Okay I'm going to out this as a warning right now. I do not mean to be offensive about the Christian community. I knew that during the 80's a lot of Christian people were against rock music and punk and all those sort of things. And I also kind of got inspired by the movie Carrie, with the super Christian mother suppressing and mildly abusing her daughter. So anything I put in my fic about Christians and the way my OC's mother acts is not to be offensive. I've gone to church for years before realizing Christianity isn't the religion for me. And so some of things my OC's mother will say are things some of the pastors would say when I asked questions (I was a curious child). If you do get offended, I'm sorry, but I have a set way I want my OC and her mother to be like. So if you want me to change something her mother says or how she acts, I don't really think I'm going to change it. I can try, but it depends on what it is.
...
"Penelope! You get in this car this instance!"
Penelope froze, how was her mom here? Her heart dropped all the way down to her feet, blood turning cold seeing her mother get out of the car. Fear washed over her having been caught. Black eyes flashed over to the cherry redhead who was smirking and laughing at Penelope's angry mom. Anger substituted the fear, she told Melody she wasn't allowed to be out at night. Penelope's mother grabbed hold of Penelope's elbow roughly and yanked her towards her making the short auburn head stumble. Angry words and accusations fell from her mother's lips as a pointer finger was waved and pointed at them. But they didn't get angry, they just chuckled and smirked while holding their hands up in defense. Not before long Penelope was yanked and pulled to the blue rundown Volkswagen bug. Over her shoulder, black eyes peered back at them to still see their wild eyes looking at them with amusement. Melody smirked around a half smoked cigarette before wiggling three fingers at Penelope.
"See you later Penny" she said.
Penelope couldn't even remember how it got to this. She has just been walking around the boardwalk during the day to pass time. Going out at night wasn't allowed by Penelope's mother, but actually a lot of things weren't allowed. Penelope couldn't show too much skin, eat too much sugar, eat too much in general, talk to certain people of certain appearances, wear certain clothes, wear make up, listen to certain music, go out at night, couldn't cut her hair, and much more. Why? Because Penelope's mother said it was a sin, being a very firm believer in the word of God. So that could explain why Penelope was wearing a long light brown cotton skirt with a white long sleeve shirt under a long knitted grey cardigan looking for a Beethoven record at barely one in the afternoon. Not many people were on the boardwalk at this time, it was too hot right now. Penelope wished she could see what the boardwalk looked like at night.
"Hey toots what do you need help with?" A hoarse but feminine voice asked.
Penelope squeaked having not noticed someone approaching her. But now with their presence known to her Penelope started to inch away steadily. The women standing beside her was taller than her, by five inches at least. The record she has been eyeing was slowly lifted up so that it covered the bottom half of her face, chin dipping down so that her auburn hair cloaked her face. Penelope didn't like talking to people, unless it was necessary. It wasn't that she was rude and didn't like people, she was just super shy.
"Oh no I'm fine" Penelope stammered softly.
"Huh? What?" The woman asked leaning in.
Penelope shrunk as the woman leaned into her, voice too soft to be heard.
"I-I'm fine" Penelope whispered from behind the record.
"Listen babe, I can't hear you if your gonna talk like a mouse" the women huffed.
"I'm sorry" Penelope's voice was even softer, face hot with embarrassment.
"Argh okay I give up" the woman huffed before retracting footsteps could be heard.
Penelope's face burned red with embarrassment. She didn't mean to make the woman frustrated or anger her. Socializing wasn't something Penelope was strong in or even knew how to do. Other than talking to her mother or the few people of her church, she didn't speak much. Friends didn't seem to last long with Penelope, they were always weirded out by her restrictions and her mother. After tenth grade Penelope stop trying to make friends.
"Will that be all?" A different woman at the cash register asked.
"Yes just this" Penelope nodded.
The woman glanced up at Penelope just as she slipped the money into the counter. The girl at the cash register was a punk rock goddess. Her long hair was permed so it was wild and teased in long curly cherry red waves. Her bright green eyes were framed with thick black eyeliner and perfect pouty lips a bright purple. She was standing so Penelope could see a red tube top underneath a fishnet long sleeve shirt and a jean sleeveless vest. Her pierced belly button was showing over a long ankle length black skirt with a knee length slit. Black combat boots could be seen underneath the skirt. The girls face was suddenly twisted with a raised eyebrow and pursed lips.
"Do I know you?" The girls asked curiously.
Penelope was taken back. She didn't talk to anyone and didn't know anyone. Nor did she think anyone would recognize her.
"Ahh no I don't think so" Penelope shook her head.
The girl squinted her eyes in thought, studying Penelope's face under an intense gaze.
"What's your name?" She asked still squinting and pursing her lips.
"Penelope" she squeaked, her face feeling hot.
"Penelope, Penelope, Penelope, hmm Penelope" the girl recited as if it would jog her memory.
"Ahh! Penelope! I knew I knew you, it's me! It's me Melody" the girl gasped, slapping a hand in the glass counter.
The slap to the glass made Penelope jump a bit. But that name,Melody, it sounded familiar.
"You know, Melody we were best friends in middle and high school until sophomore year, we jumped Mrs. Finch's fence and gave her dog a heart attack, I used to have really frizzy brown hair" the girl explained, her hands coming alive as she spoke.
