Chapter II: Second Chances
The morning after Percy and Oliver's little chat, Percy decided to give Penelope another chance to lay off a little. He woke up, rolled out of bed, and dressed. Oliver was sound asleep, snoring loudly. He brushed off his uniform, and strolled out the door, whistling a happy little tune. To his surprise, Penelope was waiting for him just around the corner of the hall. "Hey," she said, without emotion. "Hi," he said, with the same amount of emotion, "Listen. I want to start over. I want us to put this fight behind us and start fresh." Oliver instinctively woke, his ears perked up. He walked over to the door, placing his ear to it. "Well, if you want to start over, then.well, why not. I care about you, Percy. All I've ever wanted since I first saw you was to be with you," Penelope admitted, throwing her arms around his neck. He smiled down at her, and put his arms around her waist. "I care about you, too, Penelope. I wouldn't give up on you," he said, lifting his hand to her cheek, caressing it. A small tear formed in her eye, waiting to trickle down her face. Percy saw it, and kissed it away. "C'mon, it's time for breakfast. Walk with me," Percy said lovingly. She put her head on his shoulder, and they walked off to the Dining Hall. A lump grew in Oliver's throat. He didn't know if he should cry or scream. What had happened to Percy's tirade about how Penelope depended on him? On how he was sick and tired of it? It was like the conversation from the last night didn't even happen. Oliver stood back from the door, and stepped back to fall backwards onto his bed. He turned over onto his stomach, trying to fight back tears. He was sad, but angry at the same time. He lay there and cried for a lengthy period of time before he sucked it up and wiped away the tears. He waited until the redness in his eyes faded, and changed. Something dawned on him; he had practice today. Percy always tried to make time to watch Oliver's practices. Usually Penny was off doing something else, leaving Percy sitting alone. Oliver's face brightened as he got ready for the day ahead.
* * *
Percy and Penelope were seemingly on Cloud 9 for the rest of that week, which made Oliver increasingly angry. Sure, he liked seeing Percy happy, but not with someone else, let alone Penelope. Oliver never really liked Penelope. She was stuck-up, arrogant, bossy, and inconsiderate. But somehow, Percy saw the goodness in her. This always puzzled Oliver. How could he see past all of the bitching and complaining and see any shred of goodness in her? As Oliver sat outside, the wind blowing his Gryffindor scarf up, he saw something out of the corner of his chocolate-brown eye. Penelope was kissing someone other than Percy, backed up against the wall. Oliver turned his head so that he could get a better view. As Penelope continued to snog this dark stranger, unknowingly being watched, Oliver struggled to figure out whom she was kissing. Short pants escaped her mouth, the stranger kissing her neck. This enabled Oliver to get a little better view. Penelope was kissing none other than.Marcus Flint?! Oliver about gagged when he saw that disturbing image. Marcus had the most disgusting teeth on campus. So why would Penelope Clearwater, as high-and-mighty as she was, want to kiss him? Oliver shivered in the cold air, and pondered telling Percy about this unfortunate incident. I know I should tell him. It would be best. I wouldn't want him living in the dark, kissing Penelope after she's been swapping spit with Marcus Flint! Now that's disturbing, he thought as he walked away, desperate to get in from the chilly weather. * * *
Percy wondered where Penelope was; he hadn't seen her for hours. He grabbed a hot mug of cocoa, a Danish, and went back to his room to relax and read. She'd come find him sooner or later. Oliver trembled as he walked past Penelope in the hallway. "Where's Percy? I haven't seem him all day," she asked, looking concerned. But Oliver knew better; she had avoided him all day. "I haven't seen him either, Penny. But if I do, you'll be the first person I tell," he answered, trying hard to keep calm. "Thank you, Oliver. I knew I could depend on you," she said gratefully. Usually, she wasn't this kind to Oliver. She generally snubbed him when they saw each other in the hallway, unless she needed something from him. "Depend"? What an interesting choice of words. Even if I do see Percy, she'd be the last person I'd tell, he thought, wishing he could beat her right then and there. A forced smile crossed her lips, and she left. Those are guilty lips, and she knows it. I bet she's off to go snog Marcus some more. That just makes me want to vomit, he thought to himself as he watched her walk off. She looked like a model, walking off confidently. Oliver flashed a withering glare at her. He didn't like her dating Percy, much less doing things that could potentially hurt him if he found out. What an inconsiderate slut! Percy decided to grant her a second chance, and now she's running out and cheating on him, with Marcus of all people! What a stupid tramp, he thought. He continued on his way to his dorm.
