If Only

Penelope had fallen asleep reading the London Proposal was boring enough to put her to sleep, but she signed off on it, the proposal was an easy no-brainer. After getting through that she only had one thing left to do. Enroll in Salvatore Boarding School. But  Penelope started unpacking, clothes went into drawers, and a car saw light for the first time since it was put inside the garage. She didn’t know why, but she couldn’t subject herself just yet.  She needed time alone, to think

She made herself dinner after a grocery store run. She had a scheduled voice call with Nic and the other board members to talk about numbers and the future of ‘Park Industries’. Helping run a business while being away was proving to be a challenge. All she could do was input her opinion and veto or approve.

After 2 hours on the phone, she needed a break. She decided to go for a run. Wanting to adjust to the new environment. She walked out into the woods behind the house. Shrew up a cloaking spell, and began to transform into her wolf form. White fur with patches of black and blue eyes. The eyes always threw her off. When she first found out it freaked her out, after a while she never asked her father again, never getting a response and she wouldn't expect a response or explanation ever.

She spent the majority of her time roaming around, running at full speed. In her wolf form is the only time Penelope ever felt free. She started to hear more animals coming out to play. She changed back and left the woods, deciding to walk home, she was no longer behind the woods of the house, she had found her way onto a bridge. “Wickery bridge," the sign said.

She had always loved the view of the water. Penelope found her way to the edge of the bridge. Dangling feet and the wisps of cold air hit her face. She could barely make out her outline in the water, the street lights barely helped. She closed her eyes. She could hear the water flowing, and the trees rustling. She heard footsteps. She opened her eyes, and she could make out a figure just barely out of the streetlights' reach.

“Hello?” Penelope jumped off and walked towards the figure.

“Shit. Sorry I didn’t think anyone else would be here.” The girl has been crying. Penelope could hear the quickened heart rate and the sniffling. She barely saw the tea the brown hair girl quickly wiped off.

“Are you okay?” Penelope asked. She didn’t have any reason to pay attention to a stranger but the way the doe-eyed girl looked she felt intrigued, and the need to make sure she was okay took over her.

“yeah. Rough night.” Josie looked up at the stranger. Green eyes and long wavy dark hair. She couldn’t help but feel something warm, comfort from her question.  Josie smiled. She came out here to sit on a ledge and scream out into the darkness, alone. No one ever came out to the bridge, not after all the lives it took and the myths that the local high school kids started.

“Sorry. I am Josie. Josie Saltzman.” She put her hand out to the shorter girl.

“Josie.” Penelope couldn’t stop staring right into her eyes, she shook her hand. Not a business handshake she has learned to perfectly master but a softer handshake, their hands linger longer than they should. She felt like she'd heard that name before. She just couldn’t put her finger on it.

“Yeah, and now this is usually the part where you introduce yourself.”

“ I am Penelope.”

“Penelope? Just Penelope.”

“Yeah. Just Penelope.” Penelope couldn’t decide whether to keep a conversation with this stranger or walk back home. She instinctively kept asking questions.

“Why are you out here in the middle of the night all alone?”

“I could ask you the same thing. But if you must know, it's for the pretty view.”

“What, you can’t get this view somewhere else? I don't think that’s true. You were crying.”

“Why do you care so much?”

“I like calling bullshit when I see it. I mean I understand, if you don’t want to spill all your problems to a stranger. But I have been told I am a great listener”

“My entire life story seems a bit much. Doesn’t it”
“You won’t ever see me again. Not unless you want to.” Penelope winked at Josie. Which she rolled her eyes at.
“My boyfriend told me he loves me and I started crying.”
“Full-on crying?” Penelope questioned and Josie nodded her head.
“I am guessing not because you’re mad deeply in love with him.”

“No.” she sighed

“He’s great but I got stuck. One yes turned into multiple dates and into an almost-year relationship. And I thought I would feel it. The burning passion. But I don’t, he’s a great guy, honest, loving, and caring but I don’t love him. And I have felt like this for a while but I kept it to myself because my sister was in love with him. But Raf loved me, he chose me. I know it was selfish but this is the first time anyone has seen me as my own person. My sister gets everything and everyone. Being with him gave me a chance for someone to just know me. And if I can’t feel anything for him my sister will get pissed because he was the reason for one of our biggest fights. I don’t think she will understand how I can’t be in love with him.”

“You can’t force love and no one can make you. I don't know your sister but eventually, she’ll get over it. It’s what sisters do, they fight and they make up.”

“And the guy? What do I do about him?”

“Tell him you found someone better. Attractive has these green eyes like you can’t believe.”

“Oh my god. Shut up.” Josie raised her voice at her but with no malice in her tone.
“You’re so full of yourself. How are you this bad we just met aren’t you even gonna try to convince me that you aren’t so self-centered.”

“Come on, I'm kidding. A joke never hurt anyone. Tell him the truth. You love him and you care for him but you aren’t in love with him. You can’t keep stringing him along.”

“and if it goes wrong. I will find you to complain”

“I expect nothing less.”

“You know you talk like you’ve had experience in this type of situation.”

“Maybe. But not with my siblings. We have completely different types of people we go for.”

“What type of person do you fall for?”

“Fall? Who says I’ve ever fallen for anyone?

“Someone like you. Seems like they’ve gotten their heart broken once or twice and now you’re the one breaking the hearts.”

“Do I look like a cliche or something?”

“Very much. The leather jacket says it all. You seem like the brooding type and eyes like yours are revealing.” Josie felt confident around her. She felt bold saying what she wanted.

“Eyes like mine huh? Josie blushed. Penelope flared her eyes at her, with a devilish smirk.

“It’s getting late.”

“Are you walking back wherever you came from?

“yeah. I live down that way” Josie pointed the way she came in.

“I'll walk with you then. Nothing bad can happen in mystic falls but I never mind walking a pretty girl home.”

“Locals make up the myths around here but how they come up with them always comes from the truth. You should be careful.”

Penelope and Josie walked down the road together. Talking about trivial information. It was the first time both of them felt a wave of relief. For Josie, it was a push to break up with Rafael. To find a way out of her sister's shadow by herself this time. For Penelope it was hope. Josie gave her hope. Believing mystic falls wasn’t gonna be a punishment sent from the gods because she abandoned her people.

“Where do you go again? I don't think I asked.” After a 20-minute walk, Penelope noticed they were walking into a wooded area.
“The Salvatore boarding school. I have a curfew so I can’t exactly walk up to the front gate. It’s just up here.”

“I would ask you if you wanted to stay but it’s past curfew and I'm having trouble getting in myself.

“Don’t worry about it. I should be getting back.”

“Will I see you again?” Josie asked hopefully.

“What do you think? What do my eyes tell you? She flashed her big green eyes at Josie hoping for a laugh.

Josie scoffed and rolled her eyes.

“I’ll see you later Josie.”Penelope walked down the hill, the doe-eyed girl led them up, with a smile on her face. She looked back and saw Josie walking up behind the school.

“Josie Saltzman'' Penelope said her name out loud. Thinking about her all the way home.