Lucky Penny // Avengers Fanfiction

Chapter Five - No Understanday French

So I kinda feel bad for skipping like the entire week to get to Saturday, but nothing else really happens. So I can try to put some stuff on the other days, but it would be mostly filler and kinda boring. So I'm going to continue to write Saturdays, and squeeze in another day if I can, and once it's possible, it'll be an everyday thing.
- Abby

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"So?" Charlotte had bounded up to Penny as soon as everyone had left. They're were now sitting on Penny's bed, Charlotte's homework splayed across the sheets, forgotten, and a book in Penny's hands.

"So what?" Penny didn't look away from her book, too invested.

"How did it go?" Charlotte asked again.

"I'm going to need a little more context than that Char." She replied, nose still stuck in the book. Suddenly, it was pulled away from her hands.

"Hey!" Penny cried. "You better not lose my page." She threatened. Charlotte rolled her eyes and mockingly set it down slowly, face down to mark her page. "Thank you."

"The man. The one you talked to."

"Oh him. It wasn't bad actually." Penny admitted.

"Ha! I was right." Charlotte announced, a little smirk on her face.

"Yeah yeah." Penny sighed, laying back down. "But it was kinda awkward. I accidentally spoke French at first, but then he spoke French." She thought for a second. "It was kinda nice actually."

"Wait he spoke French?" Penny nodded. "Huh, who would've thought."

"He was pretty nice, but then him and Carol had to leave." Penny continued. She went quiet, thinking. Charlotte studied her, and finally said,

"He seems like an awesome guy."

"Yeah." Penny replied, then laughed quietly.

"What?" Charlotte asked.

"It sounds like we're talking about a crush." Charlotte laughed too, realizing.

"Oh it does. Wow alright then." They laughed for a moment more before Penny spoke up.

"Do you think he'll come again?"

"Why?" Charlotte gasped. "Do you actually enjoy someone's company for once?" Penny glared at her.

"Shut up. And maybe I do. I dunno. It's hard to tell with someone you've only met for like two minutes."

"Fair enough. But still, I'm proud of you for doing that and not being your anti-social self." Charlotte teased. Penny scoffed and shoved her arm.

"Wow thanks."

"You're very welcome."

"Now give me back my book. I'm at a good part." Penny reached for her book, snatching it back.

"You always say that." Charlotte rolled her eyes.

"Because it's always true." Penny replied, sticking her tongue out before settling back to reading again. The night drifted into silence as Charlotte finished her assignment and Penny kept reading. The scribbling of a pencil and quiet muttering filled the room, along with hushed breathing, and the soft sounds of pages turning. Soon, Marla and Vega, the other two girls who shared their room came along. They got ready for bed, making small talk with the other two girls, and Charlotte packed up her notes. With all of them tucked into their beds, Penny got up and flicked off the lights.

"Goodnight." Rang out across the room, echoing from the other three girls. Settling into bed, Penny tucked the sheets up to her nose, laying on her side, facing the wall. It took her a while to fall asleep, so her head filled with thoughts. Today wasn't all that bad. She even enjoyed it a little bit. Maybe it was Bucky. Maybe she had actually found one person she actually enjoyed the company of. Not that she didn't like Callie and Charlotte and Isaiah. But she had been around them her entire life, they were pretty much her siblings. But maybe she had found someone who wanted her. No. She couldn't give herself false hope. She was a teenager. People didn't adopt teenagers. They wanted little kids. And she had only talked to him for what, two minutes? Penny always said, you can't trust first impressions. Plus, Bucky had been dragged along. It's not like he actually wanted to be there. Right?

But Penny couldn't help but wonder if he would be back. And she couldn't help but feel a little excited, hopeful even. Maybe next Saturday will be different. She could only hope.

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The room was quiet today. Except for Maria and Monica, close to no one had come, and Penny was starting to lose the little hope she had gained. Her leg was bouncing up and down quickly, and her thumb nail was becoming a stub. It was stupid. She knew in the back of her mind that he wouldn't come, she just had to give herself some hope. Probably the stupidest thing she could have done. The whole week she had wondered. Wondered if he remembered her and would come back. As it went by, she got more and more paranoid, waiting for Saturday so that maybe she would see him walk through the door. Geez, it really did sound like she was talking about a boy. Penny didn't know why she wanted him to come so bad. It's not like they knew each other very well. But there was something, something that told her they weren't so different. Suddenly, she felt a hand on her knee. Looking up, she saw Charlotte. 

"You alright?" She asked, her eyes held a little bit of concern.

"Fine." Penny said dismissively. Charlotte gave her a 'you're not fooling me' look. Penny sighed. "I really thought he might come." She chuckled sadly. "I should know better by now."

"Come on. You've got to give yourself a chance. If he doesn't come, his loss." 

"Thanks Char." 

But while Penny was losing hope, Bucky was gaining some. Pulling on his coat, gloves and shoes, he walked out of his apartment, determined to find the orphanage. The girl, Penny, he thought it was, seemed nice. And maybe it was stupid to go talk to her again, but there was something. Maybe she reminded him of, well, himself. Walking down the road, hands in his pockets, he found the street again, the same one Carol had dragged him to the week before. He stopped outside the door, just close enough to peer through the window. The kids looked so happy, playing with one another and laughing. But then he spotted the older kids, in the furthest corner, and he saw the girl. With a deep breath, he pushed open the door. 

"Penny." Isaiah said, a hint of excitement in his voice. "Penny look." 

"What Isaiah?" Penny replied sighing. She turned her head where Isaiah was not so discreetly pointing, and froze. The small bit of hope flooded back into her system. Bucky was back. He was talking to Maria and Pamela, looking a little uncomfortable. "Oh." was all she could get out. 

"I told you!" Charlotte burst out.

"Shush!" Penny scolded. "And fine, maybe you did." The bickering continued before a voice cut through.

"Bonjour." Penny turned around to face Bucky.

"Tu es de retour." (You're back) 

"Tu as l'air surpris." (You sound surprised) He said back, a small smile on his face. Charlotte and Isaiah watched the exchange, in complete and total confusion.

"Un peu." (A little) Penny replied, mirroring his smile. Before she could say anything else, Isaiah cut in.

"Hi, Isaiah, nice to meet you. Do you mind speaking in English? Je no understanay French." Penny let out a laugh. 

"Sorry Isaiah. Uh this is Bucky. Bucky, Isaiah, and Charlotte." She introduced them. 

"It's nice to meet you both." They struck up a conversation, and much to her surprise, Penny was actually enjoying herself. 

"So how long have you been here Penny?" Charlotte and Isaiah had left, traitors. They didn't even have anything to do, they just left Penny here alone.

"Since I was ten, so about five years. It's not so bad." 

"If you don't mind me asking, uh what happened to your parents?" Great, the dreaded question. Her smile must have dropped because Bucky immediately apologized. 

"No no it's fine." She reassured him. "I was dropped off at an orphanage in France when I was a baby. Left on the doorstep in the middle of the night. So I don't exactly have any idea who my parents are."

"Oh wow. I'm sorry."

"Not your fault. How could you have done anything?" The conversation carried on easily for a while, before Bucky had to leave. 

"Bye." Penny called out to him.

"Goodbye Penny." He said back, waving, before walking out the door.