The morning after Percy and Oliver's little chat, Percy decided to give Penelope another chance to lay off a little. He woke up, rolled out of bed, and dressed. Oliver was sound asleep, snoring loudly. He brushed off his uniform, and strolled out the door, whistling a happy little tune. To his surprise, Penelope was waiting for him just around the corner of the hall. "Hey," she said, without emotion. "Hi," he said, with the same amount of emotion, "Listen. I want to start over. I want us to put this fight behind us and start fresh." Oliver instinctively woke, his ears perked up. He walked over to the door, placing his ear to it. "Well, if you want to start over, then.well, why not. I care about you, Percy. All I've ever wanted since I first saw you was to be with you," Penelope admitted, throwing her arms around his neck. He smiled down at her, and put his arms around her waist. "I care about you, too, Penelope. I wouldn't give up on you," he said, lifting his hand to her cheek, caressing it. A small tear formed in her eye, waiting to trickle down her face. Percy saw it, and kissed it away. "C'mon, it's time for breakfast. Walk with me," Percy said lovingly. She put her head on his shoulder, and they walked off to the Dining Hall. A lump grew in Oliver's throat. He didn't know if he should cry or scream. What had happened to Percy's tirade about how Penelope depended on him? On how he was sick and tired of it? It was like the conversation from the last night didn't even happen. Oliver stood back from the door, and stepped back to fall backwards onto his bed. He turned over onto his stomach, trying to fight back tears. He was sad, but angry at the same time. He lay there and cried for a lengthy period of time before he sucked it up and wiped away the tears. He waited until the redness in his eyes faded, and changed. Something dawned on him; he had practice today. Percy always tried to make time to watch Oliver's practices. Usually Penny was off doing something else, leaving Percy sitting alone. Oliver's face brightened as he got ready for the day ahead.
* * *
Percy and Penelope were seemingly on Cloud 9 for the rest of that week, which made Oliver increasingly angry. Sure, he liked seeing Percy happy, but not with someone else, let alone Penelope. Oliver never really liked Penelope. She was stuck-up, arrogant, bossy, and inconsiderate. But somehow, Percy saw the goodness in her. This always puzzled Oliver. How could he see past all of the bitching and complaining and see any shred of goodness in her? As Oliver sat outside, the wind blowing his Gryffindor scarf up, he saw something out of the corner of his chocolate-brown eye. Penelope was kissing someone other than Percy, backed up against the wall. Oliver turned his head so that he could get a better view. As Penelope continued to snog this dark stranger, unknowingly being watched, Oliver struggled to figure out whom she was kissing. Short pants escaped her mouth, the stranger kissing her neck. This enabled Oliver to get a little better view. Penelope was kissing none other than.Marcus Flint?! Oliver about gagged when he saw that disturbing image. Marcus had the most disgusting teeth on campus. So why would Penelope Clearwater, as high-and-mighty as she was, want to kiss him? Oliver shivered in the cold air, and pondered telling Percy about this unfortunate incident. I know I should tell him. It would be best. I wouldn't want him living in the dark, kissing Penelope after she's been swapping spit with Marcus Flint! Now that's disturbing, he thought as he walked away, desperate to get in from the chilly weather. * * *
Percy wondered where Penelope was; he hadn't seen her for hours. He grabbed a hot mug of cocoa, a Danish, and went back to his room to relax and read. She'd come find him sooner or later. Oliver trembled as he walked past Penelope in the hallway. "Where's Percy? I haven't seem him all day," she asked, looking concerned. But Oliver knew better; she had avoided him all day. "I haven't seen him either, Penny. But if I do, you'll be the first person I tell," he answered, trying hard to keep calm. "Thank you, Oliver. I knew I could depend on you," she said gratefully. Usually, she wasn't this kind to Oliver. She generally snubbed him when they saw each other in the hallway, unless she needed something from him. "Depend"? What an interesting choice of words. Even if I do see Percy, she'd be the last person I'd tell, he thought, wishing he could beat her right then and there. A forced smile crossed her lips, and she left. Those are guilty lips, and she knows it. I bet she's off to go snog Marcus some more. That just makes me want to vomit, he thought to himself as he watched her walk off. She looked like a model, walking off confidently. Oliver flashed a withering glare at her. He didn't like her dating Percy, much less doing things that could potentially hurt him if he found out. What an inconsiderate slut! Percy decided to grant her a second chance, and now she's running out and cheating on him, with Marcus of all people! What a stupid tramp, he thought. He continued on his way to his dorm.