HOLY MACKERAL! I'm so sorry for the long wait! I started school and got a new job so life has kept me busy! I'm so excited where this story is going, ideas are just rushing out of me, and I can't wait for you guys to read it! You all are so sweet and your reviews just keep me going! I appreciate you all, and I hope you're all staying safe!

Thank you so much to:

TheGoofyCat: Wow! Your review was so sweet, and just brought a smile to my face! Honestly, I'm an Ace girl too. I love that blonde man. I for sure would love to write a fic for him one day.

mmc05: You're so kind! Thank you so much for being patient. 3

Izout: Hahaha, I'm such a slowburn person that I'm trying to make the build up make sense for the characters. Thank you so much for your review! ;)

Lola Vegas: Thank you so much for your review! :) I appreciate it so much!

Guest: Thank you so much! I wish I had a name to thank you with!

I own nothing.

"High school isn't a very important place. When you're going you think it's a big deal, but when it's over nobody really thinks it was great unless they're beered up."

― Stephen King, Carrie

"I really don't want to be alone right now," Connie sniffled over the phone for probably the twentieth time Sunday night. "The thought of seeing he-who-must-not-be-named at school makes me sick."

Sitting on her kitchen countertop eating handfuls from a cereal box, Penelope nodded despite Connie not being able to see her do so and observed Ms. Summers with her hair full of rollers frantically flipping furniture over searching for her favorite purse.

"Did you look under the couch?" Penelope mouthed over Connie's talking. Ms. Summer's mouthed formed an o, and she rushed to the living room with Penelope shaking her head. Whoever her mother was seeing tonight was not worth the panic but pointing that out would bring another lecture on the importance of being openminded for life's many adventures or some bullshit.

Had her mother once been so hysterical yet excited to see her father? She quickly dismissed the unwelcome question. After her father abandoned them, in Penelope's eyes he was just another nameless failure in Ms. Summer's game of love. Besides, even mentioning him would spring tears to her mother's eyes. In fact, after he left them, the two women changed their last names back to the mother's maiden name. Yet, sometimes Penelope yearned to discuss the man who caused her mother to hurtle herself headfirst in a cycle of heartbreak, but like the house repairs the subject remained untouched.

"Ok, I'm sure my mom won't mind, she has a date tonight," Penelope mumbled through a mouth of dry cereal.

"You're eating at a time like this?" Connie's annoyance practically jumped through the phone and choked her.

"It's dinner time!" Penelope defended as her mother sporting a proud grin came strolling in the kitchen with the prized purse in hand. "One sec, Connie."

Her mother dramatically twirled, showing off the flouncy skirt of her blue floral dress. "How do I look, bumblebee?"

Her daughter, feeling like a toad compared to her regal mother, smiled. "You look really pretty, Mom. Could I go to Connie's house and spend the night?"

Her question seemed to go right over her mother's head as the woman hummed and began removing the rollers from her hair. "That's nice, dumplin'. Mommy is going to be spending time with her special friend, so you don't have to wait up for me tonight."

The teen rolled her eyes when headlights flashed through the kitchen window.

"I'm not done yet!" Ms. Summers gasped and ran to her bedroom. Penelope quickly padded to the front door while her mother's date knocked. The middle-aged man that stood patiently on the porch with a bouquet of roses in his hand immediately had her wanting to slam the door in his face. His perfectly tailored, charcoal gray suit screamed wealth and importance at the teen. His black hair streaked with silver accentuated the smoothness of his tanned skin. Damnit, he was a knockout, no wonder her mother latched onto him.

"Oh, uh, do I have the right house? I'm looking for Elaine Summers," Surprise filled his pleasant tenor voice and crystal blue eyes.

"She'll be ready soon." Her voice clipped. "Are you Paul?"

"No."

"Mark?"

". . .No."

"Oh, so you're Michael then?"

"Nope."

"Why are you making me guess then?"

". . . I'm Warren." Penelope winced as his smiled faltered. To his credit, he recovered quickly and stretched his hand out for her to shake. "And you are . . .?"

Penelope halfheartedly shook his hand. "I'm Penelope, her daughter."

"Daughter?" The surprised reappeared. "She didn't tell me she had a daughter."

Holy cheese, this is a train wreck.

Thankfully right then, Penelope's mother strolled to the door. Her long brunette curls bounced beautifully on her shoulders as she glided to the porch. "Warren," she greeted, voice like a delicate bell. Confusion still on his face, he handed the roses to the woman. She cooed her thanks, but Warren's eyes bounced back and forth from Penelope and Ms. Summers.

