Blue's Purple

Chapter 3

"Come on!" Penelope glances over, "Sore winner." She mumbles. I laugh, chucking a Cheeto her way. "'Nother round?" She blows on the Cheeto and throws it into her mouth, "How'd you get so good?" she asks, ignoring my first question. I shrug, "I play against my sister." Penelope goes through and chooses a different player, like that will change the outcome. "Is she any good?" I stifle a laugh, "Beats me nine times out of ten." Penelope laughs, "I've got to meet her." I blink, and rub at my eyes. I normally take them out as soon as I get home. This is different. Though, so is she. Maybe she won't laugh, maybe she won't see me differently. "Is she in our grade?" She asks, taking the bag of chips from my lap. "We're twins." Everyone knew that. It wasn't hard to see. However at school she blended in. Her eyes, though rare, weren't extraordinary. They're healthy, just colorless. My eyes, however; suck. Yet they are 'gorgeous'. "Twins? I guess I didn't know that." I chuckle, "Well you ran her over. Hard to believe you didn't see her." Penelope hits my shoulder, and I wince; it still hurts from when she slammed against me. "I saw her, and you. I just couldn't stop." I smile, "Momentum is a bitch." She laughs, "Physics nerd?" I shake my head. I don't know jack shit about physics, I pretend too. "Math, and Art." She looks me over, "No kidding. That's perfect." I look her up and down, glancing over her chest once or twice. "How do you figure?" She smiles, "I'm majoring in Phyisics. An I ain't jack shit in Math." I cringe, "I'm guessing English as well?" She frowns, "Why do you say that?" I shrug, "Ain't is not a word." She swears under her breath, "Look, I know plenty about English. I'm just relaxing. I don't have to be as smart at home then when I'm at school. You know?" she says, finishing my bag of chips. No; I don't know, but I pretend too. "Yeah." No. "I guess that makes sense." No, it doesn't. She nods, pretending that I know what she's talking about. "I'm home!" I sigh, "Ready to meet my dad?" Her eyes widen, she shakes her head, "I should probably go." I stand as she does, "Wait no, stay. Stay for dinner." I say in a question. She shrugs, and opens her mouth when Alec walks in, "Tyri- oh." I look to Alec as Penelope looks down, "Who's your friend?" He says accusingly. I look at Penelope to see her blushing. I hate him, "Father. This is Penelope, we met earlier today. She's new to town." Alec nods, "Skipping school is normal for you then?" I shake my head, completely fed up, "Can I speak with you?" I say as I leave Penelope behind, dragging Alec along with me. "Son. You don't skip school. I'm not sure you should be hanging out-" I stop him, "I didn't ask for your permission. She's my friend an I like her." Alec scoffs, "So that's what it's about? Son, you are way to smart to not be thinking with your head." He looked below my belt, "Screw you! I didn't mean it in that way. I thought you raised me better than that?" He nods, "As did I son. As did I. Yet you're here." I stop, he has me there. Wait, "Why did you call out if you didn't think anyone was here?" He shrugs, "I do that to make sure no one is here." I roll my eyes, and shut them; holding them closed. "Father, please. Let it go." I hear, though can't see, him scoff, "Let it go? You come home with a girl who is beaten blue!" My eye stings when I open my eyes, but I can't not look at him when I do, "I helped her! Isn't that what you'd want me to do?! Help someone who needed it! Or are you just as much a of hypocrite as I think you are?" His chest is rising with rage, "Tyrian. I will not stand here and listen to you belittle the fact that you skipped school!" I huff, "Oh okay! Like you've never made a mistake!" Alec opens his mouth when the door is slammed shut, and Grey comes around the corner, "I'm home." Alec smiles, "Hey babygirl. How was your day?" Alec could do that. He could fix his emotion just like that. Something I've never been good at. So when Grey comes over and hugs his side, I scoff and enter my room; and slam the door shut, laying on my bed. "I'm sorry." I swear, sitting up on my bed, I kind of forgot she was here. "This is my fault." She whispers. My eyebrows touch my hair line, "What? You think this is your fault? Penelope no. We're, me and my father, like this all the time. More and more lately." She looks at me, "Why?" I