Penelope's eyes got wide at the distant memory she had forgotten. Melody, yes, yes she knew who she was now. Melody was her closest friends, or well her only friend, all through middle school up until sophomore year in high school before she moved away. Penelope remembered how they meet. It was fifth grade end of the year performance of Peter Pan. Penelope wanted to be Wendy so bad, but she didn't audition, instead she opted to help make decorations and be one of the trees. She just stood there at the edge of the stage, nearly behind the curtain separating the audience from seeing the other fifth graders about to come on stage. Zack, the boy who got the role of Peter Pan, was supposed to go running on stage followed by the Lost Boys. They had almost all made it on stage when the last Lost Boy suddenly fell and grabbed the back of the Lost Boy's shirt in front of it. They all fell in a domino format, making parents and teachers gasp. Penelope gasped as well, but stopped hearing a stifled giggle next to her. When Penelope turned she saw a girl a bit taller than her with long bushy brown hair falling over her green eyes from the face hole of the tree costume. The girl straightened up, biting her lip, as one leg was stuck out in front of her. The girl looked at Penelope and smirked before bringing a finger to her lip in a 'shush' fashion.
"He stuck gum in my hair, he deserved it" the girl had explained.
Penelope was only wide eyed and in utter shock that she would embarrass him in front of all the teachers and parents as payback. She had thought that the girl next to her playing 'Tree #5' was pure evil. But her opinion changed as the next day came and that same girl who stood next to her in the horrid painted brown tree costumes came and plopped down at the table next to her at lunch. The shy auburn haired girl was surprised as the bushy brunette pulled out her lunchbox without a care and started biting into her peanut butter and jelly sandwich, completely missing Penelope's confused wide eyed look. But finally, green eyes met black.
"You didn't tell anyone what I said yesterday, did you?" the girl asked raising an eyebrow.
Penelope just shook her head, she didn't think to tell anybody why Zack, the boy who fell yesterday, really fell.
"Really? You didn't tattle tell?"
Again just a shake of her head.
"You don't talk much, I like you" the girl grinned at Penelope from across the table.
And that is how they started becoming friends, all because Melody wanted revenge of Zack for getting gum in her untamable hair. At first, Penelope didn't really expect to get so close to the loud brunette, but steadily it happened. First from just sitting at the same lunch tables together, to Melody dragging Penelope to play on the playground, to calling each other over the phone, to going over to each other's houses, and riding bikes and running around the neighborhood. Melody was always the one to come up with ideas to do, no matter how crazy or exhausting it may have been. Those years, Penelope couldn't believe how much trouble she had gotten in from getting caught on the roof, climbing trees, splashing in puddles without a jacket, getting her clothes covered in grass stains and Penelope's mother was overbearing, Melody's mother, Tess, was lenient and relaxed. Penelope could remember staying up until the morning sleeping over at Melody's house. But after Melody moved away and had to go live with her dad in Maine because judges though her dad would take much better care of her, they lost touch. After that, Penelope stayed in inside all the time, she didn't know how to have fun without Melody. No one wanted to talk to her or even try to be here friend, so Penelope didn't try to make any friends for the rest of high school.
"Melody? You're back" Penelope gasped.
"it is you! Ahhhhh" Melody shrieked with a smile.
No time was wasted as Melody practically jumped over the counter to in front of Penelope and the two threw their arms around each other. Penelope didn't care as she laughed and shrieked with happiness swinging side to side and jumping in the hug with Melody. Her best friend was back in town after three years. Any uncomfortableness and embarrassment melted away at the recognition of her best friend. After what seemed like an hour, but was really a few minutes, the two girls separated to look at each other up and down. Melody who had changed completely to Penelope who hadn't changed at all. Looking at Melody closer, she saw a belly button piercing dangling just above the rim of her skirt.
"You're so pretty! Ahhh I can't believe it, I missed you so much" Melody sighed deeply.
"What happened to your dad in Maine?" Penelope asked.
"My dad was a complete asshole and neglectant of me, so when I turned eighteen I left his house and came back just last year" Melody rolled her eyes as the mention of her dad.
Penelope's lips just formed an 'o' at the explanation. Then Melody just squealed again with delight as she jumped once more with a smile.
"I just can't believe it's you, we have to hang out, I get off soon" she said looking at the clock.
Penelope looked as well, she had been out for awhile. Clock read it was nearly six, oh no her curfew. Penelope looked desperately at Melody, she wanted to stay out longer so she catch up and be with her long lost friend, but her mom would be mad if she wasn't home soon. Melody looked at her and saw the torn look in her face, she raised an eyebrow.
"I can't hang out, I have a curfew" Penelope bit her lip.
"What? You're twenty years old and you have a curfew?" Melody seemed like she was going to burst out into laughter, but stopped seeing the serious look Penelope had.
"For real? You're mother hasn't changed from her super Christian conservative ways?" she raised an eyebrow flabbergasted.
"She's just worried, she said bad stuff happens at night on the boardwalk" Penelope looked down, feeling ashamed.
"Come on Penny, it's been three years since I've last seen you, can't you just tell your mom that you're at some old lady's house so we can hang out?" Melody's eyes went wide and glossy in a begging puppy matter.
Penelope bite her lip, she had never lied to her mother about something this big before. She had lied to her mother about small things like getting seconds on cake or eating chocolate before dinner, but not about being somewhere else so she could stay out late. Especially on the boardwalk, her mother really didn't like the boardwalk. But looking again at Melody's begging eyes and pouty purple lip, one little lie to catch up with an old friend couldn't hurt would it?
"Okay, let me just call her" Penelope nodded, feeling a little bit guilty.