Forever and Always ✔️

Chapter twenty three - Zack/Penelope.

She opened up to me like a book last night.

I pictured the night over and over again, thinking about what she'd been through before she came here and before she met me. I got back the same night and see my mom sitting in the living room reading a book. "Hey, mom." I said as I threw my car keys on the table, startling her.

"Hey, sweetie. How was your double date?" She asked, putting her book down and taking her reading glasses off.

"Um, I couldn't make it. Penelope called me, she was having a bad nightmare about her mom. She told me everything, can you believe that?" The words flowed out of me like she was my counsellor.

Mom smiled. "She did, huh? She's finally opening up which is good to see."

I sighed, rethinking everything. "I know but it's terrible what happened to her, mom."

She nodded in agreement. "Yes, it is. But Zack, you can't go around telling people this. She told you for a reason, because she trusted you."

"I know, mom. Don't worry, I'm not that stupid." I said just as I heard my phone buzz in my pocket for the hundredth time tonight.

I answered it and excused myself from the table. "Hey, Gray. I'm sorry I bailed on our double date."

Gray scoffed, an annoyed tone in his voice. "Like you care, Zack. Cecelia is upset that you bailed so quickly so we cancelled the whole thing."

"You didn't need to do that," I said, heading upstairs and into my bedroom, "you still could have gone."

"To a restaurant with just the three of us? Don't be stupid, Zack. Where did you go?" Gray asked, cutting to the point.

Now I was lost for words. "Um, something came up." I said but, I knew he was going to push it further.

"What came up?" He asked, I knew he was getting frustrated with me now.

"Um," quick, think of a lie, "Mom wanted to talk to me. It was about dad, she said that he's never coming back."

Silence filled the phone call, I think he felt bad. Technically, it wasn't a lie. Dad wasn't here but, I was not so sure if he was coming back, mom didn't exactly say.

"Oh, sorry Zack. But you should call Cecelia and tell her that yourself because she's really upset, she was looking forward to it." Gray said, shuffling around.

"Yeah, okay. I'll let her know." I said and then hung up. It didn't even seem like he cared about my dad. Even though I was lying.

*

Running into Cecelia in the hallway, I felt kinda bad for leaving her like I did. "Hey, I'm sorry for bailing on you."

She smiled, clutching a few books. "Yeah, Gray already told me why. Sorry about your dad." She stroked my arm, making it tingle.

"Thanks for understanding." I kissed her on the cheek and headed off towards my English class.

Once I entered, I already saw Penelope at the back drawing on a notepad. I walked up to her with a smile and took a seat. "Hey, how are you?"