Penny woke up that Saturday morning not feeling very well. Her stomach twisted and turned, with vile rising in her throat once in a while, however, never escaping her stomach. Even though she was still in bed, she laid with eyes wide open and brought her hands to her mouth, to chew the skin off around her fingernails. The only thing that got her out of bed that morning was the fact that she started to bleed.
Once discovering the thick red substance dripping down her finger, she shot out of bed and straight to the bathroom. Turning on the sink and watching the blood fade into a paler shade, it was like she wasn't herself for a second. Her thoughts were filled with other things since the scene was so familiar.
The shower washing away the cuts on her skin, her hands helping helping push the dirty water away. She was careful of the open wounds and bruises. A black towel hung right outside the bathroom.
The sink ran cold water, much like how the sink in her New York bathroom is right now. However, in the past, there was more blood.
And Penny had no cuts on her hands.
She took a second to look at herself in the mirror. Instead of clean, fresh face that she would normally see in the morning. It was a face, with a little splatters and droplets of blood. It wasn't her blood. A black towel rested beside her.
She gasps and covers her mouth. A beat later, her face was how she expected: clean. No more blood ran from her fingers into the sink and a pure white towel rested across a silver ring on the wall.
Once again she feels the stomach pains and the urge to put something to occupy her mouth started again. She resisted the urge, but her mouth still had the urge to do something, anything. Her body decided to grind her teeth. Her legs and hands started to shake uncontrollable. It wasn't a huge, concerning shake, rather it was little and quick movements that could only be seen by a trained eye.
Taken aback by her flashbacks, she splashes the sink water across her face. She wiped the water away from her cuts, careful not to get blood on the towel. Looking through all the drawers, she finally found the boxes of Band-Aids and wrapped it around her finger.
Today, she was going back to the director of the musical, but not to the stage, to the rehearsal space. She was also going to meet some of the cast, particularly her romantic interest. Thinking about it all made her stomach twist worse. First impressions were not an easy thing. This guy has also worked with some real talent on Broadway.
Penny was excited to meet someone with such skill, but nerves overpowered it all.
She decided to stay in the bathroom to put on her makeup and do her hair. She tried to take some deep breaths throughout the process, but did nothing.
Geez, I'm going to have to figure out a better way to help me, she thought to herself as she holds her jaw in pain from clenching too much.
Looking through her closet, she found a very basic New York outfit: light-wash jeans and a chunky gray turtleneck sweater. It was so cold, it could snow any minute. She decided to wear some plain white sneakers, since she decided to walk to the building. It was only fifteen minutes away. She hoped the walk in the cold, city air would sooth her.
She looks at herself in her mother's old mirror. However, the crack distorted her body, not by much, but enough for her to give up on checking her appearance.
The meeting was at eleven, and Penny still had time for breakfast. Walking down the stairs, expecting her to hear, "Want some coffee?"
Instead, she walks downstair to nothing.
That's right, Ms. Birdie is back in San Francisco, she reminded herself. She feels her heart squeeze, missing her only family.
Well, that's not completely true. She has the whole Romano family with her, beside her, whether she realizes it or not. Yesterday, Penny wasn't feeling the love with Daniel Romano. However, he only had the best intentions in mind for her. He just has, and alway will, have a problem with his temper.
She made the coffee herself, not really in the mood to make any food. If she ate, it would sit like rock in her stomach, and it might actually come up and out of her. Black coffee was her best option.
Quentin wasn't around, so it was just her, sitting in silence at the dining room table. She felt quite sad, well more like pathetic. She was sick of feeling alone. Maybe she really did need this job. She needs friends outside outside of the Romano family; and this show will give her the opportunity.
If absolutely no one likes her (which in her mind is an actual and scary possibility), she will have Addison, and she knows Addison likes her.
Penny finished her coffee with a dishearten sigh, placing her mug in the sink to clean when she comes home. She grabs her purse and jacket by the front door. The purse was big enough to hold her normal items (phone, wallet, notebook, mace- for protection in the city- et cetera) as well as a water bottle and some snacks. She wasn't sure how long this meet-and-greet was suppose to last, or if they were providing lunch.
She looked at the clock one more time and left the Penthouse.
She was happy for the thick socks, chunky sweater, and warm jacket she was wearing because it was freezing. The minute she stepped outside, she cursed to herself. She wanted to grab a pair of gloves and a hat, but forgot.
It must be the first-day-of-work nerves, she told herself, remembering that it is not that big of a deal.
She gets to the end of the sidewalk, looks right and left, ran across the street, and started to walk to her destination.
***
She was slightly early to the rehearsal space, but (instead of waiting) she decided it was now or never, and entered the building. She looked at the floor sign, telling her where the show's rehearsal space was located. The cast of Heartbreak had the entire space of floor twelve.
Penny anxiously waited for the elevator to rise to her desired place. She was alone, so nothing stopped her from pacing back and forth. It had mirror, wrapped around the whole thing, right in the middle of the wall. Before it stopped, she turned to look at herself in the mirror.
"You can do this," she told herself, pointing a figure at her reflection. "I believe in you."
That was a hard thing for Penny to say, that she believes in herself. She used to have full confidence of her abilities, and now she needs to have faith in herself again.
