Altering My Future | Sherman Peabody x Reader

~°|Chapter Four|°~

"The Petersons! Welcome."

The elevator doors swept open to reveal a gorgeous room where Sherman stood beside his father. Sherman had a confused look on his face before it turned into an expression of shock as he finally noticed me. A wide set smiled beamed across his countenance.

"(Y/n)!" he exclaimed joyfully, blissfully unaware of my sisters presence just yet. I shyly waved my hand as a small tug lifted my lip into a smile.

His expression changed from delight to utter shock in a split moment once he finally spotted Penny standing behind me. Sherman's pupils fled from the expanding whites of his eyes, his mouth flung open in horror as he stared unblinking at my sister. They both glared at each other with deadly stares.

"So, he's literally a dog," mu dad said, eyeing Mr. Peabody with visible judgement in his eyes. My mom lightly hit my dad's chest with the back of her hand.

"Paul!" she whisper-shouted.

"No, that's all right. Although, I prefer 'literate dog.'" Mr.Peabody joked, wiggling his eyebrows playfully. My mother exaggerated a forced and nervous laughed.

"That's funny! Isn't that funny, Paul?" she nudged her husband's arm, urging him to laugh.

He only huffed, keeping his dead stare displayed on his face and his arms crossed over his chest.

"He's not a big laugher." mom informed, shaking her head slightly. My dad continued to hold his famous unimpressed facial expression on his face.

"We're so delighted you could make it on such short notice. Aren't we, Sherman?" Mr.Peabody said, looking towards his son. Sherman just looked at the floor in frustration, his lip inching up into a scowl.

"Aren't we, Sherman?" Mr.Peabody repeated in a more demanding voice, slightly nudging his red-haired son and narrowing his eyes at Sherman.

"Yeah, we're interested in what's going on, that's for sure." Sherman mumbled, sarcasm dripping from his tone. Mr.Peabody, visibly uncomfortable, looked towards my parents and flashed forced a smile.

The tension thickly suspending in the atmosphere was becoming overwhelming for me to handle.

"Say hello to Penny and (Y/n), Sherman." Mr.Peabody encouraged.

"Hi, Penny." he sneered, forcing a small wave and not looking away from the floor.

"Hello, Sherman." Penny sneered back, glaring daggers at him and her upper lip raised in a snarl.

"Hi, (Y/n)." he greeted softly, briefly meeting up to see my eye.

"Hey.." I responded in shy hesitancy, cupping my hands behind my back and kicking the ground slightly.

"Now, why don't you go show (Y/n) and Penny your mineral collection, Sherman? I'm sure they'll find those new geodes of yours fascinating," Mr.Peabody suggested happily. Sherman quietly groaned and rolled his eyes.

The corners of my months dipped down into a droopy frown. I found his attitude slightly hurtful... He wasn't irritated and annoyed at me as well, was he...?

"Come on." he motioned for us to follow him and Penny and I did so.

I promptly followed after Sherman. Penny stayed back a bit and begrudgingly, she huffed and walked after us. She mumbled under her breath on how she wished she weren't here, and I rolled my eyes at her attitude.

*

Penny was sitting on Sherman's yellow desk chair, angrily swiping her swift finger across the screen of her with a scorn morphed on her face. You were awkwardly standing beside Sherman with your hands cupped behind your back as you stared at the carpeted ground. He intently examined his fascinating mineral collection with the same scowl framed on his face.

The silence lingering in the air was awful for you and you needed to know whether or not Sherman was angered at you. A guttural noise up came from your throat and passed your lips as you cleared your throat, swallowing away your nervousness.

Using all courage in your being to speak up, "Hey, Sherman..?" you spoke up in a quiet voice.

He whipped his head to the side to look at you, the eternal scowl of pure hatred never leaving his face. You were taken aback by his demeanor, intimidated by his harsh expression so you shyly and briskly looked back down at your feet.

"Y-you're not mad at me.. are you..?" you dared the question.

His expression softened at your nervousness and he elicited a sigh, his frustration beginning to subside.

"I'm sorry if I come off as that way, (Y/n). I just wish you told me sooner about you being related to that," he hissed and motioned to your wicked twin sister.

"So... you're not mad?" you wondered and looked up to meet his twinkling light brown eyes with glimmering hope.

"Not at all! It's just.. how can an angel like you be related a devil like that?" he asked, exasperated and pointed at Penny who didn't seem to perceive him.

A reddening hue blossomed onto your cheeks and you quickly glanced away, biting your cheek in attempt to hide the smile threatening to break out. Did Sherman really just refer to you as an angel?

"I would've never thought— you two are polar opposites!" he said in astonishment, giggling. You hovered a hand over your mouth as you giggled as well.

The bedroom door to Sherman's room suddenly creaked open, and in came Mr.Peabody with his head peaking into his sons room. He quietly called for Sherman, and in your peripheral vision you saw Penny rotate around in her seat and scoff. Sherman gave you a small smile before scurrying off to his father's needs, leaving you alone.

As the two were talking, you glimpsed over at your arrogant sister. Her back was facing you, and you couldn't help but glare at her even though you were well aware she couldn't see you doing so. This whole thing was her fault; if she would've just minded her own business and left Sherman alone, none of this would have happened. But no, being the self-centered and disrespectful bully that she was, she had to humiliate your new friend. And she still had the audacity to blame him for everything that happened!

Deciding to confront her about it, you mustered the mental strength and sauntered over towards her.

She didn't even need to turn around and she seemed to have noticed your presence approaching her, "What do you want, (Y/n)?" the ill-mannered, blonde-haired girl growled viciously like the ignorant brat that she was.

You puffed out your chest slightly, attempting to be somewhat confident for a change. "You know, you should really apologize to Sherman.. it's not his fault. It's yours and you started this whole thing." you stated with boldness, even though your voice was soft.

Penny lowered her phone, scoffing, then swiveled around in the spinning chair and faced you. One leg was crossed over the other and she glared at you in repulse.

"Excuse me? Are you stupid? Tch. I already know that you are so don't bother responding. Anyway, That's never going to happen. He bit me and didn't even say sorry! Why should I have to apologize?!" she retorted angrily through gritted teeth.

"You started it, Penny." you protested.

"Actually he did in the classroom, dumbo! Now scram, loser! You're a compete waste of my time." without another word, she whirled around in the chair and began scrolling through her social media platforms once again.

A heaved sigh escaped your lips. So much for that, you thought to yourself bitterly. You leisurely ambled over to Sherman's bed. The bed dipped and creaked under your weight as you rested yourself down upon the soft sheets and mattress. You shook your head from side to side. You could never get anything through Penny's thick skull.

Hearing soft footsteps, you looked up only to see Sherman approaching Penny with a hopeful and hesitant facial expression. Penny must have sensed Sherman creeping up behind her because she spoke up, "Don't. Even. think about it."

Sherman huffed out in annoyance, slouching his shoulders. As he sighed out, his bottom lip jutted out and redirected the airflow to strands of red hair falling over his eyes. They breezed upwards slightly before resetting to the side of his face.

'This is going to be a looong night,'