Something More? ✔️

9

During their kiss, Penny couldn't stop thinking about how this was the start. The start to their love story. How would he ask her out? What would his expression be like? Would he be embarrassed? Excited? Or a mask of calm and coolness?

When he pulled away, their eyes locked again, and Penny felt the small tilt of a smile on her lips. It took all her self control not to burst out in excited laughter. But the expression on his face wasn't one that she expected. Rather than the flush of happiness she had anticipated, instead his face was impassive. He seemed even a little bit — sad? Penny's hands clutched around the magazine and her stomach clenched at what was to come.

"I'm sorry," he murmured. His eyes were wounded and his face was crestfallen. With that, he stumbled away from her and into the darkness of the night. Standing alone in front of the hospital, Penny couldn't help but wonder if she had simply conjured up the whole kiss. If it was all just a fever dream. Everything was happening too fast. One moment his passionate lips were crushed against hers, and the next, he was gone with an apology.

Looking at the quiet night, all that remained was the promise of what could have been.

❋   ❋   ❋

The following days Penny spent strategically avoiding James. She was always the first to sprint out of sociology class and also developed quite the talent at dodging him in the hallways. Penny simply didn't trust herself to be alone with him; she wasn't sure what idiotic things would burst of her mouth. Her plan worked, and for the following few days, they didn't exchange a meaningful word.

The annoying thing was that Penny had never-ending urges to comfort him or to help in any way possible. She heard his quiet sighs and saw the haggard looks on his face, and wanted to do anything to relieve his pain. Now that speaking to him was off the table, the only thing she could think of, was personally paying a visit to his mother. Maybe she could just quickly drop off some food and then leave without anyone noticing? Her plan brewed in the back of her mind for the following few days, and finally, she decided to just go for it. After a whole night of experimentation, she had cooked up some broth that seemed fairly edible and maybe even tasty, and decided to take off the next day, after the magazine shoot.

"Where you going? You're so speedy today," Sandra commented. The moment the club meeting had ended, Penny had sprung to her feet, stuffing all her makeup into her backpack.

"Yeah. See you later!" she waved at Sandra before sprinting out the door.

❋    ❋    ❋

When Penny arrived at the hospital again and finally found his mother's room, she was panting and sweating. The nurses looked at her in confusion but all carried on with their duties. Quietly slipping into the hall of the room, she was surprised at how grand his mother's room looked. It was large and spotless, with nude sofas scattered around and flowers in glass vases everywhere. It definitely wasn't a room she had expected a college student to be able to pay for.

As softly as possible, Penny placed her broth onto the table and was about to turn to go, when she heard someone speak.