After a gruelling day at the Cheesecake Factory, Penny was happy as she climbed the stairs up to her apartment. It felt foreign to her. To be happy without any reason to be. But her life was so damn good right now, she couldn't imagine the last time she felt this way. A boyfriend who would do anything for her, a stable part time job, a few roles in dramas and plays. Her life felt meaningful again. Nothing like it had been a few years back...
She shuddered at the very memories of her past. She was done with it. Done with them. But no matter how much she prepared for this eventuality, she wasn't really ready for it to happen. She was inserting her keys into the lock of her apartment door, after fishing them out of her uniform when she heard them talking. Dismissing it as a figment of her imagination, she continued jimmying her keys into the lock to find the right one.
When the door to 4A opened, she expected to be greeted by her boyfriend, who would deliver her mail after it was 'accidentally' mixed up. The last thing she expected however was to hear the conversation between her whackadoodle of a neighbour and him. Although they were a few feet away, she could hear them quite clearly and she could recognise that voice anywhere. It haunted her nightmares on the darkest of nights.
Attempting to slip into her apartment unnoticed, she twisted the key before realising that she hadn't inserted it completely. The key spun out of her grip as it turned with the momentum and crashed to the floor, making a jingle.
So much for my plans to go unnoticed, she thought.
The blue eyed physicist picked that moment to focus on his blonde neighbour and greeted her in his usual condescending manner, mocking her intelligence and ability to perform simple tasks. Most people would be offended at such a remark but Penny knew it was merely Sheldon's potent blend of brutal honesty, objective observation and startling lack of social skills. Turning to the two men standing across from her, she greeted the lanky Texan sarcastically, "Hi, Sheldon. It's nice to see you too."
To his credit, the oblivious physicist seemed to have understood the implied sarcasm as he replied evenly, "Really Penny? Must you constantly rely on sarcasm in every social encounter?"
Before she could answer, he continued, "That was a rhetorical question, Penny. While I appreciate your witty senses, I must implore you to behave appropriately, seeing as we have a guest with us."
The other man interrupted the physicist apologetically, "Oh it's quite alright, Dr. Cooper. I am sure the young lady was merely being friendly. I suppose I shall get going then?"
Instead of launching into an endless tirade for interrupting him, the blue eyed physicist merely shook his head uncharacteristically before looking to his watch and saying, "Of course, Dr. Stone. It was a pleasure to meet you. I really do look forward to working with you."
Smiling politely the other man lightly tipped his baseball hat to the physicist and his blonde neighbour before heading down the stairs. Completely forgetting the whackadoodle standing before her, Penny jammed her keys into the lock and rushed into her apartment. Locking the door behind her and deadbolting it, she ran to the window and watched as the strange man named Dr. Stone, walked out of the apartment's foyer and onto the street.
A chill ran down her spine and a feeling of dread settled in the pit of her stomach as she watched the man walk a good distance before looking straight back at her. Despite his masked face, she could feel the smile he had on, all the way from her apartment. She shuddered as she watched him go.
Why was he of all people here? And what was he upto?
Penny believed in a lot of things - ghosts, Mediums, psychics and even spirit healers but the one thing didn't believe in, was coincidence. Atleast not when he was involved.