Merryweather

Five

Penelope's mother was in a drunken fit of rage again, and Penny was trying to calm her down of course that meant she received a few blows herself. When she did finally calm her mother, she broke down hating her life and hating her mother. She walked out of the house intending to go for a walk, but stopped short, when she spotted someone familiar bending over her old bike.

"George," she exclaimed, astonished.

He whirled to face her looking guilty, "hey there Penny."

She hadn't seen him since their encounter at the diner two days ago, and she couldn't explain why she was suddenly pleased.

"How did you find my house?"

He stared at her face for a long time, with a veiled expression and just when Penny thought he wasn't planning on answering, he shrugged, "small town. You weren't supposed to see me, I was just going to leave it for you to find."

"What were you planning on doing with it anyways, its not exactly in great shape?"

He buried his hands in his pocket and said simply, "scraps."

Penelope had no idea what he meant and when he didn't elaborate further she turned on her heels and ambled towards the woodside.

"Wait," George called dashing to her, he slowed down once he caught up, to match her stride. "What happened to your face?"

Penny shot him a sharp look, "nothing."

"This has nothing to do with me taking the bike does it?" He inquired.

Penelope wanted to ignore him, but couldn't do so. "No it has nothing to do with you George."

"Georgie," he said abruptly.

"What?" Penelope raised her brows perplexed.

"Georgie," he repeated, "that's what my friends call me, so call me Georgie."

Penny's heart fluttered, did that mean he thought of her as a friend? She thought it was ridiculous considering the fact that the majority of the conversation they've ever had consisted of her calling him a thief, even if she was right, and him denying he wasn't one.

She suppressed the giddy feeling now taking root inside her and remarked, "I don't think its smart of me to be friends with a perp."

He rolled his perfect eyes, "that's not who I really am, I do crazy things when I'm desperate, but let's both be honest Penny, who isn't a thief at one point in their bloody lives?"

"Why are you desperate?" Penelope asked.

He brushed off the question, "tell me who hurt you?"

She didn't answer right away, instead they walked towards the dense collection of trees, the only sound coming from the wild, insects humming, a slight wind rustling through the leaves, the distant sound of a woodpecker tapping away at a tree, the air was filled with the scent of pine and wildflowers, something that always brought Penelope comfort.

They hiked along a dirt trail, before she stopped and sat on the trunk of a dead log, Georgie following suit.

Penny faced him, his eyes had taken on that intense look, trapping her in their depths, and she was talking before she could stop herself. "My mother, but she doesn't do it on purpose though, she's just... She has a problem and I try to help her, but she just keeps getting worse and when she gets that way she turns violent, you know, becomes-"

"Hold up, what are you talking about?"

"She has a problem with alcohol, she's always had a problem with it, but it really got out of hand when my father died."

"I'm sorry," he paused, "so it's just you and your mother?"

"Yes," she hesitated, then continued, "you know sometimes I've thought about turning my back on everything, on her, I'm probably a horrible person, but then I remember the promise I made my father as he died in that hospital, and I hate him too for making me promise that, don't get me wrong I loved my father he was my only friend, I don't know, sometimes I just wish..."

Penelope trailed off, stunned by how much she had said to Georgie, who she hardly knew.

"I know how you feel," Georgie mumbled, "believe me I do." Penelope glanced at him, he had a distant, far away look on his face, like his mind had left the woods, leaving his body behind. Then suddenly he smiled coming back to himself. "And you're not a horrible person. "

Penny returned his smile, his words felt sincere, he didn't just say it to make her feel better.

"What did you promise your father?" Georgie asked suddenly.

She didn't hesitate, "to take care of my mother no matter what, family was always very important to dear old dad."