My Heart's Choice (On Hold)

Chapter 23

"No reading at lunch!" Penny snaps at Dylan, lunging for his book, which he is reading under the table.

But Dylan is faster and, like always, he smuggles the book back into his backpack before Penny can grab hold of it. She glares at him which he completely ignores, tapping his fingers on the table like nothing ever happened.

She continues glaring at him until he finally makes eye contact and shrug like the innocent boy he is.

"You seem to break the law, more than what is tolerated, Dylan Gibson," Penny says, holding his wavering eyes.

"So?" he challenges, although it is quite evident that he is only pretending.

"So!" Penny bellows, thumping her fist on the cafeteria table, which earns her a few weird look, "You abide by my rules, Dylan Gibson, if you wanna be part of this table any further. Understand?"

He slowly bobs his head up and down, swallowing loudly.

"Good!" Penny gives him a finalizing look, "Or else, you can go deal with Glenn whatever his name is, all by yourself."

Dylan's face visibly goes pale like he saw a ghost.

"I wouldn't," he swallows again, feigning confidence.

He shoots Penny a lopsided grin perhaps assuming that it makes him look truthful and trustworthy. Penny watches him for a few seconds more, and finally gives up, returning to her food.

Well, Dylan Gibson is a sophomore that Penny once saved from his bullying classmates when he was a freshman. To be honest, Dylan's bully, Glenn sort of went goo goo gaga over Penny when she strode to the center of where Dylan was being bullied. And I believe that to be the reason why Glenn leaves Dylan alone when he is with Penny, contrary to Penny's firm belief that Glenn fears her.

I guess Dylan knows that too, which is why he sticks with Penny, and have lunch with us, no matter what. Penny and I treat him like he is our younger brother, which I don't doubt that he enjoys.

I return to my food smiling at the memory of Penny saving Dylan from Glenn when I hear Penny let out a vicious hiss.

I look up to find her staring at Nora, who enters the cafeteria.

"Yeah, I get it, she is following me!" Penny decides, balling up her fists.

"Are you joking?" Dylan's eyebrows shoots to his hairline, "That is Nora Williams, Penny! She never goes around following people, instead, people follow her."

Penny silences Dylan with one threatning stare and gives me a pointed look.

"What?" I ask innocently.

"Don't you dare 'what' me," Penny hisses, her plastic fork piercing her food with unusual force.

I heave a long sigh. Ah, don't worry. Penny can't stay mad at me for very long. Or so I hope.

"Look!" Penny juts her chin in the direction of Nora, "Did she just sit at Rhea's table?"

I nod, watching Nora drop onto a seat beside Rhea, who welcomes the former with great pride.

"Isn't she your friend?" Penny raises a brow.

I slowly nod, pleading with my eyes for her to stop what I think she is about to lash into. I can't explain Nora's master-plan when Dylan is around. The last thing I need is Mason to stomp over my head that I advertised the status of our relationship.

Penny gives me a long look as if she is trying to read my mind. Anyway, she blows out a deep sigh and decides to drop the subject.

I raise my eyes to Nora. She is talking to Rhea and Seth as if they were friends for a long time. Seth whispers something to them and both Rhea and Nora burst out laughing like hyenas.