Penny For Your Thoughts? [unedited]

c h a p t e r • s i x

••••••••••••••••chapter six••••••••••••••

As hard as the past few days had been, I didn't expect today to be different.
Thank God, however, that so far today had been uneventful.
I sat in the living room cuddled on the couch between Tommy and Winston, while the rest of my siblings were scattered elsewhere amongst the room.
We'd decided to put our differences aside and be real siblings again. After the whole Wadlington fight, we all came to our senses and realized there was no use in fighting. It wouldn't solve anything.

Anyways, we concluded on watching the Avengers (for the 3rd time) and just enjoying each other's company.
Jas and Evie snuggled under a shared blanket on a beanbag chair in the corner. Jaylen and Benny say awkwardly close to each other on the floor near the coffee table.
Adam and Chris took the two lounge chairs, but not before playing an aggressive game of Rock Paper Scissors to see who gets the lounge chair with the recliner (Adam won, of course).
I sat between Winston and Tommy. Tommy had his hand in a bowl of popcorn while Winston has his hand on his girlfriend's thigh, whom of which sat on the opposite side of him.

"Honestly, if it came down to it, Black Widow could kick any of the Avenger's asses any day." I shrugged, watching a fight scene fold out in front of me on the huge TV screen.

"Nuh-uh!" Chris countered. "Are you telling me that 5'4 red head with an attitude could beat the Hulk?"

"Excuse me, that '5'4 red head with an attitude' is a fine tuned Russian killing machine! That's Natasha Romanoff, dude. She'd kick anyone's ass. She'd kick her own ass."

"Girl power, Chris," Evie smiled. "Girl power."

He rolls his eyes before sticking his tongue out at her, to which she gladly returned the favor.

The movie carried on as the echo of footsteps against the hard wood floors interrupted our quality family time. I physically tensed for as I knew exactly who it was.

"Ah," My fathers snake-like voice said, "All my children in the same place for the first time in a long time."

While everyone else looked up at him as he spoke, I kept my eyes fixed on the screen in  front of me, although my blurry vision wasn't allowing me to focus on it. The sound of my father's voice brought back every emotion I felt when he decided to pull the plug on my free will a few nights ago. My heart seemed to stop and I blinked furiously to try and rid of the tears clinging on my eyelashes, threatening to fall. As hard as I tried, it was only a few moments before I felt a hot tear fall down my cheek and into my open mouth, the salty taste infusing my taste buds.

"I have an important business trip in New York, I'll be gone for a few weeks, I won't be back until after you start school. Hopefully, by then, someone will have come to their senses."
He whispered the last part awkwardly close to my ear and I had to resist every urge to turn around and deck him in his eye.
But, I digress.

My siblings watch as he turns on his heels and leave towards the garage. I listened to his fading confident footsteps and the bang of the now closed garage door as he finally left.
Once I was sure he was gone, I let out the breath I was holding in.
I don't know how much longer I could do this.
I can't live in a house with an ego maniac who's set on ruining my life. Fortunately, he would be gone until school started so I'm safe until the next break.

Everyone turned their attention back to the screen, but I couldn't help but feel my mood shift as I'm reminded of what's to come in a week and a half. I fiddled with my fingers as I noticed Tommy's attention turn to me.

"You alright, P?" He asked barely in a whisper, careful not to catch the unwanted attention of everyone else.

"Yeah, Bubba, I'm fine."

Bubba.
The name I called him when I was younger, usually when I was scared, nervous, or flat out lying.
Right now, I guess I was all three.

'Did you break the cookie jar?' He'd ask.

'No, Bubba!' I'd reply.

'Penny, did you spill paint on the couch?'

'I didn't, Bubba!" I'd say.

Needless to stay, it was instinct. Like how some people look away when they lie, or some people's eye twitches. It was an Achille's Heel that I had no intention of losing.

"The dried tears on your cheeks tell a different story." He shrugged, tilting his head like a confused puppy.

My eyes went wide as my hand flew up to my face to quickly wipe away an indication of crying.

Tommy sighed and gave me a remorseful look before throwing his arm over the back of the couch.

"P, I know how hard this is for you. Going to a college that you definitely don't want to attend, it must be rough. But just know that we're here. All of us. Alright?"

I inhaled before looking up and giving him a grateful smile.
"Thanks, Tommy."

"No problem," He grinned. "By the way, I think Black Widow could totally kick Hulk's ass."

a/n
sorry for the short chapter but this was just a filler, really

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-eboni