shrug, "That's. Kind of too personal." An not my business to share. She stops, but nods in understanding. "I should go." I want her to stay, but; "Yeah. That might be a good idea. You can stay another night." She nods, "For sure." I smile. "Ty!" Grey yells, pushing through my door, "So where did you take that chick-" She stops, "Oh. Sorry." Penelope looks her and I over, "I see it." She says quietly, and steps forward, "I'm sorry about earlier. I didn't watch where I was going, and once I could see you; I just couldn't stop." Grey shrugs, "Oh no I'm fine. It's Ty I'm worried about. This is the first time he's seen Jackie the German act the way she does." I start, "Grey!" However I stop once I hear Penelope's' laugh, "Oh god. Why do you call her that?" She asks, smiling. Grey looks at me, raising her eyebrow, as if saying; 'I like this one.' She clears her throat, "She's a bit of a Nazi." Penelope nods, "I can see it." I stare straight ahead, trying to zone out. Yet the laugh that leaves Penelope drags me back. I like her laugh, I like her smile. "You want me to walk you home?" I ask; wanting Penelope to be my friend only. Me and Grey share enough. Penelope stops short, "Uh, no that's alright. I can find it on my own. I'll see you later." She says to me, and kind of waves at Grey; who in turn smiles.

~~~

After Alec left from his break, Dad showed up. He was eager to find out why I hadn't been in his class, "All i'm saying Ty; is yes, it's your life. Though, your life may not be that good if you don't come to school. The economy is harder each year. You're gonna have to apply yourself if you want a decent job." Dad says, while cutting up an onion. I nod, while shredding cheese, "I know dad. This girl needed my help. I'm sorry." Dad put down his knife and came in close, "Hey. I love you. I'd love you if you picked up garbage for a living. I'd love you if you worked at McDonald's for the rest of your life. However," He states, grabbing my face, "You're not gonna ruin your life over a girl." He says, his grip on my face wavering; as if he were remembering something. I ask him, "Dad are you okay?" He blinks an looks over at me, "Hm? Uh yeah. I'm great. You should go wash your face though. I bet it smells like onion." He says smiling. I smell and then cough with the overwhelming stench that followed behind. He laughs as I make my way into the bathroom, "So who's this girl!?" He yells over the water I started. "Her name is Penelope!" I put soap in my hand and wash my face. The scent is still there, but not nearly as strong. I go back into the kitchen to see Dad staring at me, "New girl?" He asks scared. I frown, "Yeah, why?" He shook his head, wiping at his eyes with the back of his hand, "No reason. You should be careful with her." He says gingerly. I huff, "Alec said the same thing. What's wrong with her!" I say, throwing my arms out, "I like her! We're friends!" Dad puts the knife down an throws the onions in the pan, along with green pepper, "First off. Don't yell. Secondly, don't assume I don't like her. I don't know her. An-... Did you say Alec? What's going on with you and your father?" I shrug, ignoring every question, "Look, I have homework, I should go do that." He steps away, blocking me. "Oh no. You don't do your homework. You don't do anything I ask and now that we're having a honest conversation you don't want to talk? You are always complaining about how I don't spend enough time with you and your sister. So talk to me." I shake my head, "I've spent the last hour 'talking' to you dad! the fact that you and your husband ignore your kids matter! You and Alec have more love for your job than you do us!" I push him, and lean away; walking past him.
I slam my door and slide to the floor. My breathing doubles and my eyes sting. A tear escapes and I let out a rugged breath. I stand and walk towards my mirror, opening my eye wide enough to grab the contacts. I blink away the tears, and clear my nose as the door opens. Grey steps in, "Ty?" She says, stepping in, closing the door behind her. "Are you alright?" I look at her, my eyes red, and my nose running, "What do you think?" She sits down on my bed and pats for me to join her. I shake my head, indifferent, "Grey I don't want to talk." She shushes me, and pats harder. I sigh, laying down instead. However instead of talking, like I secretly wanted to; I fall asleep.