Penny watched as she and her family drove away from the dojo. A sense of clarity surrounding her, like she was seeing everything for the first time. She drowned out her parents talking as she thought about her decision to stick with karate. She was happy she stuck with it, unlike she had in the past with the other activities. Her friends had dropped out and gone to the other karate school and had a feeling that they would drop out of it since they lost the tournament. Penny found herself a bit annoyed with her friends. They didn't even study for the tournament and did poorly. Whereas she studied and won. Her thoughts drifted to her friends. LaCienega, Zoey and Dijonay. Lately she felt troubled. It seemed that the more she was with them, the more trouble she was getting in. And she was getting tired of it.
"Everything okay baby? You've been awfully quiet." Trudy's voice rang out.
"I'm okay mama, just thinking, I guess."
Penny glanced back out the widow, missing the concerned look on her parents faces.

Penny showered and now that she was dressed, she sat on her bed thinking to herself. Her friends had been part of the main reason why she had gotten in trouble in the past. Like the sleepover she had and then the rumors spread about her and Myron. The more she thought about it, the more she realized her friends haven't exactly been the 'best' as she thought. Penny felt her heart starting to crack a bit. Did this mean they weren't her friends at all?
"Penny?" Her mama's voice rang out.
"Yes mama?"
"Dinner's ready baby."
"I'll be out soon." Penny mumbled as she forced herself off the bed, feeling very worn out.
Trudy opened the door,
"Penny? Is everything okay?"
Penny looked at her mother and felt herself debating on whether or not she should tell her. She felt like she was betraying her friends, but really, were they even her friends? After what they got her into when she tried to be good. Penny looked at her mama and exhaled, "I'm not sure mama. I'm…just confused."
"About what baby?" Trudy sat down on the bed next to Penny.
"About my friends."
"What about your friends?"
"I just…don't know how to explain it. Most of the times I don't go looking for trouble. I usually get in trouble because I let myself be talked into things by my girlfriends."
"How so?" Trudy asked.
"Like the time we went to wild wild world. I was prepared to just have fun with them, but all they wanted was to scope out looking for boys. I didn't want to be with a boy that day, and look what happened. I ended up spending the day with Carlos."
Penny finished ranting and put her head in her hands. Like a huge weight was off her shoulders, she felt she could breathe better. Trudy was shocked to hear this, especially from Penny. She never knew what really happened that day at Wild Wild World and now that she was hearing it, she realized that she and Oscar didn't know everything that happened.
"Penny, has this sort of thing happened a lot?"
Penny nodded, "It has and now I feel like a loser for not realizing it sooner."
"About what?"
"That may be my friends aren't exactly the best people to hang around with."
Trudy could see a lone tear sliding down her face and immediately pulled her into a hug. Penny nuzzled her head into her mama's chest. Trudy ran her fingers through her ponytails.
"Penny, baby, it's okay. I understand now that you try to not get into trouble, but you also need to understand something honey: you need to learn to think for yourself and not give into peer pressure. It's hard but sometimes, friends do grow apart based upon what they are interested in doing. If you're not interested in the things they are doing than don't allow yourself to be caught up with their actions. Remember Penny, you are your own person and you make decisions for yourself."
"I'll try to remember that mama." Penny said softly.
"Now, let's go downstairs and eat, your father's made spaghetti tonight."
Penny smiled slightly and followed her mom downstairs.

Dinner was quiet. Penny had gone back upstairs and sat on her bed thinking. She knew that if her friends found out now they would be chewing her out and probably calling her a miss goody good two shoes. But really, Penny was finding herself not caring about what they might say. A knock on the door startled her,
"Penny, can I come in?" Her daddy.
"Sure." She mumbled.
Oscar proud opened the door and frowned in concern as he saw Penny staring at the floor.
"Baby girl, are you alright?"
"Mama asked you to talk with me." Penny said flatly.
