One For Penelope

Aftermath.

There was a knock on Penelope's door, "Who is it?" Penelope was still seated by the mirror, thinking about the man she had just talked to.

"It's me Penelope." Jack said, opening the door just a tad.

"Come in." Penelope said, wiping around her eyes so he wouldn't see the tear marks.

Jake entered the room and sat on a stool not to far from where Penelope sat. "Well?" Jake looked at the mirror into the empty room, having only caught tidbits of today's events.

"Well what?" Penelope asked, wanting to see what Jake already knew.

"I know that Nathaniel turned out to be like the rest, having to catch him and all, but then I saw you and this Austin character chatting."

Penelope laughed a little and walked over to her bed, plopping down on the middle of it. "That only went well because he didn't see me."

Jake shook his head and stood, "I don't think so. He seemed genuine."

"Don't you get it? They're all genuine until they see me." Penelope punched her fists into each side of her bed, frustrated by all of this. She did like Austin, but she knew that she'd likely just get hurt again.

"That does tend to happen, but you do remember what makes him different don't you?" Jake asked, kneeling at her bedside.

"What are you talking about? He has a little weight to him, but bigger men have come to see me." Penelope looked truly confused, having completely forgotten her conversation with her mother and Wanda from earlier.

"Penelope," Jake couldn't help but laugh, "He comes from a background of little wealth."

"Oh, I had completely forgotten about that." Penelope looked up at the ceiling in defeat. "Which means even if he were different it wouldn't matter." She laid back in her bed and let out a puff.

"Well that's the thing." Jake stood so he could face her.

"What?" Penelope lifted her head to meet Jake's eyes.

"He's been invited to come back." Jake smiled, hoping to see Penelope happy from this news.

...

"MOTHER!" Penelope marched into the kitchen where her mother and her father sat.

"What's the matter Penelope?" Her mother asked, in complete shock from her daughter's rage. She looked behind her daughter at Jake who was not too far behind, he simply shrugged.

"Why would you ask someone who has no chance at lifting this curse off of me to come back?!" Penelope stood at the table, looking down on her mother with a hateful glare. She didn't want to fall for someone who could never cure her, therefore never truly love her.

Her mother exchanged a glance with her father. "Why don't you take a seat?" She asked Penelope, pointing at the seat in front of her daughter.

Penelope yanked the seat back and sat with a plop, crossing her arms across her chest. "Now, Penelope, you don't know if he can't break the curse." Jessica said, trying her best to put on a smile.

"How, he's not of noble birth?" Penelope asked, not moving a muscle at all.

"Well the curse said that one of her own kind didn't it? Maybe all it meant was any human, not just those of noble birth."

Penelope looked at her mother with a deadpan expression, "Are you serious?"

"Penelope," Her father chimed in, which surprised her, "Shouldn't you at least give it a chance?"

Penelope placed her hands on the table and looked back and forth between her parents. "And if this doesn't work?"

"Then I'm sure we can find more noble suitors." Her mother said, taking one of Penelope's hands in her own. Penelope closed her eyes, hoping that this was only a nightmare.

...Earlier That Day...

Austin and Nathaniel exited the house, having not shared a word since they left that room. Austin made his way to the drivers side door and pulled out the keys. "Oh no." Nathaniel said, hands on his hips as he stood in front of the car.

"What?" Austin asked, wondering what his friend was doing.

"You don't think I'm actually going to let you drive after the earlier incident do you?" Nathaniel made his way to the drivers side and held out his hand.

Austin laughed, "You aren't serious are you?"

Nathaniel held a straight expression, "Keys, now!"

Austin casually dropped the keys into Nathaniel's outstretched hand. "Alright alright." Nathaniel opened the door and got in, while Austin walked around the car to get in the passengers side.

"Now, I have something to talk to you about." Nathaniel said, backing out of the driveway and pulling out onto the main road.

"About how you ran out of that room like Thumper from Bambi?" Austin asked, still confused on why he did that.

"Very funny, we can discuss that some other time." Nathaniel said, taking a right turn.

"Then what is it?" Austin asked, he didn't think Nathaniel would've known about his little chat with Penelope.

"Did you enjoy your little chat with Penelope?" Nathaniel seemed very uninterested, although he brought up the subject.

Austin thought about it for a moment, and shrugged. He had enjoyed himself, but he didn't think it a good idea to say so.

"Well?" Nathaniel was annoyed, he must have not seen the shrug.

"Oh, uh, yeah it was fun." Austin said, blurting out whatever came to mind.

"That's good, because you're going back tomorrow." Nathaniel said, smirking a little.

"Oh. Why?" Austin asked, not expecting this at all.

"Well. They'd just like to see if you two, have any..."

"Chemistry?" Austin asked, seeing that Nathaniel was uncomfortable still for whatever reason.

"You could say that."

"So if things go well?"

"If things go well, you'll be asked to come back again. I'll give you half a day off on days that you'd go visit her." Austin chuckled, all of this sounded like some sort of business ordeal.

"This should be interesting." Austin did his best to hide his happiness. He had enjoyed his short conversation with Penelope.

"Definitely." Nathaniel looked over at Austin, "There's something you sho-"

Bang! Nathaniel had rear-ended another car.

Austin smirked. "Not a word," Nathaniel raised a finger at Austin, "Not one word."

Sorry if this chapter isn't as good, just trying to get into the next one really. I liked the car ride lol. What's a good ship name for Austin and Penelope?  I'm thinking Austope. Lol I know it's bad. How will their second meeting go? Find out in the next chapter.