Penelope began to feel awkward in the middle of the room so she leaned her hip against the side of the desk. The boys in the room each noticed.
The brown haired guy who first saw her held out his hand in an effort to make her feel more comfortable. "I'm Neil Perry."
Penelope nodded with a genuine smile and shook his hand as the red-haired guy leaped up to introduce himself.
"Oh sorry. I'm Steven Meeks." His guys' voice came out a little shaky.
Steven Meeks was never nervous. Yet for the first time in his life he was. And it just so happened, that a certain green-eyed girl was the one who caused it.
The guy lying on the bed, who had recently taken a cigarette out, spoke next. "Don't be shy, Meeksie." He turned back to Penelope. "Charlie Dalton, at your service."
Charlie- as Penelope had figured out- was a carbon copy of her. He expressed himself with the same smirk, he spoke with the same sarcastic tone and undeniable disregard for literally everything. And he was already obsessed with her.
"Penelope Scott." She answered with a smirk and all of the guys smiled.
"Knox Overstreet." Another guy, whom she swore she hadn't even noticed, reached for her hand from her right and kissed the top of it. The Dalton guy clenched his jaw- flirting was his job.
Knox seemed to have forgotten that there were other guys in the room because he got lost in her emerald green eyes and didn't look away until Dalton spoke up.
"Okay, study group." Charlie began. "Meeks aced Latin. I didn't quite flunk English. So if you want, we've got our study group."
"Sure. Cameron asked me too. Anyone mind including him?" Neil asked the group.
"What's his speciality, boot-licking?" Charlie laughed.
"Come on, he's your roommate."
"That's not my fault." The guys in the room erupted in laughter and Penelope smiled to herself. They were really genuine. And even though she had just met them, she already enjoyed being around them.
Penelope wondered who this Cameron kid was and what he did to receive such unfortunate street-cred. She almost felt bad for him. He couldn't be that bad, could he?
Neil must've noticed Penelope's wandering eyes land on the mystery guy still unpacking his things, remaining unbothered by the conversations in the room.
"Oh, yeah. Penelope, guys, this is Todd Anderson."
"Nice to meet you Todd..." Penelope spoke softly out of curiosity for the silent boy. At that moment, she recognized Todd. "Wait...you're the guy who was staring at me in the courtyard today."
Todd nodded shyly unsure what to say to the bold and effortlessly beautiful girl. Frankly, he was even more embarrassed than before, now that he was standing within four feet of the girl.
"Well? Why were you staring? I mean, I deserve an answer. After all, you just walked away." Penelope sassed.
Todd still didn't answer, but he wasn't threatened and he didn't feel bad. He knew from studying her earlier that she didn't actually care; keeping up that tough-girl aura to hide whatever else was going on.
"In all fairness Penelope, just about everyone was staring at you today. I mean, look at you..." Knox said.
"And what is that supposed to mean Knox? You were staring at me too?"
"No...no, Penelope I didn't mean it like that at all!" Knox quickly shut up, afraid she would walk out at any moment and fearful that she would soon discover that he in fact was staring.
Penelope let out a small giggle which all of the boys adored hearing from the tough-mannered girl. However, in the moment they were shocked to see her laughing as she was just scolding them then minute before.
"I'm just playing with you guys, relax!" Penelope continued to giggle. She also gave Todd a kind, understanding look in effort to calm him. And it worked because he smiled back.
"Oh, well then. Welcome to Hell-ton, Penelope and Todd." Meeks said with a wide-smile even though he sounded upset to have to welcome them to the school. He also was disappointed that Penn would have to deal with everything that they did going to Welton and more, being a girl and all.
"It's every bit as tough as they say, unless you're a genius like Meeks."
"He flatters me. That's why I help him with Latin."
"And English. And Trig." Charlie laughed. Penelope noticed that Charlie's laugh was contagious and her heart couldn't help but skip a beat when hearing it. He reciprocated her sweet smile. However, his attractive laugh turned into a cough when they heard a knock at the door.
Penelope tensed up when she saw a serious looking man walk through the doorway. The boys noticed her reaction but decided against saying anything to her just yet. After all, they only just met her. Maybe she was taken by surprise.
The man in the room was Mr. Perry, and he came to talk to Neil about something that didn't really concern Penelope. They stepped outside to continue their conversation and Penelope's shoulders eased and apparently she let out a shaky breath because Knox spoke up.
"Hey Penelope, what was that, a minute ago when Mr. Perry walked in?" Knox questioned her concerningly.
"What are you talking about?" Penn nervously giggled. It was her signature move.
"You tensed up and you had this look in your eye. I don't know. You looked a little scared if you ask me." Charlie continued for Knox.
Penelope got very defensive all of the sudden. "I did not get all tense!" She honestly wasn't sure what else to say, because she did in fact tense up a little bit. However, she appreciated the boys' concern and mumbled a quick thank you.
After about a minute, Neil came back into the room and Penelope completely relaxed knowing he wasn't all beat up. But Knox and Charlie exchanged a worried glance.
Meeks broke the silence in the room by asking another question. "So Penelope, are you coming to study group tonight?"
"Mmm. I don't know guys, I think I have plans."
"With who?!" Charlie bursted out a little too emotionally to be a casual question.
Charlie's thoughts got the best of him and he began thinking a mile a minute. She could have a boyfriend! She could be engaged! Honestly, what was he thinking, he could have her?!
"I'm just kidding." Charlie let out a small sigh of relief and smirked at a clever Penelope. "What time dudes?"
The guys exchanged funny glances as Penelope called them "dudes." She really was unlike any other girl.
"We meet at 8:00, my room!" Meeks declared proudly.
"Cool. Oh and you guys can call me Penn by the way!" She exclaimed as she stepped out the door.
"See ya Penn!" Knox yelled to her. She smirked as soon as she heard him.
thanks for reading,
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