Phoenix watched her closely, his eyes darting down to her tongue that poked out briefly to wet her lips. He was being unwaveringly blunt, but that was just him. He wanted this girl; he knew that now. He was over being cautious and considerate- he di...
Half of the school day had gone by and Penelope still wasn't holding up well.
She cried herself to sleep last night and there was no hiding it.
Her eyes were puffy, and her face swollen. Given her current state, she had to apply more concealer than usual, to give the illusion of her normal self.
She was even wearing one of Phoenix's sweaters today. It was large and swallowed her arms just how she liked it. But most of all it smelled like him- she loved the scent of his cologne and the faint hint of cigarettes she could detect if she held the material really close to her nose.
She wanted to feel close to him and what better way to do that than to be in his clothes.
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As the bell rang to signal that it was time for lunch, Penelope sighed and gathered her items to put in her bag.
Phoenix skipped second period, probably so that he could go for a smoke.
His absence was contributing to her sour mood. Ever since it happened, she felt off when he wasn't near her. It was some form of guilt that made her skin crawl and her stomach tighten uncomfortably. She didn't feel right in her own body; she was someone else watching through eyes that looked like hers but they weren't.
God how she felt guilty.
As she walked out of class, her eyes teared up for the millionth time that day. She redirected her pace to the bathroom, so that she could finally let the drops fall.
"Penelope!"
The feminine voice made her pause in her movements, and had her blinking rapidly to subdue the oncoming tears.
With a deep breath and fake smile, she turned to face her best friend.
"Hey. Sorry I've been MIA all day, I literally woke up 20 minutes ago."
Olivia laughed at her own words but blonde brows scrunched in confusion at her friend's current state.
"Woah, are you okay?"
Penelope's stomach was caught in a steel grip, being squeezed, twisted and turned. Phoenix wasn't the only one who got hurt in this situation.
"Yeah, why?"
"You're wearing sweatpants Penelope."
The girl shrugged.
"I'm on my period."
This wasn't a lie. She woke up to her monthly visitor this morning which only made her emotions even more unstable. It also explained her borderline dependant behaviour with Phoenix.
Olivia sucked her teeth and narrowed her eyes.
"No...no that's not it at all. Come on Elly, just tell me what's going on. It looks like you've been crying; have you been crying?"
