Wish you were mine

37. Chaos

PAST

Her heart raced with excitement as she bounded up the front steps of her house, the front door creaking shut behind her. She had practically floated home from school, her mood light and carefree. It had been one of those perfect days where everything had gone right-the weather was warm, the sky a pale blue, and her classes had flown by. She couldn't wait to see Sean. The thought of him made her grin, and she barely noticed the stillness in the house, her parents away at work and her twin sister, Paige, still at cheerleading practice.

Without a second thought, Penelope dashed upstairs to her room, her footsteps light and quick on the hardwood floor. She hummed a tune under her breath, the same one that had been stuck in her head all day, and threw her bag onto her bed with a satisfied huff. Eagerly, she changed into something cuter, slipping on a pink skirt that flared out just above her knees and pairing it with a soft white top. She twirled in front of her mirror, her dark hair bouncing with the motion. "Perfect," she whispered to herself, her lips curving into a small smile.

With no one home, sneaking out to meet Sean was easy. The thrill of it made her heart skip-knowing they were keeping their relationship a secret, just theirs to hold. She picked up her phone from the dresser, quickly checking the time. He'd be waiting for her at the park soon. Her fingers grazed the edge of the door as she slipped out of the house, pulling it shut gently behind her.

The evening air was cool, the soft gust of wind brushing against her bare legs as she stepped onto the quiet street. She wrapped her arms around herself briefly, goosebumps rising on her skin as the wind playfully ruffled the ends of her hair. The world around her seemed so still, as if the universe itself knew she was heading toward something special. She took a right turn down the street, her mind drifting to thoughts of Sean-his lopsided smile, the way he laughed at her jokes, and how his hazel eyes softened when they were alone together.
As she neared the park, her pace slowed, anticipation building. She could already picture him waiting, leaning casually against a tree, that familiar warm grin on his face just for her.

But then she froze.

A flicker of movement caught her eye-Sean. But he wasn't alone.

Penelope instinctively darted behind a large oak tree, her heart suddenly hammering in her chest. She peered out from behind the rough bark, her breath shallow as she took in the scene before her. Sean stood near one of the benches, his back to her, talking to someone. A girl.

Her throat tightened, a sudden knot forming in her stomach. Penelope squinted, her pulse quickening as she recognized the girl-Kylie. Of course. Kylie was the daughter of one of Sean's family business partner. They'd grown up together, Penelope remembered Sean mentioning her once. She was pretty-of course she was, with her wavy blonde hair and easy smile. And right now, that smile was directed entirely at Sean.

Penelope's breath hitched as she watched them, her heart sinking just a little. Sean was laughing-laughing in that same effortless way he did when he was with her. Jealousy crept up inside her, unexpected and unwelcome, like a sudden chill running through her. She bit her lip, her fingers curling into the bark of the tree. It was silly, she knew it. Kylie was just a family friend.

But still...why did seeing them like this make her chest tighten?

She felt a pang of frustration, her mind racing with questions she didn't want to ask herself. Sean hadn't done anything wrong, but the sight of him talking so easily, so comfortably with Kylie stirred something uneasy in her. She fought the urge to step out from behind the tree, unsure of what she would even say. Did she have any right to be jealous?

They had been dating for two months now, sneaking around, keeping their relationship quiet. And Penelope liked it that way-she wasn't ready to deal with the attention, with everyone knowing. It was thrilling, meeting him like this, knowing their time together was theirs alone. But in this moment, hidden behind the tree, she wondered if maybe keeping it all a secret came with its own risks. Risks she hadn't fully realized until now.