Love Out of the Middle - Discontinued

Chapter 14: The Truth About History

December 2:

Penelope:

"Hey Penny," Sam greets Monday morning. He wraps me into a hug. "How are you?" He asks me holding me back to look at me.

"I'm fine Sam." I assure him as Will and Michael both attack me from either side. "Hi boys." I greet my two brothers with a gasp as a book rams into my side.

"I'm so sorry." Michael pulls back sheepishly. He puts his bag back on his back and leaves it unzipped. Will looks concerned.

"I'm doing a lot better out of the house."

"You haven't had any nightmares have you?" Sam asks softly keeping his voice low so that only I can here him.

"No, I think I've slept better at Sterling's house than I have in a while." I tell him.

"Hey Lancaster!" Axl's voice calls across campus. All four of us look up toward him. He rolls his eyes. "Come on. We've got warm ups in five." He doesn't clarify, but his continuation of his initial call clarifies enough for us.

"I'm going to go to the library." I tell them. "I'll see you boys tomorrow at lunch." I promise them.

"I'll see you after practice." Sam promises me.

"We'll come with you to the library." Will says. "We can talk some more."

"It's the library." I repeat. "Otherwise known as a place to be quiet." I tell him.

"I can talk pianissimo," Will argues.

"I think you could, and I'm not worried about you." I tell him, "I'm worried about our Chatty Kathy magnet of a brother." I tell him.

"Hey, it's not my fault that people feel like talking when I'm around!" Michael objects quietly.

"Oh, I never said it was Mikey." I tell him. "Let's go, arguing with you two is a waste of breath."

The three of us make it through all of our homework and sit in the back corner of the library talking and catching up.

"Hey," Sterling and Sam walk up to us, Sterling still has a damp towel around his neck. "I'm ready when you are, I'll just be with the guys in the gym."

"Thanks."

"Are you ever going to come home Penny?" Will asks me, he sounds hurt. "It's not the same without you at home."

"Soon, maybe." I shrug, Will wraps me into a hug that I don't want to leave. "How's Dad?"

"He's hurt, confused, he misses you more than we do Penny." Sam says.

"Will you tell us what happened that weekend Penny, the truth." Michael's voice is gentle, but I hear the urgency. It's something that's hard to miss. I look down at the books. I can't.

:.:.:.:.:

"Penelope Grace," My mother's voice made me freeze in my room. Jones growling started as he stepped between where I am in the corner of my room and the door.

:.:.:.:.:

"Have fun!" I told Andy and the boys as they got ready to leave for a weekend camping with dad.

"It would be more fun if you were coming Pen." Sam told me as he gave me a hug goodbye.

"Too much testosterone." I teased them, pretending to be disgusted by the idea. "Besides, you boys need some time without me hanging around all the time. Father and son and brother bonding time."

"Have fun with mom." Will said, his eyes doing all the talking. I nodded with a smile, the whole weekend planned in my mind.

"Mother daughter bonding time." I smiled. "You guys are going to be bonding over a fire. Mom and I will be bonding over..." I paused wondering what we would be bonding over, I had my ideas, but it wasn't set into stone. "Something." Will started laughing and pulled me into a hug.