"I just had the honor of meeting your daughter, Elaine," Warren's kind smile remained frozen on his face as he gestured to the teen. Ms. Summers glanced at an imaginary watch on her wrist, a tell she was nervous. She quickly shoved the flowers into Penelope's hands.

"Bumblebee, why don't you go put these in some water, thanks," Her mother dismissed her. Penelope scurried into the house. They didn't own a vase, so Penelope filled the sink and tossed the roses in before hurrying to the door and pressing her ear against the wood.

"I don't have to tell you anything I don't want you to know," Her mother's flustered voice whispered.

Warren was quick to respond. "That's true. It just makes me sad that I didn't know such an important piece of your life, Ellie. I want you to feel comfortable enough to trust me."

"Let's not argue over pointless things, snuggle bear."

Penelope's spirit plummeted. Her mother's callousness over the subject of her existence distracted from the awful pet name.

"I don't think you mentioning you have a daughter is pointless, but we don't have to discuss this right now if you're not comfortable. I reserved us a spot at . . .."

Their footsteps faded away as Penelope sat on the floor, feeling the oh so familiar crushing emptiness. Connie's voice emitted from the phone. Numbly, Penelope stood and placed the phone to her ear.

"My mom said it's ok. Can you come pick me up?"

Two hours later, the girls sat on Connie's pink bedspread with a bowl of popcorn and various candies. Mrs. Palermo brought them glasses of milk, and once the door shut behind her, Connie began laying out the dirt.

"He drove me in my car to his house after the party," she recounted last night's events. "He talked about how sorry he was, that Tina came onto him, and he didn't realize how much he cared about me until I was gone."

"You were only broken up for a few hours," Penelope pointed out. Connie nodded sadly and grabbed a large handful of popcorn.

"I didn't say anything to him. Looking at him hurt, and I don't trust he actually cares about me," Connie sniffled and crammed the food into her mouth.

"He doesn't deserve you." Penelope's words only caused more tears to flow from her friend's eyes.

She swallowed and continued. "His little brother Vern was super sweet though when we got to his house. He let me sleep in his room so I wouldn't have to crash on the couch. There was no way in hell I would share a bed with Billy. If only he could be that sweet. I'm swearing off boys until I'm forty."

She flopped back on the bed. Penelope simply shook her head. "No, you're not, Connie. You're beautiful and wonderful, you'll find someone."

Connie cracked open a skeptical eye at her. "Didn't you once say being single is wonderful?"

Penelope lightly laughed. "It is, but you only get love right once, and I'm pretty sure Billy isn't the one for you."

"Only get love right once? That's pretty fatalistic." Connie snorted. "Even though I'm wallowing in self-pity right now, I think love can happen as many times as you allow it." Through her teary expression, she cracked a tiny smile. "I'll allow it, but only after I'm forty!"

Penelope rolled her eyes with a grin. At least Connie could remain optimistic.

"I'm sorry I left you behind at the party," Connie softly apologized. "How did you get home?"

A smirking brunette menace flashed in her head.

"I don't think you'd believe me if I told you," Penelope laughed as she snuggled into the blankets.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" Connie's indignation remained unanswered as Penelope shut her eyes tight willing sleep to come to her. "Fine, fine, keep your little secrets, Miss Priss, but I'll find out eventually!"

Penelope just laughed.

A group of teens crowded around Connie's locker the next morning, but before Penelope could turn and run, Connie's alarmingly lightning fast reflexes had her securely grabbing her friend's backpack and pulling Penelope along with her. The teens chirped like energetic birds as they recounted tales from the party and prodded Connie for breakup details while the Summers girl anxiously fidgeted behind her.

"We heard about your breakup with Billy."

"You're so brave, I wouldn't be able to show my face."

"And what a shame that would have been," Connie seethed.

A blonde boy looked at Penelope with condescending eyes. "You had a lot of fun, huh?"

Penelope stiffened. "What?"

"If I knew you had that kind of fun, I would have talked to you at the party."

"Again, what?"

Tired of listening to more underhanded insults, Connie ended all conversation with a decisive slam of her locker. Penelope squeaked as her friend harshly grabbed her backpack again and pulled her away from the clueless teens. While they walked the halls, students spoke in hushed whispers, seemingly sending curious looks to Penelope. She leaned over and whispered to her braver friend.

"Is it my imagination or is everyone looking at me?"

A pair of football players passed them. The taller one luridly gave Penelope's body a once. "Hello, Summers, heard you're quite fun, but only for a night. Maybe I'll hit you when I need a work out," he laughed and kept walking with his cackling friend. Both girls stared at each other shocked.

