Eloise: Are you okay? We heard everything.
Penelope: Nothing ever changes Eloise. I need a few days. I'll be back on Friday with Sophie. Please enjoy LA with Phillip, send everyone my apologises, I love you.
Eloise: I love you too.
Penelope sat in Josh's Porsche and told him to meet her at her apartment. She knew Sophie was working, so she could be alone with him. She walked up the stairs, and there he stood with flowers, and the brightest smile. Her heart sank, why couldn't she feel everything she felt every time she looked at Colin? She kissed him, and fell into his arms, she snuggled into his arms and broke down. He immediately took her keys and pulled her into the door. They walked to the sofa, and he was still holding her.
"Fuck, Babe. What's wrong?"
He seemed broken. He grabbed her cheeks and searched her eyes for answers. She just couldn't stop sobbing. She hadn't cried properly since leaving London, and it seemed in that very moment everything came rushing back. Being around the Bridgerton's, and being around Colin, made her see how much she missed them all. Especially Colin, just being around him... always made her feel at home. They had always been the best of friends, it made no sense how they were with each other all these years, and then she had finally realised all these stolen glances, flirtations, and comforts were more than friendly. Both just couldn't admit it. Was it partly her fault for not speaking up? Was she also a coward?
"Penelope talk to me."
He tried to lean in to kiss her.
She pulled back and placed a hand on his neck, and he placed his forehead on hers.
"It's over, isn't it?"
He said quietly while closing his eyes.
Penelope sobbed again and nodded.
Josh didn't say anything. He stood up, kissed her forehead, and walked towards the door. She watched him close the door and she broke down even more. She knew deep down she couldn't be with him while her heart belonged to someone else. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to move on. She wasn't sure she'd ever be able to successfully reclaim her heart from him, he had it forever. Maybe she was destined to be single forever, pining after someone who didn't love her the same. Because if he did love her, there wouldn't be a conversation needed to be had, there wouldn't be a Marina, and there wouldn't be heartbreak.
Sophie arrived at the apartment around twenty minutes later.
There she saw her friend, on the floor, heartbroken. She didn't even need to ask, she already knew. She wrapped both arms around her, and just let her lose herself in tears. She needed to get it all out, she needed to grieve.
Back at the villa, Colin sat in the foyer at the bottom of the stair's as he tried to gather his thoughts for just a moment as he watched Penelope jump into her boyfriend's car and drive off.
Eloise came up behind him and crossed her arms.
"You need to grow a pair of balls Colin; we all see how much you love her. You always fucking have. We can't all sit back and watch you wreck your life with that thing upstairs."
She tried to seem sympathetic, but she knew he'd probably get his back up. Daphne immediately sat down next to him, and placed a hand on his knee, and another around his arms.
"Sometimes I think you're scared to let her in. I think you've been running for so long; you don't know how to stop. You're going to lose her Colin. Please wake up."
Colin dropped his head in hands. His sister's were completely right. He raised his head and saw Benedict leaning against the door frame, motioning him to get upstairs. He knew without him even saying a word, he had to end it with Marina, he had to fight for Penelope.
He walked into his room and saw Marina packing her bags angrily. She had obviously heard everything too.
"Marina."
She stood ripping out the drawers throwing stuff into her suitcase that was laid open on the bed.
"I'm going back to London. Whatever this is... is done. You are nothing but a boy living in a fantasy. You need to wake up Colin."
Colin looked at Marina and she was completely right.
"I've always loved her."
Marina stopped for a moment, something in her stance changed.
"I know."
She zipped up her suitcase and placed the engagement ring into his hands. She made her way out to the Uber that was awaiting outside. He chased her down the stairs,
"Why did you stay?"
He said breathlessly at the door before she could close it.
"If I'm honest, I wanted the life of luxury, I wanted it all. I'm just sure now looking back... I never really wanted you."
Colin stood with his mouth dropped to the floor. He didn't feel heartbreak, he just felt shocked at how devastatingly honest Marina was being right now. His mind was doing flashbacks to every time he touched her, everything... was meaningless. The way they'd snuggle on the couch, and he'd watch television, his phone would always be in the other hand texting Pen. Whenever he'd come home and see her, his heart dropped. He realised he felt guilty, even when he proposed... he wasn't happy when she said yes. It was all clicking into place.
He ran down the stairs and got his jacket on.
"Colin where are you going?"
Colin stood in front of his siblings, and they all looked incredibly worried.
"I'm going to get my girl; I'm going to get Penelope."
Benedict strode over towards him and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"No."
Colin jumped at his brother's order.
"What? You can't possibly think I'm not going to tell her."
Benedict grew increasingly impatient.
"Someone help me out here."
Benedict said with slight annoyance.
"Colin, she needs a few days. She'll be back on Friday. You, brother, must sit and think about what you truly want. You must sit and think about what you are going to tell her when she comes back. You can't go down there without thinking, she deserves so much more than that."
Daphne said while placing a hand on her older brother's cheek. Colin knew she was right. Even though Daphne was younger, she was so much wiser than Colin. He knew that.
