Penelope watched as Josie entered the crowded cafeteria, scanning the room to evaluate the chaos around her. The girl looked uncertain as she entered, almost as if she was seconds away from running away. With all of the rambunctious laughter and screaming around her, Penelope couldn't blame her. Josie scanned the room with her eyes, looking for something among the crowd. When Josie's nervous expression changed to a disappointed frown, Penelope followed her gaze; She understood the girl's change in mood. The other Saltzman twin was a stark opposite of Josie. Elizabeth was surrounded by the Mystic Falls cheerleading team and deep in conversation; She was so preoccupied that she didn't even acknowledge Josie's existence when she gave her a small wave. It didn't take a genius to realize that Elizabeth's ignorance had hurt Josie, but no one seemed to notice this fact except Penelope. Josie sighed heavily, turning on her heels and walking straight back out the doors she had just come in from. Penelope had the urge to follow her, but she knew that doing so was a risk. Not only would she look like a complete stalker in Josie's eyes, but she would be crossing the boundaries that Josie had so strictly defined for herself. She had made it clear that she didn't want Penelope's attention, so why should she care? Josie wasn't the first social outcast at Mystic Falls High and she wouldn't be the last. Penelope knew she should just stop caring before she got herself too attached.
That should have been easy enough for Penelope. She was never one to get herself involved in the drama of others; Even she and Hope had an unspoken rule about oversharing information with each other. Josie...well, Josie obviously had issues. Josie was impulsive, explosive, rude- Penelope could keep going on about the poor qualities she had observed in Josie just in the last week of knowing her. Penelope shouldn't have cared, but as much as she tried not to. She did. She cared for the girl against her better judgment, against her own inhibitions. Josie was an enigma, a puzzle that Penelope was desperate to put together. Curiosity was what finally broke her resolve. The desire of it is what coerced her out of the cafeteria, ignoring Hope's questions of where she was going and led her down the halls in search of the brown-eyed girl.
It didn't take Penelope very long to find Josie. While Mystic Falls was a larger school, it was also a very cluttered one. There were very few places that one could hide, and Penelope knew all of them. When she didn't find Josie in the most obvious hiding spots- the library, the gym, the abandoned bathrooms on the second floor- she checked her last option: the auditorium. When she creaked open the door, there Josie was. She had her headphones on, knees curled up to her chest, and she was absolutely silent. Penelope approached her quietly, and Josie didn't even notice her until Penelope tapped her shoulder to make her presence known. Josie's demeanor switched in an instant, masking her somber disposition and teary eyes with a scowl. "What the hell are you doing here?", she asked coldly, unraveling herself from the tight cocoon she had formed her body into. "I don't know what would possess you to follow me, but I already told you that I'm not interested in making friends." "First of all, who said I was here because of you?", Penelope stated, sitting down two seats over from Josie. "Secondly, you can't really stop me from being here, seeing as we're both not allowed in here already. So, unless you want to leave and get caught by security, you're kinda stuck with me." Josie gave her a pointed look, and for a second Penelope thought she was going to get up and risk being caught just to escape her. Instead, Josie returned to her original position, either too tired or too upset to fight Penelope any further. The two of them sat in silence until Penelope decided to push herself and Josie out of their comfort zones.
"So, what are you listening to?", Penelope asked, and Josie shrugged as if it was an acceptable answer. "You know, talking to me would be a lot easier than trying to annoy me." "Is that so?", Josie retorted. "Well, you should know by now that I don't take the easy way." "Oh, trust me- I've already come to that conclusion. Just humor me for a minute, Jojo. It'll make this awkward silence thing you're doing a lot less awkward" Josie looked at her in confusion at the nickname. Josie was quiet for a few moments before she spoke again. "It's Ed Sheeran.", she spoke quietly, breaking through the tension surrounding them. "It's called 'happier.'" "I know that song.", Penelope stated, and Josie gave her a look of genuine shock. "I didn't take you for the type to listen to that kind of music.", she admitted, and Penelope grinned. "I listen to pretty much anything- my mom and dad raised me listening to everything." Penelope was surprised to find that Josie was listening to her speak, instead of trying to ignore her again. "See, my mom? She loves music. She was a singer before I was born- nothing big, just small venues and stuff. I don't know, she kinda exposed me to everything." "My family thinks my music is too depressing.", Josie admitted, sighing. "I guess they're kinda right, but I feel like it gets me, more than they ever could at least." "No, I totally get it. Everyone deserves a place that they feel understood. Yours is just in music. There's nothing wrong with that.", Penelope said, shrugging. Josie nodded faintly, thinking over Penelope's words. Penelope was about to speak again, but the bell rang to signal the end of the period, which meant they could safely leave the auditorium and blend in with the rest of the students walking to their next class.
The bell seemed to snap Josie out of the conversation, and she quickly grabbed her things, rushing out before Penelope had a chance to stop her. Penelope groaned, leaning against the seat in front of her in frustration. Just when she felt like she was connecting with Josie, she shut her back out without warning. In the short time she'd had with Josie alone, Penelope could see- as she had already known- that Josie's tough exterior was a clever façade. Penelope also knew that façades could be broken; Josie's could be broken. Even if it had to be chipped away piece by piece, one meaningless conversation at a time. Penelope was prepared for that, and she was determined to do so. Because she knew, deep down, Josie was just lost. And as Miranda Park would say, the loss could always be found. Penelope disagreed with her mother about a lot of things, but this was not one of them. Josie just needed someone to help her find herself again; Penelope was still unsure why, but she was determined to be that someone for her.
Only time and patience would let her know if she would succeed.
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Lose You to Love Me
FanfictionJosette Saltzman had made up her mind about love- It was risky and painful, and full of disappointment. She had committed herself to the idea that she would avoid it at all costs. Penelope Park has made it her sole mission in life to change her mind.
