An Exchange

Chapter Thirty-Two - Fundraiser Concert Pt 3

Giles

When Penny spun around dressed like a penguin, I panicked. Her glare locked on me and dread flooded over me. I'd told Ray what Penny meant after he saw her real name in her scriptures, then I explained briefly what penguin meant.

Penny’s glare bored into me. I couldn't move. Even when Jonas grabbed my shoulder and whispered, “Oh crap. You’re so dead,” I couldn’t respond.

At the intermission, she rushed off the stage. I leaped to my feet to rush out to meet her. I had to apologize. I had to explain. She yelled backstage and I knew Ray was getting it. I glanced at Jonas standing beside me. “I've got to get to her.”

“I know,” he muttered, and together we pushed our way out to the lobby with my sisters trailing behind, asking us what was wrong.

With the crowd, it took us a while to get out to the lobby. There Jonas and I split up and I rushed to the door. Then Penny entered from two doors down. Her face red and fists clenched like she wanted to tear off someone's head. Probably mine.

I rushed over to her, wanting to pull her aside and apologize, to calm her and let her know she was safe. I grabbed her arm and she spun on me with alarm. I took a sharp breath at the look in her eyes of sheer agony before I spoke. "Penny, I'm so sorry."

She pulled away, her lip curling with disgust. "Sorry? Sorry? Is that all you can say?"

"I don't know what else I can say." I felt so ashamed. I'd unintentionally betrayed her trust when she already had enough betrayal in her life.

She yelled at me and I let her, I'd wronged her. My heart broke for her pain, and I was so angry at myself for inflicting it on her.

“Look at me!” she suddenly screeched.

Looking into her eyes, her pain and humiliation cried from within. A deep ache tore at my heart. I had to let her know I was sorry. I had to let her know that this didn't have to be a bad thing, so I said, "I look at you every day as you try to hide yourself away. When will you let the real you out? What are you so ashamed of? I see it and it's beautiful, like this costume right now. Ray made you shine out there."

A savage look swept across her face. "Shut up! Don't turn this on me. You betrayed me!"

Ryan pulled her away from me, sizing me up. I tried to ignore him and look around to her, but he blocked me out. I glared at him. "Stay out of this! This is none of your concern."

"But it is,” he said with a snarl. “You're always telling me not to hurt Penny, but look what you've done. I think I have a right to defend my girlfriend from you."

I tried to get Penny to talk to me, but Ryan pulled her back behind him. I grew frustrated, then Ryan shoved me. "I think you should just give up, Giles."

I felt sick at the meaning behind his words. He didn't just mean right then, he meant permanently. But I couldn't, not on her. "Penny."

She glanced over Ryan's shoulder at me as tears streamed down her face. "No, Giles. I want you to leave me alone."

Her words stabbed me through the heart. As she turned and ran from me, I called out to her again in desperation, but she was gone.

Ryan slammed me against the wall. "She said leave her alone."

I looked down at him. He had a hungry, vicious look in his eyes. He wanted to protect her, but all I wanted was to do the same, to mend what I'd broken. "I never will. Now let me go so I can fix this."

"Fix what exactly? What did you do to her?"

I shoved him off me. "I won't tell you. That's between me and her."