"I'm going to kick his ass," Connie stated and began walking after him, but Penelope stopped her.

"I don't know how he knows me, but I would prefer to not make a fuss. Let's just go to class, ok?"

"Fine, but if I see him again, I'll rock his shit." Connie looked at a pair of whispering students staring right at them. "What are you looking at, vultures? Keeping it moving!"

The scared students ran off while Connie stalked to the vending machine, tired of the nonsense, while Penelope trailed behind, bewildered. After shoving the money into the slot with excessive force, Connie roughly pushed the buttons and snatched her soda from the machine.

"Did you break up with the machine too?" Penelope asked feeling a bit sorry for the inanimate machine.

"Oh, look who has jokes!" Connie all but growled and pointed the soda threateningly. The laugh that bubbled in Penelope's chest instantly burst as a small huddle of students whispered, and one pointed at her. A girl mouthed the word 'slut' at her. What the hell was going on?

The attention had gotten annoying by the time gym rolled around. Wearing a t-shirt from the lost and found under her destroyed gym shirt, Penelope stood on the basketball court trying to tie the string as tight as it could go so the extra shorts the teacher threw at her would not fall down while her classmates set up the volleyball net. Connie cackled at the sight of Penelope's odd gym wear, earning a glare from Penelope. Thankfully, it was just the sophomores in the gym so Eyeball nor his friends would get the satisfaction of seeing her humiliation. As Penelope stretched, Connie wandered off to chit chat with her other friends as the class waited for the gym teacher to return with the volleyball.

Regina Welsh whispered something to Connie while wildly waving her hands. Penelope's curiosity peaked as the wrinkle in Connie's forehead appeared that only happened when she received bad news. Her eyes met with Penelope's, and a look of urgency flashed in them like a lighthouse to a lost ship. Before either girl could move, the gym teacher strode into the gym impatiently bouncing a volleyball.

Once broken into teams, the groups stood facing each other through the net. The gym teacher tossed the ball to the redhead from the party, the one who's arms were wrapped like ivy around Eyeball. Her eyes met Penelope's, and a cold sweat broke along her back as the girl's eyes trained on her.

"Your serve!" Someone called from the other team. The ball flew into the air and promptly sailed straight for Penelope's head. BONK!

"Ow!" Penelope cradled her head and sent the redhead a confused look.

"Whoopsie, sorry." She gave a sickeningly sweet smile. "It slipped! Let me try again!"

Not even a second after she turned around, the ball hit her head again this time with a vengeance. Penelope collided with the floor and her legs sprawled uselessly around her.

"You did that on purpose!" Connie shouted and ran to assist the fallen girl. The scarlet girl shrugged. "You're supposed to put your hands up, darlin'. Not my fault you can't play."

Now soundly on her feet, indignance surged through the Summers girl. Scooping up the ball, Penelope reared back and threw it back at the female with all her might. "Whoops, it slipped!" Penelope shot back. The redhead retaliated, aiming for Penelope's stomach.

"A lot about you is just loose and slippery, huh?"

Grunting as the ball hit her gut, Penelope glared at her. "That is the weirdest shit I've heard someone say. What the hell does that even mean?"

"I'm meaning you sleeping with Chambers!"

All the air sucked out of the room. The only sound left was the forgotten volleyball hitting the ground as Penelope's numb fingers let it slip. The accusatory stares, some jealous and some pitying, confirmed her fears.

"Yeah, everyone knows you did. It was so obvious you wanted him, after you kept trying to steal his attention from me at the-."

Penelope grabbed her by the shoulders. "WHERE did you hear this?" Why was the gym shrinking? Had it always be so hot?

The heat from the girl's glare matched her fiery hair. "From Ace who heard it from Eyeba-."

Penelope released her and turned to leave.

"Gym isn't over, Summers!" The teacher shouted.

"Penelope, where are you going?" Connie called after her.

"I'm going to crush a snake's skull!"

"Whoohoo, whatever that means, that's my girl! Fuck shit up!" Connie cheered for Penelope as she ran out the building with the fury of one thousand armies. Last thing Penelope heard was the teacher giving Connie detention for crude language.

Of course, he would be at the diner.

She flung the door open and scanned the territory for her enemy. All her senses zeroed on the slicked back curls located at a table in the middle of the restaurant like a king among his subjects. She stalked towards the table, every male unaware of her presence. Oh, what a surprise they would have.

He had a burger raised to his lips, ready to bite, but she grab the sandwich and smashed it to the ground. If only the shock on his face could satsify the thirst for justice deep within her. Every guy paused mid conversation and turned to face the angry female.

