Louder Than Thunder

Chapter 5

Penelope's POV: Opening my eyes, I looked around the room tiredly, trying to understand what woke me up before my eyes landed on a young girl sleeping next to me. Rubbing my eyes, I frowned to myself, wondering why there was a strange girl in my bed.

Wait, this isn't my bed...

Why am I in the guest room?

Remembering the events of last night, I relaxed before hearing a soft whimper. Oh, so she must've woke me up. "No...no...", she whined, turning over in bed as I sat up.

"Hey", I whispered tiredly, attempting to shake her awake.

What's her name again?

"Jojo. Hey, wake up", I muttered, before she sat up in bed in a state of panic.

"No! Please, I'm sorry...", she sobbed out, looking around the room as if expecting to be attacked.

"Are you alright", I frowned before her gaze fell onto me.

"Lizzie", she frowned, squinting her eyes before her eyes widened fearfully.

"Jojo", I called, laying a hand on her arm as she flinched away.

"No! No, don't touch me", she yelled as I held my hands up.

"Whoa, calm down. You're okay", I assured. "You're safe here. I promise", I told her carefully before her face seemed to fall.

"I-I'm sorry...", she pouted, looking down at her hands, causing my insides to melt.

"No, it's okay. You just scared me is all", I assured her, before glancing over at the clock. "Come on, let's get you back to bed", I said, taking her hand in mine.

"No! I don't want to go back there", she complained, causing me to frown.

"Why not", I asked, watching her frown, trying to search for the answers. "Fine. Just stay in here", I sighed before watching her face light up.

Shaking my head, I lay back down and closed my eyes to go back to sleep before I felt her arms wrap around me, causing my eyes to shoot open. "Uh...Jojo? What...um...what are you doing", I asked her. "Jojo", I frowned before hearing light snores in my ear.

Too tired to really care at the moment, I closed my eyes, allowing the strange girl's soft snores lure me to sleep.

I growled in annoyance as someone poked my cheek. "What", I huffed, opening my eyes to see Hope standing at the bedroom door with a stupid smile on her face. Turning over, I starred up into a halo of brown hair before catching warm, brown eyes staring back at me.

"It's twelve o'clock, Penelope", Hope spoke up with a slight snicker.

"Already", I groaned before glancing back up at Jojo. "Do you need anything? I have medication for a hangover in the bathroom", I explained, causing her to tilt her head curiously. 

"She doesn't have a hangover, Penelope", Hope told me. "I woke up to her watching Mulan and dancing around the living room this morning", she pointed out.

"Oh! You really do need a mental home", I muttered in realization before meeting Hope's amused eyes. I glanced back up at her before studying her face. There was a bandaged on her head that Hope most likely put there, her right eye was slightly bruised, and her jaw had a dark bruise on it. "Do you have a place I can drop you off", I asked her.

"No...I don't have a home", she told me, biting her lip.

"What do you mean you don't have a home", I asked. "Oh my God, I picked up a homeless mental", I groaned, burying my head into my pillow as Hope's laughs echoed around the room.