The two doors open and she walks down the hallway to the open rehearsal space. It was a large open room with marbled floors, meant to mimic the stage floor. It had a few rectangular windows, placed evenly across the two brick walls. The other walls were painted a light beige color. A simple set was starting to be built for the actors to practice on. That meant five pools were lined in the back. The "front of the stage" was taped off and a table sat and some speakers next to it. This was were the director and other important people were suppose to sit.
And there were.
Diane, Yoora, and another woman she didn't recognize sat around, talking amongst themselves. Unbeknownst to Penny, that woman was the lead costume director and in charge of creating her outfits for the show. Addison worked under this woman.
Quite shy, Penny had to make her presence known, "Hi."
Everyone stop the conversation to turn towards the door, where a tentative young woman stood.
"There she is!" Diane said excitedly, jumping out of her seat to hug the girl. Penny let out a little oh in surprise of the hug. She did return it, having her arms hang loosely around the waist.
Penny gave the director quite a shock the other day. She was terrified she was going to have to find another girl or rely on the understudy. There wasn't anything wrong with that, but after seeing Penny's audition, she knew the girl was perfect for the job. Hearing that she called to confirm a meeting for today basically brought her to her knees to thank God.
Therefore, today, once seeing Penny, she couldn't hold back her joy.
Diane let go of the hug, once realizing that she wasn't one hundred percent comfortable with it. She slid her arms away and placed her hands softly on her upper arms. Looking in her eyes, in a low tone, she said, "I am so happy you are here."
Penny now really surprise, and her features showed it. Her mouth opened and her face contorted into a confused, yet frozen, look. "Really?" She had to ask. She was unfamiliar with directors being this emotional over a lead joining the show. Her previous director was cold and tough, never showing any love to his actors and crew members. Penny was used to that. The friendliness was nice, albeit, a little off putting.
She let go and turned away, silently signaling her to follow. "Of course! You were chosen to be the lead for a reason! If you didn't sign, I would have to go with someone I wasn't truly happy with, no offense to everyone else. Everyone who audition was very talented, but during your monologue from the show, it didn't feel like you were acting. It felt so real, it gave me chills."
"Wow," it was like Penny had no words. "I am extremely flattered. I am sorry for the little scary I gave you and the team. I've been having a difficult time, since I just moved her a month ago after my father passing. I just wanted to make sure that this was the right choice for me."
Penny was really proud of herself right now. She just felt so professional.
"Oh," Yoora said, while pulling out the contracted. It was an empathic sound, meant to show remorse for a man she didn't know. Penny didn't want her pity for her family. She just wants to forget about him. "I am sorry for you father's passing, it must have been difficult." She finally pulled out the contract for her to change. Penny went through it before answering, making sure all her changes were in it.
"Not to be blunt, but not really," Penny said, not wanting to show fake sadness over her father's passing. But she also didn't want to give the real truth. "He was a business man, an owner and CEO of a company. I barely got to see him. Out relationship was basically nothing."
"Oh," was all Diane and Yoora could say. There was some awkward silence as Penny sign her first ever contract for a show.
Once it was done, they pair finally introduced her to the costume director, Rosa Lopez. She was an older Spanish woman, with a mild accent. She wore a pair of thin wire glasses that rested lower on her nose and already had a tape measure wrapped around her neck.
The two greet each other, and the woman started to get to work measuring her whole body. Eventually, Yoora and Diane left to go manage some other part of the crew.
While measuring her waist and hip, she could hear the woman mumble, "You are very skinny! What do you eat all day, leaves?"
Penny was never called skinny. Her father usually addressed her as "fat bitch." Rosa's comment was a nice ego boost, as strange as that sounds. She did loose some weight from earlier in the month, when she did barely eat. However, now she is eating more normally, and she is happy with the types of foods she is eating.
"I think she is just fine, Rosa," A new voice called out. It was certainly male, but not deep and serious like Quentin's. It was light and fun. However, she didn't like how he was looking at her body. She turned her body all the way around to find a young man looking at her. His eyes travel from the top of her head to the bottom of her feet and back up to her face.
"Why don't you take a picture? It will last longer and I don't have to deal with you," she said, in a very sassy tone. She has honestly never said anything that rude on purpose. However, after the way he looked at her body, she didn't care.
"Woah, woah woah!" He says, walking closer to her and putting his hands up, as if to protect himself from her harsh words. "I was just making an observation, no need to get all defensive." She sharply looked on his, putting on a "resting bitch face" to make sure that he knows she isn't putting up with his bullshit.
With him up close, she got a better look at him. He seemed almost as skinny as her. He had a long thin face, and unnaturally blue eyes. On top of his head, his very dirty blond hair was cut short and gelled back, giving him this prep-school kid look. He also had a pretty large nose that jutted away from his face. Penny had to give the man credit though, because he had perfect teeth: a nice white, but not off-putting white, and every tooth perfectly aligned. The man was also tall, maybe a little above six feet. He was wearing a simple pair of jeans, sneakers, shirt, and zip-up sweatshirt. He clearly wasn't dressed to impress. He was dressed for either comfort or moving.
"Corey Patton," he put out his hand, and she didn't accept. "And you are Penelope Marshall, the lead." She did not her head at him, but she wasn't in the mood to talk to him. "Well, we are going to get to know each other really well, because I am the lead's love interest."
He left with a wink, and Penny left thinking how she was going to work with this man.