the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

sixty two

penelope rolled her eyes smiling, "i'm glad that you came."

she shook her coat off her shoulders and went to hang it on a peg on the back of her front door but was swiftly disrupted by a hand spinning her round making her drop her coat onto the floor. she was met by johns presence looming over her, she took a step back making her back hit the door.

"i actually came to ask you a question," he said and her eyes looked up into his, her heart racing at the proximity. one of his arms rested on the door to the side of her head caging her in and his other trailed down her arm and took her hand in his.

"yeah what's wrong?" she asked.

"well, i was just thinking i've not taken you on a second date and that makes me a shitty boyfriend-"

she held a hand up to stop him talking, "no it doesn't-"

"i want to take you out pen. so like i was saying, i was wondering if you'd like to go out with me, like now?" his thumb slowly stroked the back of her hand.

penelope was annoyed that he thought because he hadn't taken her on more dates made him a shitty boyfriend but at the same time she couldn't say no to spending the time with him.

"where are you gonna take me?"
she asked after a minute of silence making johns eyes light up and a smile play on his lips.

"you'll see, but if i were you i'd put on something a little warmer," he bent down to kiss her but she quickly turned her head so his lips hit her cheek instead.

"sorry i don't kiss on second dates," she smirked moving from johns cage and walking into her bedroom but not before turning back to a frustrated john and winking at him.

she changed out of her usual pinafore work attire into some black and white polka dot trousers that came above her belly button with a white turtle neck alongside a scarf and her coat.

•

even though the weather was freezing and on the verge of rain or even a thunderstorm john insisted they walked to the destination. which surprisingly only took ten minutes to arrive at.

it was a place penelope was extremely fond of.

"an ice rink? you're taking me ice skating?" penelope said feeling excitement bubble in her stomach.

"yeah if that's okay of course? we don't have to if you don't want to," john said wrongly assuming her questions meant that she didn't want to go.

"yes! i love skating, oh my god come on john!" she said pulling on johns arm to the entrance of the ice rink. john paid for both entries as part of the 'date package'.

they slid on their skates and penelope was quick to walk to the gate and get onto the ice, instantly adjusting to the new surface and skating slowly as she waited for john. the rink was barely half full, most ordinary people were avoiding the cold but not john and his plans.

he trailed behind her as balanced as he could but he couldn't seem to understand how penelope was so good at walking in the skates, never-mind actually skating in them. he stepped onto the ice and immediately almost fell to the ground and so grabbed onto the side holding onto it for dear life.