The Tape

Chapter 14

Penelope's POV: I hurried into Hope's house, allowing the door to shut behind me as I walked into the living room to spot Josie sitting on the couch with her head in her hands. "What happened", I exhaled tiredly. "Where is she", I demanded, looking around the room.

"In the bedroom", Josie frowned, looking up at me questionably. "She kinda freaked out, and locked herself in there. Now she refuses to come out", she explained, looking up at me as my irritation melted away. She looked tired. Like she hasn't slept properly in months.

Has she always looked like that?

Were her eyes always that dull?

Giving into defeat, I sat down beside her and wrapped my arms around her as she tensed. "It's okay to miss her", I told her carefully.

"Isn't it", she chuckled bitterly.

"Hope was a wreck after Lizzie died", I admitted, causing the brunette to look over at me curiously. "I had to force her to do the simplest tasks. It truly broke her", I sighed. "I thought I lost her", I whispered. "But...then you showed up, and it was like everything changed", I smiled. "It was like Lizzie was still here with us, and that comforted her. I guess it was just time for her to snap again", I said miserably.

"What about you", she asked me.

"What about me", I said defensively. "We hated each other. Remember? I could care less if the nut-cased lived or died", I scoffed, causing Josie's to pull away from me with a frown.

"You're lying", she accused, causing me to clench my jaw.

"Hey! Lizzie", I waved eagerly, causing the blonde to frown.

"Satan", she frowned, wiping at her eyes. "Who are those two", she frowned, pointing to the two other people walking beside me.

"What? Oh...", I laughed, throwing my arms over their shoulders lazily. "I don't know", I shrugged. "But they're cute, right", I smiled, wiggling my eyebrows, causing the other two to giggle as Lizzie looked disgusted.

"I think I'm gonna be sick", she scowled before running off as I rolled my eyes.

"Drama Queen", I scoffed before grinning over at the two ladies in my arms. "What do we say we take this back to my place", I suggested.

"Did it ever occur to you that you're not the only one who lost something", I hissed angrily. "We all lost something that day, but at least we were around when it mattered", I accused, causing tears to build up in her eyes.

"I'm sorry", she apologized tearfully.

"Sorry doesn't bring her back. Does it", I threw back.

"Don't talk to me like I'm the bad guy here", she frowned. "I wasn't there that night-"

"Exactly", I shouted, causing her to draw away from me. "If you weren't out living your perfect life, drinking and partying with your stupid friends, then maybe you would've been able to do something", I pointed out angrily.

"You think my life's so perfect? You barely know me", she huffed.

"I've seen enough", I sneered, causing her eyes to fill with anger.

"You think this is so easy? Do you even know where I was that night", she asked me tearfully.

"Where? Drinking at some bar", I scoffed as her face reddened.

"I was in the hospital", she said, causing me to look over at her curiously. "Someone broke into my house, and attempted to kill me", she said. "I was in a coma for two weeks, and when I woke up, I had to find out that my mom was dead", she told me. "I couldn't even attend her funeral", she added shakily. "I didn't have any friends or family waiting on me to get out. Hell, I was in a sling for weeks. I didn't know what was happening", she told me sadly. "For the first time in my life, I felt lost", she admitted. "And then I found out that no one hasn't been able to get a hold of Lizzie, and it seemed like everything was falling into place", she shrugged.

"So I fly down here to apologize to my sister, and try to make up for my mistakes. To recover all that time I lost because of my selfishness", she laughed bitterly. "Only, when I show up, I learned she was dead, and I was left alone", she explained. "I missed yet another funeral, and I didn't even know...", she choked out before looking up into my eyes. "So, please, tell me how 'perfect' my life is. Tell me how much I screwed up", she said as her voice broke.

"I-I'm sorry...I didn't know", I said, looking down at my hands as she quietly studied me.

"It was you", she whispered, causing my head to shoot up in alarm.

"What", I gaped.

"You were the last person to see my sister alive", she said, causing me to swallow thickly. "You weren't accusing me of not being there for my sister. You were beating yourself up for not being there for her", she noted, causing me to look her over weirdly. "What", she frowned.

"Siphoners can't read minds...right", I questioned, raising an eyebrow. "Cause your sister would always look at you with this look, and you just know that she understood", I said. "That she knew something that you didn't", I stated.

"No...I think that just runs in the family", she smiled sadly.