Doing schoolwork in bed was much more comfortable than a classroom, Josie decided. With Lizzie attending her own lectures, the room was silent and dimly lit, and it was the perfect atmosphere for Josie to study under. She sped through her coursework in a matter of hours, studying for an hour more. Then, the boredom set in. It seemed that being so focused was both a blessing and a curse- Josie had strict orders from her overprotective father and her intimidating sister not to leave her bed, so without school work Josie felt bored to tears. She spent her time dozing in and out of sleep- a side effect of the drugs that had been given her to control her reaction. She was so groggy that she didn't even realize another person had joined her in the room until said person spoke.
Shaking the sleepy feeling from her body, Josie sat up, alerting Penelope. The witch placed her bookmark between the pages of the book in her hands, setting it aside. She turned to give Josie her full attention. "Before you ask, yes I skipped class to come talk to you.", Penelope explained as she scratched the polish off her nails anxiously. "I know your sister will be attached to you after class, so I decided to come when I knew she wouldn't be here." "No, you made the right choice.", Josie agreed with a yawn. "I had to insist she'd go to class today just so I could have some space." Penelope giggled under her breath, going silent. She cleared her throat, turning to open her backpack. From inside she pulled a vial filled with the familiar deep black liquid that had sickened Josie. "It's not perfect, and yes I had to break into the potions lab again to make it, but it's the real thing.", Penelope assured her, popping the top off the vial. Before Josie could ask what she was doing, Penelope downed the liquid, gagging at the taste before recapping the vial and placing it back in her bag.
"You never got your chance to ask me a question.", Penelope stated, crossing one leg over the other in the chair by Josie's bed. "I heard your side while you couldn't lie, so it's only fair you get to hear mine. And this way, you know my words are genuine." Josie's eyes widened in shock; That was definitely not something in Penelope's character to do. "C'mon, I know you got some burning questions you want answered.", Penelope teased, attempting to lighten the mood. "Ask away- I'm an open book." Josie hesitated; What if she heard something that she didn't want to hear, that she couldn't swallow down? It was a risk- Penelope was enigmatic, unpredictable, and preserved; It was impossible to know what she was thinking. Still, as terrifying as the probability of that was, Josie couldn't pass up the opportunity to dig a little further into Penelope's subconscious.
"What's your real favorite color?", Josie asked, causing Penelope to scrunch her nose up in confusion. "Pink.", Penelope answered, the tops of her cheeks turning the same color as she'd mentioned. "Favorite animal?" "Turtle.", the answer came effortlessly from Penelope's lips, accompanied by a heavy eye roll. "What's your biggest fear?", Josie questioned, and Penelope responded automatically. "Becoming my parents.", Penelope spoke, her voice laced with malice and unabashed bitterness. "The blood that flows through my veins is tainted; I don't want to become like them." Josie took in the answer slowly, committing it to memory. At least she was sure now that the elixir had worked. Josie took a deep breath before asking her next question. "Why did you call me those things in front of Rose?" Penelope tensed, but her face was calm. She had expected this question, steeling herself for it.
"I was terrified, Josie; Rose had threatened my bloodline, and as much as I hate them, it's been programmed within me my whole life to protect my coven at all costs, to protect myself. I told her what she wanted to hear just so she'd leave me alone.", Penelope related, shivering as she spoke. "That doesn't excuse what I did, Josie, and I felt like an awful person as soon as I'd said it. I didn't mean any of those things. What I did felt like the betrayal my parents would commit- risking love over blood- and I hated myself for it. When you avoided me, I thought Rose must have said something, but I was too ashamed to say anything. Instead, I made you out to be a villain breaking my heart, when the exact opposite was true. It's one of the worst things I've ever done. That night is one of the biggest regrets of my life." Josie had heard of the Park coven in the past, had heard about the reckless death and destruction that followed their name. Most covens carried the same burden- even Josie's had its history of bloodshed and war. Never had Josie stopped to consider what Penelope's title as the heir really meant.