"Who the hell do you think you are?" she demanded, leaning close to Eyeball who stared at her as if she lost her mind.

"Sweetheart, I'm giving you the benefit of the doubt and assuming you're sick and aren't aware of your actions," Ace grabbed her wrist and shoved her arm away. "Move along. Now."

"I have something to say to Eyeball," she snapped pointing an angry finger in the confused male's face. "I thought because of yesterday we were on good terms, but I guess it was stupid to think a Cobra could be a decent human being."

His brows furrowed and his nostrils flared as he stared her down. "What the hell are you on about?"

The entire shop watched them, but Penelope was done caring. "The entire school thinks we slept together!"

"When can I have a turn?" One Cobra asked. The boys started snickering, but Eyeball's own expression was nonchalant. Before he could speak, Ace threw out a taunt. "Congratulations, now you're a little more interesting."

The brunette Chambers took a gulp from his milkshake before a condescending grin curled on his lips and her heart sank. "Look, doll, it's nothing to be ashamed of," He gave her a wink, "I had a good time."

The boys howled with laughter as mortification burned her cheeks. Dennis would never do this to her. Oh God, why couldn't he be here? Eyeball turned away from her, leaving her to her shame. Tears stung her eyes, and without thinking, she snatched the milkshake and dumped the contents over his head.

"Hey!" He shouted, jumping out his seat. Satisfaction dripped through her like the milky white slush dampening his dark curls. Other patrons gasped around them as the waitress ran over to them.

"Miss, you need to go," she demanded.

"Fine by me." Penelope slammed the glass down sharing an angry glare with the milkshake covered boy and left the cursing Cobras and nervous waitress to fret over their beloved Chambers. Once the sunlight hit her face, the tears poured, but she did not allow herself to stop until she reached public library that was all the way across town. Plopping herself on the steps, she buried her head in her arms and sobbed. She wept for the lost safety that the reputation of quiet new girl provided her. Now, she was labeled as the pathetic girl that Eyeball fucking Chambers left in the dust, and she wanted nothing more than to disappear and reunite with the one boy that mattered.

The memory of yesterday's surprisingly pleasant time with Chambers instantly withered into a cruel curse. She obviously knew they were not friends, but yesterday he was nice. The Chambers storm raged lightning once again, and she was foolish enough to walk through it with a metal rod expecting to not be struck.

"Penelope, what happened?"

Through a haze of tears, she snapped her head up to see Gordie's concerned stare. Chris stood behind him looking equally interested. She wiped her eyes and tried to fix them with a smile.

"Oh, just highschool things, nothing to worry about."

Chris snorted, but Gordie had the grace to accept her pitiful lie. She pointed to the notebook stuffed with loose paper in Gordie's hand. "What is that?"

He held it behind his back instantly. "Nothing."

Chris rolled his eyes, so unlike his devil brother's. "It's not nothing. Gordie's a writer, but he hates his stuff."

Gordie hit his shoulder with said notebook. "No! I'm not! This is just a stupid book filled with stupid things."

Penelope shook her head. "I bet it's not stupid."

Gordie frowned at her. "I'm going to throw this piece of junk away."

She jumped to her feet, surprising both boys. "No! Don't you dare!"

"That's what I've been saying!" Chris threw his hands in the air.

The girl held her hand out to the little brunette boy with the eyes of her past. "Could I read something you wrote?"

Gordie jumped back, clutching his notebook tighter. "Heck no!"

Chris patted his friend on the back. "Come on, Gordie, let her read something. She'll tell you how good you are, don't give it up."

"Please, Gordie, I'd really appreciate it."

The little Lachance threw the notebook on the concrete steps. "Fine! Read it, but don't bother me about it!" Without another word, he ran away leaving a concerned Penelope and Chris behind.

"He's going through a lot right now," Chris mumbled as the girl stooped to recover the scorned book.

She dusted off the beat up blue cover. "I bet he is, but why the hatred for writing? He loves it."

"How would you know?"

"Just a guess," she rushed out. Chris screwed his mouth to the side as thoughts flew in his mind. His intense gaze reminded her of- NOPE! She was not going to think of that monster right now.

"After he lost his brother, it's like Gordie just lost all motivation for his stories," Chris stared after where his friend ran. "But that kid doesn't realize what a gift he's got."

Penelope slipped the notebook into her waistband. "With a good friend, I'm sure he'll come around."

Chris shrugged, a momentary look of defeat flashing across his face. He cleared his throat before fixing her with another skeptical look. "So, cut the bullshit, why were you really crying?"

