We Don't Have to be Forever, We Just Have to be Today

Uselessly in Love

Penelope was uselessly in love.

She sat on her bed late at night, staring at the poster on her wall. The Star Wars poster on her wall. The same poster that Tycer has in his apartment.

She was doing some reflecting at the end of the day. Sure, it had been an incredibly successful day, the two of them only needed one more thing before they could finally break this curse.

Tycer had also gone out of his way for her today. He had set up a whole picnic for her. They had even danced together.

The location was perfect. He had really found someplace so beautiful. After everything that had happened at the resort, she was glad to get some alone time with him.

But then she went and ruined it.

She had ruined the mood by asking him to wait once more.

The car ride back home had been incredibly awkward, and the silence that trip contained was deafening. She hated it. Everything in her wanted to ask for forgiveness, or explain herself to him.

Instead, she gave him his quiet and left him alone. She left him to sit there, hating her for rejecting him when he had done everything right.

And she couldn't blame him. He had done everything right. He had taken her to a beautiful place and prepared a picnic and danced with her... No one had ever done something like that before for her. He was her first dance, he was her first date, he had done everything she ever hoped for a proper date when she was young, and even now to this day. He is perfect to her.

Penelope is uselessly in love.

Soon, she and Tycer would get the last component and the spell would be broken.

Words from previous conversations with Wendy and Reece echo in her mind. "But is that really what you want?"

Of course not, but she can't say that.

She's terrified that Tycer might wake up and realize he never loved her, and actually hates her. She loathes the idea that Tycer will realize he actually is in love with Wendy instead.

But it's just not right to force him to be in love with her.

He insists it's real, and she hopes it is. She's never wanted much in her life, but for some reason she can't stop wanting Tycer to love her for real.

She thinks it's greedy every time he does something sweet for her. She thinks it's selfish when she doesn't immediately tell him no. She thinks she's taking advantage of this curse in ways she had promised herself--from that fateful day in middle school when the curse was laid on her--she would never do. She hates herself for taking advantage of him, but she can't stop. No matter how many times she pushes him away, he always comes back.

She knows that.

Penelope will be uselessly in love.

Tomorrow she will apologize to him. She will say all the things she needs to say to get him to find this final component that she doesn't want to have. She will let him do all the work for it, let him take ownership over this final component. And he will forgive her, and he will do as she asks him, and he will get the final component.

And then they will go home.

And then she will calibrate everything.

And then they will go to bed for the last time with the curse still effecting them.

In less than 24 hours, she expects to be in this same spot, staring at the same poster, thinking the same things. Wishing for the same things.

Wishing that he will still love her when he has the choice to.

In less than 32 hours they will be casting a ritual. Reece will help them, of course.

In less than 33 hours, Tycer will be cleared from the curse for good.

In less than 36 hours, the effects of the curse will be completely gone, and Tycer will have his answer to the question Penelope's been asking since day one.

"Is the love you show me real, or is it only from the curse?"

But Penelope will still be uselessly in love.

Because the curse doesn't affect her that way, right?

What she feels is real.

So even if Tycer denies her.

And even if Tycer never wants to see her again.

And even if Tycer ends up with Wendy because she's his real soulmate, and the two grow up and have kids and live happily ever after...

She'll still love him.

Penelope is uselessly in love.

For Corgi.