the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

sixty seven

monday 2nd august 1959

penelope

it had been three days since the attack.

three days since she'd left her home.

three days since john had promised to never leave her side.

he'd been great to her the whole time. he'd made some lies up to mimi about penelope being ill and him wanting to take care of her so mimi brought him some clothes to tide him over for a while. he explained the situation to charlotte and so charlotte had been visiting too, each time with a new way to get justice from carlys dad. penelope rejected each idea and said that the best thing she can do is warn belle about it and then leave the situation with her because it's not her story to tell for the most part.

currently penelope sat with her legs curled around her as she snuggled into johns body on the sofa. his arm was wrapped around her shoulder tracing patterns into her skin. they'd both stayed awake talking for the most part of the night - about everything - penelope had also reduced her crying to something like a minimum of only two times a day. they'd made an agreement to not talk anymore about the attack and to stay positive.

right now john was telling her a story about him and stu when they were younger which made something flick in penelopes mind.

"isn't stu leaving today?" she sat up wincing a bit as her stomach was still very sore. she crossed her legs and turned to face john. her bruises were probably darker than the first day but they didn't hurt half as bad as what they did. of course they were still tender but it was her bruise on her stomach that was causing her the real pain. the cuts on her face had become scabs, her split lip was looking more like a scratch but she still hadn't looked in the mirror.

"yeah. i called him yesterday and explained to him a bit of what happened to say i couldn't make it today," he of course wanted to say goodbye to his best friend, but he couldn't leave penelope in the state she was in.

penelope frowned at him, "john, you have to go! he's leaving you need to say goodbye."

"pen i'm not leaving you. i promised."

"look it'll only be for an hour or two, i'll be okay."

john did really want to go and say goodbye so it tempted him but he couldn't justify leaving her.

"come with me," he suggested.

"no way, look at me, i'm not going out until it's all gone." she pointed to her bruises and then carried on, "but you should," she paused and then stood up, "actually, you will go. i don't want you here, get out."

john smirked at her, "oh really."

he stood up inches away from her face, she looked up into his eyes - he almost dropped his cheeky act at the proximity to her bruises. one of her eyes were still bloodshot from the punch, it made her look like she was always about to cry - which she was most of the time.

she nodded her head trying to be convincing, "oh yeah. get out right now, if you don't i'll start screaming." she threatened.