"Well that and I noticed you've been quiet since we left the karate school." Oscar said bluntly.
Penny sighed, she should've known her daddy would have caught her sooner or later.
"I've just been thinking and I'm not sure now how to handle what I've found out."
"Found out about what?" Oscar sat down on the bed next to her.
"If my friends are really my friends at all."
Oscar raised an eyebrow, "Why are you thinking about that?"
"Because since I decided to stick with karate, I know that they are gonna drop out due to losing the tournament. I've realized now that whenever I'm with them, I get into trouble more. Like that time at Wild Wild World."
"What do you mean what happened at Wild Wild World? Are you talking about when you spent the day with that boy Carlos?"
"Yes. I was prepared to spend the day with just 'us' girls. But then they started talking to the boys they wanted to spend the day with. I was afraid of being left out and whatnot that I didn't realize that the more I was with them, the more I was setting myself up for getting in trouble."
Oscar was looking at Penny, as if he was seeing her for the first time. Penny hadn't meant to spend the day with a boy. Oscar felt a bit guilty that he had grounded her without getting the full complete story.
"Baby girl, I'm sorry."
"For what Daddy?" Penny asked.
"I should've gotten the whole story from you instead of jumping to conclusions. And there is another reason why I'm so over-protective with you. Especially with the boys and I think you deserve to know now."
"Know what?" Penny asked, seeing her daddy in a subdued mood now.
Oscar took a deep breath, "Penny, the reason why I'm so over-protective is because of what happened to my sister. Taylor."
"I have an aunt?"
"Not anymore. Baby girl…it's hard for me to talk about this."
"Daddy, you don't have to say anything if you don't want to." Penny protested, seeing how upset he was getting.
"No Penny, it's time you know the truth. I just didn't expect for us to be having this talk already."
Penny grabbed her Daddy's hands and he held them lightly. Lost in the memories of what he was about to say.
"Taylor was my older sister. Before Bobby and me. The both of us, well, we were very close. We did everything together. It was one of the few times the family was, well a family. It all stopped when she started dating this one boy though. His name was Derrick. Since she started dating him she began to do things we never thought she would do. She started smoking. She started drinking underage. And she stopped hanging around with me and Bobby. We fought all the time. And then one day…things got really bad…" Oscar trailed off and a tear ran down his face.
Penny was shocked. She had never seen her Daddy cry.
"Daddy…what happened to Aunt Taylor?"
Oscar turned to Penny, "She went out on a date with Derrick one night…and never came back."
"What do you mean?"
"She never came home, and the police found her. Dead. In the river. He killed her."
Penny felt her mouth drop open as she heard this.
"I was never the same again. The whole situation is what drove me into becoming a bully when I was your age. It wasn't until I got older did I see what was wrong with me. But it was also because of you baby girl."
"Me?" Penny asked.
"As you grew up, you look and act so much like Taylor that it's like I'm staring at her twin. I know you're not Taylor, but I made a vow to myself. If I were to ever have a daughter, I would make sure that I raise her right and keep her safe. Especially from the boys."
"Boys who were like Derrick?" Penny asked.
Oscar nodded his head, wiping his eyes. He then pulled out a picture from his pants pocket and handed it to Penny. Penny could only stare at the photo. Her Daddy was right. Taylor looked like a carbon copy of Penny. The face and everything screamed at Penny that she resembled her aunt greatly. Penny looked to her Daddy and he looked right back. Penny put the photo on the bed and sprung forward, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Oscar was shocked at the sudden action, but he hugged Penny tightly.
"I'm sorry Daddy."
"And I'm sorry too Penny, for not telling you the truth right away."
"I understand why Daddy." Penny said as she nuzzled into his neck.
Oscar just held onto her tightly. Penny made a silent vow. That she would do her best to be a good girl and not give into peer pressure likes he had in the past. To this day forward, Penny Proud was going to grow up and be the woman that she knew she was capable of being.