My Life As A Bridgerton

Part The Ninth

I DO NOT OWN BRIDGERTON.

Vauxhall Ball. London, United Kingdom. 3 days later.

After the...interesting...dinner with the Duke of Hastings, the next big event of the social season was to be the fancy ball at Vauxhall. This was going to big episode for Daphne as it would establish her fake (eventually real) courtship with Simon Basset. Luckily for her, Anthony would not be attending this particular event; which would have improved her chances of finding a suitor considerably, had he not intended to wed her off to that shit eater Nigel Berbrooke.

I decided to make my way to the ball in the hopes of finally getting a dance with Marina Thompson. However, it was only after I arrived that I remembered that Marina and Lady Featherington were just finding out about her bun in the oven; so she wasn't going to be attending any balls for the next couple of episodes. Since I was already there, I figured that I might as well just do what normal college guys do at a party: fill my belly with food before getting wasted.

Before I could give Vauxhall "the ol' college try", I spotted Penelope standing alone amidst a sea of debutantes and their dandy suitors. She was wearing a beautiful pinkish dress that proved beyond a reasonable doubt that yellow just wasn't her color. I set aside my plan to get drunk as I made my way over to Miss Featherington.

"Pen." I said with a smile as she turned to me with an even wider on on her face.

"Colin, I did not know you would be here." Penelope said eagerly as she curtsied and I bowed my head.

"I'm sorry if I disappointed you." I teased as she giggled at me.

"You could never disappoint me." She replied as I could see the admiration in her eyes, making me pissed that the real Colin hadn't noticed how badly this girl wanted him.

"Have you seen Miss Thompson?" I asked as if I didn't already know where she was.

"She is ill, my mama had to stay home with her." Pen lied as her eyes darted around the venue. "Papa had to chaperone; i'm quite enjoying the fact that he is here. Mama would never allow me to wear a dress like this. Not, uh, yellow enough, I think."

"I think you look very beautiful indeed." I replied as I could see Penelope's heart skip a beat. Before she could respond to my compliment, the queen bitch Cressida Cowper showed up with her squad. She was your typical sexy on the outside, ugly AF on the inside kind of gal and you could just hear it in her voice when she spoke.

"Mr. Bridgerton, I believe you owe me a dance this evening; and I have only one more space remaining on my card at present." Cressida said with her sickly sweet smile as she showed me her card.

"How convenient." Penelope said sarcastically as Cressida threw her drink right on Pen. She gasped as the liquid stained her dress and went down her cleavage.

Penelope, I did not see you there." Cressida lied through her teeth as Pen looked angered, but by no means shocked; as if this wasn't the first time. I wanted to smack the blond bitch, but I also knew that making an enemy of Cressida Cowper would surely end up biting me in the ass. So I swallowed my pride and played her game.

"Miss Cowper, it would be a great pleasure to escort you onto the dance floor...had I not already promised the next dance to miss Featherington." I replied as I offered my right hand to Penelope, who took it with much eagerness indeed. As we headed to the floor, the orchestra was playing some kind of lively British jig. I didn't know the moves to this song at all, so I basically had to keep an eye on everyone else; so I could follow what they were doing. I did all right for a noob and thankfully, Penelope was so happy to be in my...or I guess I should say Colin's arms that she didn't really notice my lack of skills. Also, she made up for what I lacked in dance moves as she proved to be quite skilled in the art.

Thankfully, the dance ended after a couple of minutes. Once we stepped off the dance floor, I turned towards Penelope as her eyes looked like 2 shining pools of blue that you just wanted to jump into and relax; forget your troubles, if you had any to forget. To be honest, I knew that she was pretty; but I hadn't known she was this pretty. The way she looked in that dress, her curled red hair, her look of joy, it felt as if I were seeing Penelope Featherington for the first time.

"Pen...would you care to walk with me?" I asked as she eagerly nodded as she looped her arm in mine.

"Colin, I wanted to thank you..for rescuing me from Cressida." She said as we walked about the area while couples were dancing or discussing what were suitable spousal qualities and what were not.

"I wish I could have saved your pretty dress." I lamented with a chuckle as she did likewise.

"The stains can be cleaned, it is no great struggle for our washer woman." Pen assured me as she held onto my arm tightly. I stopped walking and turned to face her as I held her hand tightly. It wasn't fair how Colin and to an extent Eloise, took her friendship for granted and I didn't want to do the same. Despite her Whistledown persona, Penelope was a good person and she deserved someone to care for her besides the 2 most annoying siblings of the Bridgerton House. I didn't know if I wanted to abandon my...courtship with Marina yet, but I wanted to be there for Pen.

"Penelope...I know that i've been...distant lately and that's my fault. I'm...going through...some things, but I want you to know that i'm your friend and i'll always be here if you need me." I promised as I locked eyes with her. "I won't take you for granted anymore."

"Thank you Colin...that means a great deal to me." Pen said with her eyes watering as she squeezed my hand and pressed it to her cheek.

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