COC #10: Side Characters
Micah is finally ready to break up with Penny, but she never lets him get a word in.
~ Okay, so I'm super happy with how this one turned out. I think I wrote Penny pretty accurately, but I'm not sure. Also, I'm a dumbass and forgot to post yesterday because I've been super busy, so there'll be two posts today. Enjoy! ~
I smooth my shirt out one more time, sitting in front of my computer, checking the time on my watch. 5:30 pm. Penny was supposed to Skype me half an hour. But I'm staring at a blank screen on my computer, waiting mindlessly for my girlfriend but not really girlfriend to Skype. Have I lost my mind? I don't think I'm ready for the talk that's about to come- maybe I'm never really ready to talk to Penelope Bunce. Who really ever is? I know she's my 'girlfriend', but honestly, I feel like we haven't really talked since she was in fifth year. She's always off doing her own thing. At first I missed her, but now... I don't know, I guess I'm used to it. It's not like she quit on us cold turkey- it was more of a gradual thing, honestly.
I decide to get over myself and I call her on Skype. She answers on the third ring, much to my surprise. All of a sudden, it's like the room has gotten stuffier. "Micah! Oh Crowley, I completely forgot about our Skype call!" Crowley. I'd forgotten how cute her British words are.
"It's okay, Pen..." I start, but I slowly get quieter as she continues on over me.
"I was out with Simon and Agatha! We were out following Baz, because Simon is paranoid as always," She rolls her eyes. Her curls bounce up and down as she talks animatedly. "Merlin, when I got back, I was so tired that I laid down for a bloody quick nap- I guess I just spaced. I'm so sorry, love." I just nod, letting her talk. I don't listen to her much anymore. It makes me feel kind of bad, but honestly, I'm tired of excuses. Tired of hearing about Simon.
"It's alright. So was Baz up to anything?" She rolls her eyes again. She seems tired, lately. Whenever we Skype I feel like I'm taking up too much of her time. Kind of like I'm just another thing on her list of things to do to cross out. It's not enjoyable anymore.
"No, as usual. He just wandered down to the catacombs again,"
I try to provide some input. "Maybe he goes down there to eat, or-"
"You know, I bloody bet he goes down there to eat. Simon thinks I don't listen to his vampire theories, but I do. Every one of them. And Aleistar Crowley, I think maybe he's got a point. Not that I'd ever tell him that. No need to spur along his obsession with Baz." She's going a mile a minute and I can barely keep up. Penelope Bunce... she's really something.
"Penny, maybe Simon and Baz like each-" She interrupts me again.
"No, no I think not. Baz is evil. Simon is a hero. That could never happen! Oh Nicks and Slicks, did I ever tell you about the other week when Simon and Baz got into a huge fight about..." She continues on, but she might as well be talking to a wall. I zone in and out, waiting for her to pause so I can interject. But I can't even get a word in when she's like this. I run my fingers through my hair and take in a deep breath.
More confidently than I have been prior to this moment, I cut her off in the middle of a sentence. Forcefully but not unkindly. "Penny, we need to talk,"
"Isn't that what we've been doing?" She scrunches her eyebrows. No, I want to tell her. I haven't said hardly a word. You've been talking.
"Pen, this long distance thing... it's hard." I start. I have more to say, but she overlaps me for the millionth time in just the past ten minutes.
Her face immediately softens. "Micah, I know... I know." Do you, Penny? Do you really know what it's like to be the boyfriend of a tornado? "But, well, Micah, I love you-"
"I love you, too." I reassure her.
"And love can fix everything, yeah?" She pauses for a moment, looking me in the eyes with her own round brown ones. I just shrug. "I know this is hard. I wish we could talk more- I do, love. I really do. I've just been so busy lately with the Humdrum and everything," Fuck the Humdrum, I want to say. What about us?
Instead I say, "I just don't know if I can do it for much longer. I feel so separate from you-"
"I do, too! We need to Skype more," A plow. Penelope Bunce is a plow, running over everything and everyone in her path. Not letting anyone get a word in.
"Well, yeah, I guess, but that's not it..." I trail off softly.
She waves me off and smiles her trademark Penny smile. My heart melts, just a little. "Micah, we don't have very long to go until we can be together in person again! Just the rest of this year and Uni. And then we can figure out you moving here, and-"
"Penny, what if I don't want to move out to England?" I like it here in America. In my home. She waves that off, too.
"Oh, pish posh. Who wouldn't want to live in England?" Me. She cocks her head at me.
"I really think that maybe we should take a break." I'm barely keeping my voice from wavering. Penelope is so intimidating that it's hard not to stutter. She looks like she's about to say something, but then her door opens and she whips her head up, immediately to attention.
I hear a frail, light voice coming from her room. "Penny, Simon needs your help with..." I don't hear the rest of the sentence, but Penny seems ready to jump up and go help. She gives one short nod and tells the girl (Agatha, I'd assume) she'll be right there.
"Listen, Micah, we can talk about this later, I promise. I just... I have to go." Always a mile a minute, that girl. Before I can even say goodbye, she's signed off, and once again, I'm staring at my computer screen, wondering how the hell we're going to make this work. I'm a stable guy, and Penny is... well, she's Penny. Unpredictable. Always looking for some new adventure. (Ten bucks she doesn't end up calling me back until next month. 'I just forgot- I've been so busy', she'll say.)
Penelope Bunce has always been a force of nature.
The thing is, I've never considered myself to be much of a storm chaser.