Mermaid

The Facade

  Josie wasn't used to seeing Penelope like this, so disheveled and wrapped up in a sweater two sizes too big for her slender frame. She didn't even look up as Josie approached, her stoic eyes shiny with unshed tears. Her arms were wrapped tightly around herself, and she was wearing a pair of earbuds that were blaring music at full volume. Josie tapped her shoulder, and Penelope removed them, reluctantly turning her attention to Josie. "Hey, are you okay?", Josie asked gently, refraining from reaching out to touch the distraught girl and comfort her. Penelope just shrugged, her eyes downcast to her sneakers. Josie sat down next to her, silently waving at Lizzie and Hope to let them know that they should go ahead and start practice without her, now that the other swimmers were arriving. They nodded their understanding and turned their attention away from the two girls. Knowing her team was in good hands, Josie turned her full attention back to Penelope. "Do you want to talk about it?", she said, silently encouraging the girl to speak her mind. Again, Penelope shrugged. Josie sighed, realizing that getting the raven-haired girl to open up to her was going to be harder than she expected. "I can't help you if you won't talk to me, Penelope." "Then don't help me", Penelope snapped, squeezing her arms tightly. Normally, Josie would be offended by Penelope's tone, but she knew that the sullen girl wasn't trying to be rude to her. No, this anger was coming from a place of deep hurt and frustration, and the only way Penelope knew how to express it was through a snarky attitude. It made her wonder how much she truly knew about Penelope- the person she thought she knew, she realized, was just a clever facade. Face to face with the infamous Park daughter, she looked almost normal- human.

  "I'm sorry", Penelope whispered, playing with the beads of the bracelet around her wrist. "I just...I came here looking for my cousin, but she was already gone. I didn't know where else to go." Fresh tears fell from Penelope's eyes, but she wiped them away roughly before they could stain her flushed cheeks. "I shouldn't have come here; Maybe I should leave." "No, it's okay.", Josie assured her, earning a shocked look from Penelope. "Everyone deserves a safe place. You're safe here, Penelope. Don't mind them." She gestured to the rest of the Salvatore swimmers, who were looking up at the two of them is confusion. "They're harmless. Honestly, Penelope, you can stay here as long as you like." "Why are you being so nice to me?", Penelope questioned, overwhelmed by Josie's concern. "We're supposed to be rivals - Isn't this betrayal to your team?" "We're not swimming right now.", Josie explained, smiling. "We don't have to be enemies out of the water too, Penelope." Penelope mulled over her words; It was like that thought had never occurred to her. "Well, thanks", Penelope said awkwardly. "Shouldn't you get back to your team, though?" Josie shook her head no. "I think Lizzie and Hope can take over for a day. I want to make sure you're okay." "I'm fine. I don't want you to get in trouble because of me." Josie looked from her team, then to Penelope. "Well, then I guess it's a good thing I'm the captain. Here, I make the rules." Josie's boldness in her words surprised herself, and from the look on Penelope's face, it surprised her too.

  Penelope glanced down at her phone, sighing heavily. "Rowan isn't answering", she mumbled, her head in her hands. "I don't know what to do. I can't go home." Josie put a hand on Penelope's arm, interrupting her frantic thoughts. "I can drop you off there if you want", she offered. Penelope shook her head no. "I can't ask you to do that- it's on the other side of town." "You're not asking me", Josie reminded her, knowing she backed Penelope into a corner. "I'm offering. I just want to make sure you're safe." Penelope thought it over, biting her lip nervously. "C'mon, Penelope. I honestly don't mind", Josie assured her, sensing the girl's hesitation. Penelope sighed heavily; She knew she had no other choice, especially since it didn't seem like Rowan would answer anytime soon. "Alright", she agreed, earning a smile from Josie. Josie stood up, and Penelope followed suit. Josie handed Penelope her bag- it was the same one Josie had seen the night of the meet. "Don't worry- others tend to say I'm pretty good company. I'll even let you pick the radio station." Penelope smiled slightly, and Josie was inwardly proud of herself for lifting her mood even a little bit. She smiled back, leading her away from the pool room and out of the school.

Maybe Penelope Park wasn't as bad as she thought. ________________________________________________________________
  "I appreciate this, Josie.", Penelope admitted, finally relaxing now that it was just the two of them. "Anyone else would have just left me there." "I know what it's like to feel alone", Josie admitted, flicking on the turn signal. "You don't deserve that." "Still, for you care about someone like me...it means a lot." "What had you so upset?", Josie asked, carefully navigating the subject since she knew it was a sore one for the girl. Penelope sighed. "Just my family; My parents weren't happy with my times at the last meet- since then, they've just been down my throat about everything they can think of." Josie's eyebrows crinkled in confusion. "But your times were perfect! You won the meet for your team." Penelope laughed, but it was completely humorless. "They're not as good as theirs, or even Paisley's. Therefore, not good enough for someone with the Park name." Penelope swallowed hard, leaning against the car window. "I'm not like them, you know? I'm just average. They pride my sister because she takes after them- she's perfect. Me? I'm usually just the forgotten one." Penelope's words hurt Josie's heart, especially because she related to them. "You're anything but ordinary, Penelope", she told her, and Penelope turned her attention to Josie. "You're probably the best swimmer I've ever seen in my life. You have so much drive, so much determination, it makes every else look like novices in comparison." Josie shook her head, appalled by the thought that Penelope was anything less. "Your family is wrong, okay? You don't have to live up to their expectations- you just have to live up to your own."

  Josie's words stunned Penelope, causing her to be silent for the rest of the drive. Every time Josie looked over, she could see that Penelope was thinking about what she said. She knew that it was the first time she had ever heard those words, and it made her wonder just what kind of people Penelope was surrounded by. Considering that Penelope had felt so alone that she went to a rivaling school for a minute of peace, Josie assumed that there weren't very many people that cared about Penelope at all. It disgusted Josie- if anyone deserved to hear how amazing they were, it was Penelope. She stayed quiet, letting Penelope think. Neither girl spoke until Josie turned into the driveway of the address Penelope had given her. "I know what you were doing- at the gym, I mean.", Penelope admitted, making Josie's heart sink. "You don't have to live up to anyone's expectations either, Josette. You're perfect, exactly how you are. I just think you should know that." Penelope got out of the car, closing the door behind her. She knocked on the door, and someone pulled her in before Josie could even say goodbye. Josie pulled out of the driveway, driving home in a dazed state.

  She felt guilty, judging Penelope just like everyone else around her had. Just in the little time she had had with her, she could see that Penelope wasn't the rude, snarky girl that everyone feared. She was nice- kind, even. Penelope was just like everyone else- she got insecure, she felt pain, and she was lonely. It hurt Josie, thinking of how Penelope had felt so alone, and no one had noticed, seeing only what they wanted to see of her. Josie knew she had to do something, now that she had seen behind the disguise Penelope was so used to wearing. She never wanted Penelope to feel the way she had felt that day again. It was clear to her what she had to do: she was going to have to befriend Penelope Park.