chapter-11

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Hope is watching a pot of simmering dashi broth when the front door opens. The bell on the door is more suited for a shop than a home, but given the kind of foot traffic they get it seems prudent to make sneaking in slightly more difficult.

"I'm home!" Josie calls from the entryway, and something in Hope relaxes. As she was given responsibility to take care of Josie.

"Welcome home!" She shouts back.

Penelope tracks the path of Josie in the apartment by the low thud of her feet.Her shoes come off at the door and her bag is dropped in the living room, but she heads for the bedroom before anything else.

She returns to the kitchen in what she refers to as her lazy wardrobe: a oversized shirt that used to belong to Hope, folded up at the cuffs to her elbows, and a ratty pair of jeans, cut off at the knees to form shorts.

"Hey, Hopey?" Penelope asks, wandering into the kitchen. Hope gasps, jolted out of her reverie. "Sorry, didn't mean to scare you."

"You didn't scare me. I was just off in la-la land," Hope says, smiling. "How's my future cultural studies professor?"

"Sick of Marxists," Hope says, standing behind Penelope and massaging her shoulders. "So boring. Hate them all. All French Marxists should pay me to read their boring crap instead of the other way around."

Penelope chuckled at Hope's reply. She turns around to look into Hope's deep blue eyes and then hugs her.

"Thank you Hopey"

Hope frowns in confusion but doesn't push her friend to tell something, she knows when Penelope will be ready to tell she will be the first to know.

"Hmm...I think you really had a bad day" Hope says while gently massaging Penelope's scalp and kissing her head. Penelope leans into Hope's warmth and relaxes.

"I think you should go and relax in living room I will be bringing some popcorn and we can have a movie night" Hope says kissing Penelope's head. Penelope instead of initiating any move to go, mumbles in Hope's neck

"Hope. The daughter of Mr and Mrs. Saltzman, Josie. She- ahh she knows about our lie. She knows that we are not married. Hope what if she tells her parents and they kick us out. Or the worse, they can charge us for fraud case. This is all because of me. If i haven't done that stupid mistake, we would have not be in this situation. I'm sorry. I'm so so sorry Hope" Penelope nuzzles more deep in Hope's neck. Penelope was really taking it upon herself and was being upset which definitely broke Hope's heart.

Josie and Lizzie were already watching this scene from the kitchen door frame. Josie was feeling something weird like her chest was acheing and she definitely knew why, cause she was seeing Penelope upset.

Before Hope could say anything Josie clears her throat to grab attention of two friends. Both Hope and Penelope looked at door to find the other two standing with genuine smile on their faces.

"Are popcorn ready?"

"Um no actually. Just give me 5 minutes, it will be ready till then, Pen go in living room and relax I will join you" Hope says

Penelope kisses Hope on cheeks and turns to leave untill Josie grabbed her wrist. She stops in her track and turns to face Josie.

"Your secret is safe with us" Josie says smiling to Penelope.

"Wh-what?"

"I said your secret is safe with us. Now happy?"

"...." Penelope didn't said anything she just stood there and she looked at Hope who in return was smiling and nodding her head.

"See I know, I didn't make a good first impression but you should know that I'm not-"

Josie's talking was stopped by sudden launch of Raven hair girl towards her in a tight hug. Josie literally forget how to breath, her heart rate was speeding up like anything.

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you so much" Penelope says while jumping into the hug. Penelope than released Josie from hug and gave a bright smile and ran towards living room like child.

'What the hell just happened. Did she just. The- the, wait a second I again didn't get to ask her name. Aghh'

After Penelope left the kitchen Josie turns to only find her best friend Lizzie and Hope are staring each other with googly eyes. She groans and throws a spoon on Lizzie's face.

"Two of you. It's really fucking sick, that googly eyes. Can't you guys just fuck each other and release this sexual tension"

Lizzie cheeks showed a shade of pink which according to Hope was so beautiful.

"Yeah planning on that" Hope says winking at Lizzie.

"Gross. Didn't need to know that" Josie says leaving kitchen

Lizzie was standing still in shock at what just happened. Hope moved towards Lizzie placing her hands on Lizzie's waist

"So.. what do you think?" When should we start? "

Lizzie wasn't able to speak anything so she does only one thing. She grabs Hope's face and slammed her lips against Hope's soft lips. Hope gasp in Surprise but immediately reciprocate the feeling. The kiss was full of lust and passion.

"HOPE I'M FEELING SLEEPY" Penelope yells from leaving room

Hope breaks the kiss foreheads still touching. Both of them were breathing heavily.

"Wow" Lizzie says

"Yeah. Wow. As much as I love to do this, but I think we should head back or else Pen will kill me"

Lizzie nods and smiles. Hope gave a quick peck on Lizzie's cheek and than starts making popcorns.

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