"You're not your family, Penelope.", Josie reminded her, lacing Penelope's shaking hand with hers. "You're strong and brave, and you have their courage, but that is where the similarities end. You can have both strength and compassion, Penelope. You can be both kind and fortified." A choked sound came from within Penelope's throat, and Josie could tell she was holding back a conduit filled by years of repressed emotions. "And I know that sounds crazy to you because you've always been taught that ruthlessness equals strength.", Josie continued, wiping away a stray tear from Penelope's cheek. "Your morality doesn't make you weak though, Penelope- It makes you honorable. Penny, you are the person that can change your coven- your bloodline- for the better." Josie took Penelope's face in her hands, coffee-colored eyes lost in a sea of emerald green. "You're good, Penelope; You don't have to be afraid to show it."
Penelope buried her face into the mattress, sobs wracking her body in large waves. Josie simply sat by her side, running her hands soothingly through Penelope's hair. It pained her to see Penelope in such pain, but she realized that Penelope needed to feel this. As much as it hurt, Penelope needed to purge it from her body instead of keeping it buried inside her like a ticking bomb. The repressed guilt, pain, and bitterness overtook Penelope, leaving her a shaking display of ardency. Josie whispered comforting words into Penelope's ear, anchoring Penelope to the present as she shattered in front of Josie's eyes. And when Penelope had finally silenced, her cries reduced to quiet whimpers, she looked up at Josie with red eyes and tear-streaked cheeks. To anyone else, Penelope's smeared makeup, swollen eyelids and a persistent frown would make Penelope seem ill-favored, but to Josie, she had never looked more naturally beautiful. Josie allowed Penelope to catch her breath, handing her the box of tissues off her nightstand; Penelope took them gratefully.
"Thank you", Penelope murmured, attempting to wipe away the residue of her emotional displays. "I'm really sorry, Josie. I know it doesn't change what I did, but I hope maybe in time you'll believe it." "Can I ask one more question?", Josie inquired, and Penelope nodded faintly. "Do you love me still?" There was no trace of apprehension in Penelope's voice, even though the elixir's effects were long gone. "Yes, of course, I love you.", Penelope professed, confusion still etched in her features. "But that doesn't change anything." "No, it doesn't. Not right now.", Josie agreed with a sigh. "I think you should start talking to someone, Penelope. I started therapy in Europe, and it was helpful; Emma would see you if you asked." Penelope nodded uncertainly in agreement. "I'm not going to say that everything will go back to normal, or that I'm not still hurt, but the important thing is I love you too, Penelope Park." Penelope's head snapped up, a small smile gracing her face. Josie returned in warmly, once again grabbing hold of Penelope's hand and squeezing it tightly. "That might not be enough right now", Josie confirmed again, taking a deep, much-needed breath.
"But it's a damn good start."
_________________________________________________________
"Are you sure you want to do this?", Josie asked for the fourth time, and for the fourth time Penelope nodded firmly. Standing outside the cafeteria doors, both girls were nervous to step in. This was their moment; The climactic moment where everything would change. Penelope brought her back to focus with a snap of her fingers. "Josie, hey, everything is going to be okay.", Penelope reassured her, though she, herself, did not look fully convinced. "If they say anything, I will protect you, okay? I've got you." Josie braced herself, taking Penelope's hand. "You've got me.", she repeated to herself, feeling the familiar butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She was still scared of their peers' reaction to seeing the two together- two starkly different worlds colliding together- but being by Penelope's side made her feel brave. "Okay, are you ready?", Penelope questioned, and Josie gave her a confirmatory nod. "One...two...three." At the last count, both girl's pushed the doors open with the hand not held in the other's, stepping into the noise-filled room.
Unashamed, they were finally united; They were finally free.
YOU ARE READING
This Love (Calling My Name)
Fanfiction"My, my, my Josie; Don't you know that it is rude not to acknowledge someone when they are talking to you?", Penelope scolded in a brash tone that succeeded in capturing Josie's full attention. "There- that's much better. Wouldn't want anyone thinki...