On the other hand, Penelope had eventually stopped crying and told Sophie everything. She couldn't be any more supportive. Penelope was so grateful she had her.
"I've gave him so many chances to tell me how he feels Soph, I can't do it anymore."
She snuggled into Sophies arms and Sophie stroked her hair.
"Hey, listen..."
Sophie said while sitting up and turning around to face Penelope.
"If he doesn't fight for you. You must let him go. We don't need to go Friday."
Sophie said while wiping the tears from her dear friend's eyes.
"No, no. We'll go, just keep him away from me."
That night, Penelope looked at her phone. She knew she'd be sitting by the phone all night holding on to some resemblance of hope. She'd be running through every scenario thinking about why he let her go, why he let her leave. He gave her a million reasons to run away, but she only needed that one to stay in his arms, and he couldn't give it too her. He should have said anything, done anything yet again, he didn't.
Colin sat with an open message to Penelope. He must have typed paragraphs after paragraphs, only to end up deleting every word. He fell asleep holding on to the phone, holding on to Penelope, holding on the fact that he would see her in two days.
The next morning Penelope awoke, and Sophie told her that she had scheduled a meeting with the book designer to keep her busy. Penelope smiled and practically leapt into her arms, she needed a distraction, and this was perfect.
She sat in the meeting for most of the morning, and afternoon. They brainstormed what the book should look like, feel like, and what it should overall say. In Love & Alone, was set to debut in a few months and Penelope was petrified. Not only because it was about her own personal experiences, but it was mainly about her love for Colin. It was obvious through the main protagonists. They had finally decided on a blue cover, with rose petals falling and the title framed slightly off to the left. It was simple, perfect, elegant. It was everything Penelope had dreamed of; they even finally picked a quote to simply scroll along the bottom...
"Love is the loneliest place to fall alone."
The publishers decided they would post to social media tomorrow and see if they could gain traction for the release date in a few months. They decided with a late autumn release, it was perfect, as the release date fell around Penelope's birthday.
Post by DanburyPublications
Tagged @PenelopeFeatherington02
New Author, New Book, New Outlook.
Release Date, October 21st.
Get ready to dive into love, get ready to dive in daydreams.
"Love is the loneliest place to fall alone."
#newbook #fallrelease #publishersdream
Eloise barged into the kitchen holding her phone.
"Has everyone saw it?"
Eloise scanned the room for Colin, she spotted him outside in the pool.
"Has he saw it?"
Simon shook his head while looking at Benedict.
Daphne and Francesca were holding each other for support.
Elosie had a tear forming in her eye, and Phillip wrapped both arms around her.
Everyone stood for around an hour trying to come up with some type of solution. They knew when Colin saw the post, he'd break. They had finally just got him out of his room, and well everyone saw how broken he was.
"Where's his phone?"
Francesca asked, while Colin walked in holding it.
"Is this her book?"
He quizzed while holding up the phone towards his siblings, and they all nodded.
"FUCK."
He dried his hair with his towel and sank into the bar stool in the kitchen.
Colin: Please come back.
Colin: Talk to me.
Colin: Marinas gone.
Missed Call Colin (3)
Colin: Please.
Penelope watched her phone blow up. She couldn't answer him, had he saw the post of the book and put it all together? Why had Marina left?
Elosie calling
"Hi."
Penelope said quietly as she sat in the far corner of the office.
"Are you still coming tomorrow?"
Penelope sat quiet for a moment.
"Of course. Sophie's excited to meet you."
Eloise sat quiet at the other end of the phone. She was unsure why Penelope was acting as if nothing happened.
"We saw your book post, congratulations. We are all so proud of you."
Penelope sniffled.
"Penelope, please. Don't do this. Don't shut off."
Elosie pleaded.
"I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"
She said while holding back the tears.
"Okay, I love you."
Penelope sniffled once more.
"Love you."
Penelope didn't tell her that she had broke up with Josh. But it was pretty obvious as they all followed him on Instagram, and he had removed every picture of Penelope from his Instagram feed. He had also posted a story with some girl grinding on his lap. Penelope couldn't be mad. They weren't together anymore, and well, she had no right to have any feelings towards it.
That night Sophie surprised Penelope with a movie night. They decided that pizzas, and the breakfast club would be a perfect night before the madness of the Bridgerton's. Who couldn't solve heartbreak without pizza and Judd Nelson?
"Penelope... I've got a confession."
Penelope sat up straight and looked at Sophie.
"Omg! Tell me!!"
She laughed while mozzarella was hanging from her mouth.
"Benedict and I have been messaging for a few weeks."
Penelope's mouth dropped at her friend's revelation.
"I fucking knew it."
Penelope laughed.
"Ben's a great guy Soph, honestly, he's the best."
Sophie dropped her head and looked sad for a moment.
"I'm starting you know, to like him and it scares the fuck outta me."
Penelope scooched closer to her friend on the bed.
"Don't do a Penelope."
They both looked serious for a moment before they both broke out in fits of giggles.
Penelope knew in that moment; this weekend would be fine.
She would get through it.
She would be fine.
(if she said it enough times, she thought she could believe it).