In Colour (Slow Updates)

+ dinner +

Eleven

When I walked through the front door an hour after school had finished that same day, I was surprised to see Thea sitting in my kitchen. I wasn’t surprised, however, to see Lottie standing behind her with a stony expression on her face. I hung my head in shame before she even began talking.

“Penelope Benson, where have you been?” 

"Around."

"Around?" she repeated breathlessly. "Well, while you've been around. Thea here, has been waiting with all your stuff that you left at school."

"Oh, thanks, Thea."

She smiled shyly. "It's no problem, Penny.”

Lottie glared at me. "I invited Thea to join us for dinner to make up for your rudeness but don't think this isn't over."

"Yes, Lottie," I said tiredly, not being bothered to try to object. I just wasn't in the mood to keep everything bottled away tonight.

"Good, now go wash up. Dinner will be on the table soon."

Grabbing my bag from the kitchen bench, I made my way upstairs with Thea trotting behind me. I was too tired to be worried about Thea being here. I just wanted to go to sleep and never wake up.

When we emerged into my room, the then-silent Thea, gasped suddenly. I didn't bother turning around as she looked at everything on my walls. 

"It's beautiful," she whispered. "Your work is amazing."

I shrugged nonchalantly as I quickly changed into sweats and a tank while her back was turned. "Not really," I said casually.

She spun around. "Yes really. Your room is one of the coolest things I've ever seen."

Not wanting to dwell, I quickly changed the subject. "Sorry my sister made you wait around for dinner. She's such a freak sometimes."

Thea waved me away and plonked down at my desk chair. "It's no big deal. It was actually kind of cool. Your sister's boyfriend's a doctor, so I was talking to him a lot about that. I really want to study medicine."

I shuddered playfully. "Eugh. Smart people."

She chuckled and threw a rubber at me. I caught her useless throw and chucked it back to her. It hit her in the head and after a slight pause, the two of us burst into a fit of giggles. 

When we sobered, I gestured to my bag. "How did you get it?"

This where Thea's expression turned puzzled. Cocking her head to the side, she said, "Aaron Archibald gave it to me then told me your address."

I tried to appear unaffected. "Remind me to thank him tomorrow. So are—‘

"No no no," Thea cut off. "Don't think you're getting out of this one. Why did Archie get your bag and how does he know where you live?"

I frowned. "You call him Archie? I thought that was just for his inner circle."

Thea rolled her eyes. "Everyone calls him Archie, duh. What planet have you been living on? Only his parents call him Aaron, he hates Aaron. Why would you—“ She shook her rant out and righted herself. "Don't change the subject! Give me some answers, Penny."

I sighed. "Dunlop and Carter got into it and I was over that class so I ditched. I guess I forgot my bag and Aaron was nice enough to pick it up for me, I guess. It's probably why he's so popular. As for my address, he dropped me home from a party one time because he spilt his drink all over me. It's nothing interesting."