Chapter 4

Penny came with her friends to the bar where they planned to hang out with the boys. The girls were all dressed in their jeans and sneakers. It was already seven pm.

"I'm so glad that you guys are back." Roma said, while crossing the street.

"Yeah, and the fact that Teddy did well in Math because of our study date was awesome." Jadey said, and squealed. They arrived at the entrance where a person asks you if you're already eighteen and above. The girls said that they were eighteen so they were allowed to enter. They saw the boys sitting on the table and ordered a bucket of beer. But it was only Gordie and Teddy.

"Where's Chris?" Penny asked, as the girls sat with them.

"Probably taking time to get ready." Teddy said, and opened his first bottle.

"Don't worry, Penny. He'll come." Gordie said. After a few minutes, Chris still didn't show up. Penny started to feel like a loner and out of place. She still kept thinking that he will come. Maybe he was just stuck in the traffic. But it was Tuesday and his house was near the bar. He could've just walked if it was traffic. An hour passed, and Penny started to feel impatient. He wasn't really gonna come.

"Aw, Pen. I'm sorry." Jadey said, and sat beside her.

"It's okay. Maybe he's busy or something." Penny said.

"But he planned this all along. He can't just ditch you." Jadey said.

"Yeah, but maybe he has a good explanation for this." Penny said.

"Well, he better have one." Jadey said, and looked around. She suddenly saw Stan enter the bar with his soccer friends. Some of his friends had a girl with them but Stan didn't. "I guess Stan's gonna be the hero this time."

"What?"

"Look, Penny, it's Stan." Jadey said. Penny looked around and saw him laughing with his friends and ordered for a bucket of beer. The two of them caught each other's eyes but Penny quickly looked away. Stan stood up from the table and Jadey noticed that he was coming here. "He's coming. Good luck with him."

"Why so lonely, Penny?" he asked, and sat beside her.

"Chris won't be able to come." She said, and looked at him. He looked hot though. He wore loose and dark jeans and his Adidas jacket, accompanied by his messy hair.

"You want me to accompany you?" he asked, hoping for her to say 'yes'."

"Thanks, Stan. But you probably wanna hang out with your friends instead." She said.

"No, really, it's okay. My friends have their girlfriends with them." Stan said, and held Penny's hands.

"I don't know, Stan." Penny said, awkwardly and pulled her hands away from his and brushed away her bangs.

"Don't worry, Penny. It'll be fine." He said, and handed her a bottle of beer. She opened it quickly and took a sip and so did Stan, and looked up and smiled at him.

"So, Stan, tell me something about you." Penny said.

"Well, as you know, I'm Stanley Van Der Bolt. My mom's Spanish but my dad's American. We used to live in LA when I was little then we moved here when I was thirteen."

"Why'd you move here?" Penny asked.

"Because, my dad didn't like working too much in the city. But after College, we might go back." He said.

"Where are you gonna have College?"

"I'm not really sure, exactly. My dad wanted me to go to Yale but my mom said that she didn't want me to stay in a Dorm."

"What does your dad do for a living?"

"We own the VanBolt Inc."

"Well, my dad owns Connors' Industries. But my mom runs it." Penny said.

"Really? That's great. Where's your dad?"

"He died a few years ago."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"It's okay." Penny said, and placed her hand on his hair and played with it, making Stan turn red.

"Enough about me. How about you, Jamie Penny Dean Connors?" he asked.

"Well, I haven't told this to anyone, but, I was born in Missouri but we moved here when I was three months old." Penny said. Stan was one of the people she told about where she was born. Only Jadey and Roma knew about it. She'd never told it to Chris.

"So, what happened to the Industries?"

"Well, when I was little, my dad always travels and my mom doesn't like him doing that, and when he came home, he told us that he was sick. So, he knew that he had days left so he told us what should we do, now and in the future. He's the reason why Johnny tried out for the team."

"Your dad's…wise. So, who gets the Industries?"

"Well, he wrote it to Roger because he's the favorite but Roger gave it to Johnny because he didn't want it."

"Why didn't he want it?"

"Because he wanted a different future. Like, join Chelsea Football Team."

"Well, me too. But I have no choice because I'm an only child."

"Okay, so, I think we know a lot of stuff about each other." Penny said, and placed her hands on Stan's hair and played with it. "Your hair's so fun to play with."

"Really?" Stan said, laughing. Penny suddenly took hold of Stan's hands and rubbed them with hers. Stan looked at her confusingly and smiled.

"Is it okay for me to do that?" Penny asked.

"Yeah." He said.

"Are you two having fun?" Jadey asked, from behind. Penny looked behind and gave her a don't-disturb-us-look. A few hours passed and it was almost twelve o'clock. Penny and Stan left the bar and they stood facing each other outside.

