can you hear me now?

cant look back, cant look too far ahead

Silence.

It's suddenly become so quiet that Hope could probably hear a pin drop. The two stay standing still in front of each other for a few awkward moments, before Hope decides to speak up.

"H-hi, I guess you're here to see Josie?" Hope gives Penelope a tight-lipped smile, before opening the door wider for her to enter.

"Yeah, but um, since you're here, could I talk to you instead?" Penelope asks timindly, her attitude being completely different than what Hope's used to. Whenever Hope had been around the raven-haired girl, she always seemed to radiate a cocky and bold aura, but currently, the girl seemed shy and tired. Is this the same Penelope Park from yesterday? Hope briefly wonders.

Hope's eyes widen at the girl's request. Ever since she had started hanging out around the band because of Josie, they hadn't really interacted much. Hope blames it on her jealousy getting the best of her. "Umm, okay?" Her reply comes out as more of a question. Not wanting to wake up either of the Saltzman twins, she steps forward, gently closing the door behind her. "Let's talk outside."

Penelope nods, and the two walk a few feet away from the front door to lean against the edge of the porch. It's a crisp morning, and Hope closes her eyes as she inhales the fresh summer air, soft breezes of wind drifting by every now and then. Penelope seems to be doing the same thing, letting herself mentally prepare before the talk she's about to have with the girl her ex has feelings for. "I'm guessing Josie told you I broke up with her."

"Yeah." Hope nods. "She didn't tell me why though, and I didn't want to push it." She recalls the moments from last night, and remembering Josie's sad mood, makes her mad at Penelope for being the cause of it. "You really hurt her." She says, her voice slightly raising in anger and a little rough from being just woken up.

"I know you like her." Hope's anger immediately vanishes after hearing those words, and she could feel guilt eating up inside her. Was she that obvious? Yes, considering she sang a whole song directed at Josie, it was very obvious.

For a few seconds, Hope is speechless. She starts stuttering incomprehensible sentences, before eventually stopping herself and taking a deep breath. "Are you mad?" She asks once she's calmed herself down. 

Penelope contemplates her answer for a little while, before admitting, "At first yeah. It stings when the person you're into doesn't feel the same way about you. But I can't be with someone who so obviously has feelings for someone else."

"Oh." Hope pauses. "Why are you telling me this? If I were you I'd hate me."

Penelope sighs. "Because at the end of the day I just want Josie to be happy. And she's the happiest when she's with you."

Hope tries not to get too carried away at the confession. "Thank you."

The raven-haired girl shrugs. "You don't have to thank me for anything."

Hope nods, before holding her hand out towards the girl, who looks at her in confusion. "We didn't really get off on the right foot. I was always jealous and mean around you. Let's start over. Friends?" The auburn-haired girl has a hopeful gleam in her eyes.