She debated lying to him, but he might understand her feelings. "Eyeball being-."

"-Eyeball." the blonde kid finished for her with a grim smirk. She nodded.

Chris scratched the back of his neck. "Well, I can't say things will get better cause I don't know what happened, but I do know that Eyeball is like a stupid dog that pees everywhere. He's super gross, irritating, and a real pain in the ass, but if you just ignore him or lock him out the house, you'll forget about him."

"Um, thanks, I think?"

Chris kicked a rock into the street. Penelope's eyebrows shot to her hairline as the tips of his ears turned red. "Look, I feel bad anytime Eyeball is an ass to someone, and girls shouldn't cry. Gordie was supposed to be helping me with something, but since he's gone would you want to come along? It may help you feel better."

She raised an interested brow. "What do you mean?"

The mischief dancing in his eyes assured her decision. "Come with me and find out."

"Wow, Gordie's such a good writer," She praised as she handed her boyfriend the stack of notebook paper. It was an accident when she first read Gordie's stories. After another secret night in Dennis's bedroom, Penelope noticed a stack of papers on his desk, while Dennis slept peacefully. Bored and thinking it was his homework, she briefly glanced over it, before growing interested in its tale.

Once she learned his twelve-year-old brother created such enjoyable stories, Dennis started sharing the stories with her whenever Gordie brought them to him. Penelope wished she could tell Gordie how much she loved his writing, but the risk of Gordie revealing her and Dennis's relationship ran too great.

Dennis stared at the story he held, deep in thought. "You and him are alike, you know."

His deep brown eyes bore into hers. They had been dating for months at this point, but every time she gazed into those eyes, she always felt butterflies in her stomach. "You both have a good head on your shoulders, but you're always doubting yourselves."

"I don't doubt myself," Penelope retorted. Denny frowned as he laid the story on his desk.

"How come you haven't your mom how you feel about her dating yet?" He asked, voice soft and gentle. Penelope stiffened and turned away from him. She felt him move closer to her but not enough to be touching. "She's tearing you apart. I hate to see you this way."

"She deserves to be happy after my dad left," Penelope weakly defended.

"Is she happy though?" He asked, always so perceptive. "Are any of you happy?"

"I was happy until this conversation started."

His breath hit the back of her neck as he released a small chuckle.

"I'm sorry, I'm not trying to upset you. I just hate to see someone I love hurt."

His genuine words melted her icy exterior. She spun around and embraced him. His soft lips pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead. "I'll talk to her one day."

He pressed her closer to him. "I know you will. I believe in you, Penny."

Eyeball Chambers was pissed.

After an hour of unsuccessfully washing his shirt and hair free of dairy in the bathroom sink, he had to leave and face the flood of ridicule from the dumbasses he called friends.

"White is not your color, man."

"You know you're supposed to drink a shake, right?"

"I'm kind of craving a milkshake now."

"Watch out or Eyeball will wear it!"

Eyeball snatched the lit cigarette out from Vince's fingers and blew smoke right into their cackling faces. "Laugh it up, assholes, at least I'm out here getting some tail. When's the last time you got anything? Your mommies don't count."

After a round of burning snarks to one another, the boys cleared out the restaurant, but Ace, a cunning twinkle in his eyes, held Eyeball back from the rest.

"Quite a spitfire, huh?" He prompted, the cigarette sliding from one corner of his mouth to the other.

Eyeball rolled his eyes. "More like a constant pain the ass."

Ace chuckled. "That's chicks for ya, only good for one thing."

Eyeball shrugged, an unhappy frown on his lips. "I guess," he mumbled.

The blonde's arm slithered around the brunette's shoulders in a semi comforting yet rough hold. "I feel for ya, man. Really, I do, but I hope you know we can't let that slide."

When he opened his mouth, Ace harshly tightened his hold to cut off Eyeball. "No. A lot of people from school saw her throw that shake at your mug." His voice lowered. "That's gonna get around. Eyeball Chambers embarrassed by a skirt? Billy already got his man card taken at the party."

He pulled Eyeball closer to his face, making it impossible for him to look anywhere else. "We can't have the Cobra name made into a joke, Eyeball. I don't want my best friend to be a laughingstock. You want to be respected, right?"

Eyeball's face drew into a disturbed, thoughtful pout. "Right."

Ace shook his head. "We need to do something about that girl."

Eyeball breathed in a deep puff of smoke, remembering the fury flaming in the girl's eyes. "I'd like to stick it to the princess."

Ace loosened his grip and plucked the cigarette from Eyeball's hand. "My friend, I'm glad you said that because I have a plan."