"I really had a great time, Pen." Stan said, ignoring his friends, who were calling him.

"Me, too. Thanks for telling me stuff. That was fun." Penny said, and looked at Stan's friends behind him. "Well, I guess you better go. Good night, Stan."

"Good night, Penny." He said, and walked to his friends and waved for the last time before they entered the van. Penny met up with Jadey and Roma who were impatiently waiting for her.

"Hey, guys. Let's go." Penny said, as they were about to cross the street again.

"Well, what happened with Stan?" Roma asked.

"Fine. We told a lot of stuff about each other. And, he's the third person I told where I was born." Penny said.

"You told him about the Missouri thingy?" Jadey asked, surprised.

"Yeah, but, come on, guys, it's not a big deal. It's just Missouri." Penny said.

"Yeah, but, the fact that your own boyfriend doesn't know that." Roma said.

"Well, he's just my boyfriend, not my husband, so what's the big deal?" Penny said, almost getting irritated.

"Nothing. So, you're saying that he's just your boyfriend. That's very different of you, Penny." Jadey said.

"Well, I hope you and Chris would still stay strong." Roma said.

"Yeah, me too." Penny said, hoping for it.

*---*

Chris arrived to school, looking nervous and had a couple of bruises on his upper arm and on his back, but was covered by his black buttoned up shirt. He quickly approached Gordie, who was preparing his stuff for class.

"Hey, Gordie." He said, and leaned beside his locker.

"What happened to you, Chris?" Gordie asked, a bit irritated.

"Sorry, I couldn't come. I had to deal with my old man." Chris explained, referring to his dad.

"Well, it's okay." Gordie said, and looked behind Chris and saw Penny arriving to school. "And don't explain to me, explain to your girlfriend."

"Is she mad?" Chris asked.

"No, she's not. She just got upset and felt all alone the whole time." Gordie said, emphasizing his words.

"Then why didn't you guys try to talk to her or something?" Chris said, almost mad.

"Because we're supposed to be triple dating! And don't worry, good thing her friends are there for her."

"Well, I'm sorry. And don't blame me, blame my dad."

"It's alright, man. Just talk to Penny." Gordie said. And Chris left to Penny's locker. She was taking out her stuff and fixing her hair.

"Hey, Penny." Chris said, and stood by her locker.

"Good morning, Chris." Penny said, not even looking at him.

"Listen, Penny, I'm sorry I wasn't able to come last night, I had to deal with my dad." He explained. Penny faced him, and she was in cargo pants, and a black zip up shirt.

"It's okay, Chris. I understand." She said, a bit convinced of his reason.

"Listen, I'll try to make up for it." he said.

"How?"

"Well, after school, come with me." He said, as soon as the bell rang. Penny just nodded and he winked at her as he left for class. After class, Penny had to consult her friends on what to do. She approached Jadey and Roma who just got food and reserved a table for all of them, including the boys.

"Do you think it's a good reason?" Penny asked Jadey.

"Well, it depends if he's telling the truth." Jadey said, and wiped the edge of her lips.

"Well, I haven't seen any proof of it yet."

"Then ask him to show you." Roma suggested.

"Yeah, right. I'll do it in Chemistry or when he makes up for it."

"What are you guys gonna do?" Jadey asked.

"I don't know. He just said to meet up with him after school and he'll make up for our date." Penny said.

"Good luck with that. And, change the topic. The boys are coming." Jadey said, and gulped from her sandwich.

*---*

After school, Penny packed all her stuff and looked for Chris. It was hard to find him because he didn't attend Chemistry class, where he was her new lab partner. She saw him by the parking lot, waiting for her.

"Hi, Chris." She said, and approached him.

"You made it. Come with me." Chris said, and pulled her hand going somewhere. He brought her near an industrial corner where nobody could see you. And Chris slowly pushed Penny on the wall, and kissed her. It was his plan all along to make out with Penny, but as soon it took longer, he didn't feel it. Penny kissed him back but he was quicker than her. Something suddenly popped into Chris's mind. And it was something nobody could expect he would do.

"Penny, I have to tell you something." Chris said, his arms around his waist, his head tilted down.

"What is it?" Penny asked, insisting to kiss him again. "You're ruining the mood with all the talking."

"Penny, I need to break up with you." Chris said.

"What? Why? Chris, don't." Penny said, and pulled his arm back. "Why would you do that?"

"Because, I don't think this is right." Chris said, and walked away.

"Is it because of last night? Chris, I understand what happened and I'm not-"

"It's not that, Penny. I just don't feel you anymore." He said, and walked faster and left her. Penny stood still on the corner, her face blank. She asked herself, why would Chris break up with her? It was something she couldn't understand about him for the past two years when they've been dating. Things are just too complicated right now, and no one could explain.

*---*