed heavily.
Sarah gasped out loud, a little too loudly.
Everyone went silent as they stared at the stall Sarah was cooped up in.
"Uhm, hello?" Masami asked.
Penny was still in shock, blushing a mess up and hiding her face. Carmen awkwardly approached the stall.
"Uh... who's in there?" Carmen asked. Carmen squinted, confused by the sound. Suddenly, Teri begun to speak again, catching Carmen's and Masami's attention.
Teri rolled her eyes. She turned to Penny again. "I'm still 100% sure you're a lesbian."
Penny blushed. "Stop! You guys know i'm not a lesbian! I like Gumball!"
"Then how come you always defend Sarah when we talk about her?" Masami asked.
Sarah raised her eyebrows. Good to know my whole squad is talking shit about me. She rolled her eyes, but pressed her head up to the side of the stall, listening closely for Penny's response.
Penny blushed heavily and covered her face. "I just.. uhm... It's wrong.. to talk.. bad about someone you treat nicely."
Teri sighed. "Penny, we know you like her."
Penny crossed her arms. "I do not!"
Carmen raised her eyebrows.
Penny hunched over the counter and covered her face. "Fine." She said in a small voice.
Teri, Carmen, and Masami gasped.
"Come again?" Masami smirked smugly.
Penny glared at Masami. "I.. kinda.. like Sarah."
Sarah's eyes went wide and she blushed.
"What?!" Teri asked. "Actually?" She stared at Penny.
"Ugh.. Let's just go to lunch." Penny muttered.
The four girls left the bathroom, leaving Sarah to shakily stand up and leave the stall. She threw her food away in the trash outside and made her way back to the cafeteria.
Sarah had one thought in her brain; Penny Fitzgerald likes me. And she for sure liked her back.
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After the rest of the school day, Sarah made her way to the locker rooms for cheer practice. Stumbling over to her cheer locker, she opened it in and placed her bag and books inside.
Carmen and Masami snickered as they saw Sarah. Masami tapped on the top of Sarah's cone, next to her head.
"Penny looked hot today, right?" Masami asked as Sarah turned around.
"What?" Sarah asked.
Carmen smirked. Masami giggled. "Nothing." Carmen assured and smugly turned around.
Sarah raised her eyebrows and looked annoyed as she turned back to her locker. Finally, as she finished, she walked out of the locker room and headed to the track for practice.
As she walked out, she observed Gumball and Darwin sitting on the bleachers. Most of the time, seeing them would make Sarah's heart ache and her knees go weak, but all she could think about was how... she didn't really like them as much.
Sarah always knew she wasn't actually into them. Sure, she was obsessed, but she didn't genuinely need them.
And, to be honest, Sarah kinda liked Penny. She never really wanted Gumball, or Darwin. It was always Penny.
