the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

thirty one

penelope

penelope lost herself within the music, her and charlotte completely in aw of the boys they were falling for. john and penelope remained with their eyes set on each other throughout the entire performance except the one time when john spotted pete.

penelope had noticed petes lingering eyes on her all night, he had a wicked smirk on his face, something that made penelope sick to her stomach.

once the boys had walked off stage, penelope and charlotte went to stand at the bar to wait for them. frank, thankfully, wasn't on shift instead it was an older woman.

as they stood and made small talk the crowd dispersed but a lingering presence to the side of the girls made them stop mid conversation. they turned to see a smirking pete alongside two other boys.

"can we help you?" charlotte asked frustrated,

"you're johns girl aren't you?" pete asked raking his eyes up and down penelope's body.

penelope instinctively tried pulling her shirt down, but were saved by the interruption of john and paul.

"pete leave her alone yeah?" paul spoke out. petes head snapped round and his eyes instantly met with johns, his smirk becoming somehow darker.

john went and stood in the gap between penelope and pete and said, "yeah she's my girl, what's it to you pete?"

"how much you paying her?" pete said, john clenched his jaw, "i mean there's no way she's with you because she actually likes you. she must be a whore or something."

"don't fucking talk about her like that," john following suit stood closer to pete.

penelope's hand grabbed johns hand as she pleaded, "john come on just leave it."

"yeah johnny, just leave it, take yourself and your little slut elsewhere," paul knowing what was coming attempted to stand in between the two boys. the animosity between the two evidently clear.

john shook off penelope's arm as anger overtook his posture, he nudged paul out of the way successfully and properly squared up to pete.

"i said don't fucking talk about her like that," pete just sniggered out a response and replied,

"or what?" this pushed john right into his next action.

without another word john swung back and punched pete straight in the jaw. pete took no time to swing back, and within seconds the two where having an aggressive brawl on the floor. penelope shouted at john trying to snap him out of whatever had come over him.

she didn't like the look that came into his eyes and she hated the dark tone that had invaded his voice, all because of stupid things pete had said. charlotte prompted paul to pull john off which after a few minutes of punches and kicks he managed to do successfully.

john stood straight and wiped the blood from his mouth, his face held a few cuts and a forming bruise on his cheek. he looked around him after pete had also been pulled away to another part of the bar. he looked straight towards penelope who was shocked to say the least at his violence.

nobody quite knew what to say until the middle aged barmaid came over and instructed john to leave the bar immediately. he bowed his head and walked past penelope without uttering a word.

penelope stood a few seconds, still shocked before quickly spinning on her heel to walk after john. although she was annoyed at john for fighting pete over stupid things he had said, she couldn't let him walk alone with injuries like that on his face.

she stumbled out of the bar and saw john leaning against a wall with a cigarette between his lips as he gently pressed against the bruise on his face and winced. he looked up at her and then back down,

"you're such a fucking idiot john," she said.

"i know," he replied quietly, "i didn't want you to see that."

"i didn't want you to do it," she took the cigarette out of his mouth and threw it to the ground, she traced a finger over the cut on his face and he flinched under her touch, "such a fucking idiot."

"those things he was saying about you, i couldn't let him just get away with it," john reasoned.

"but john i asked you to leave it, me and you both know who i am and what we are, just because a dick like pete says anything different doesn't change that," she placed her hands on his forearms and pulled him off the wall, "come on, come to mine and we can sort this mess out," she waved a finger in front of his face.

he stepped forward, "i'm sorry."

penelope pushed the hair that had fallen in front of his eyes from his headbopping on stage and said, "i get why you did it john, i do, but look at you, you're hurt now because of something that tosspot pete said about me. i don't want you getting hurt because of me."

"penny, i'm not hurt. i've had it much worse believe it or not," he forced a laugh, "don't worry about me okay?"

"that doesn't make me feel better," joining in with a forced chuckle, "just please don't do it again. please john."

"okay. i'm really sorry pen, i don't want you to start thinking differently of me," he stopped and stared attempting to read her facial expression which remained neutral. "believe it or not, having you in my life has changed me. i'm not as angry anymore but, you've got to give me time pen, give me time to get it all under control."

due to the proximity between the two johns hand softly brushed against penelopes hips, rubbing his thumb up and down her side, so gently she could barely feel it.

penelope put a hand onto johns chest and messed with the zipper on his jacket, "john i like you just the way you are. i don't want you to change for me, but you've got to be careful."

"i was such an awful person pen. i'd pick fights with random people and drink myself dry. you've really helped me, just by being here."

"well i'm not going anywhere johnny, i promise," she gently pecked his lips before continuing, "as long as you let me in."

"always," he pressed his lips against hers for a longer time this while round. penelope brought a hand up to his face and he pulled back quickly with a flinch.

"shit, sorry," she said sheepishly, "come on let's get you cleaned up, you fucking idiot."