Behind the Therapist's Door
Chapter 11
Jazz and Spectra headed downstairs for the dinner Maddie prepared for them. Danny already ran down to the table. As they started to sit, Penelope could only dread the impending conversation, unsure as to what it would contain.
"So Penelope, tell us more about yourself," Jack said.
"Well...um...I was named after my aunt. I was home schooled for my entire life, but wanted to finally go to a typical high school finally, and I'm very interested in psychology."
"Just like Jazz is!" Jack exclaimed.
"If you don't mind me asking, who are your parents?" Maddie said.
Penelope hadn't thought about that...she covered her past for the most part, but not her biological parents.
"I didn't know my father, and my mother signed legal guardianship papers when I was at a young age. So I don't know much about them. My aunt raised me and took me along with her on her travels. She's a very respected therapist, so quite a few schools in the country request her to go there to increase school spirit."
'Going nicely so far...' Jazz thought to herself. Spectra was very believable.
"Oh. So why did you choose Amity Park of all places to settle down in?"
"It's a small, friendly town that is simply beautiful. It's the kind of life I always dreamt of having...I just never had a chance to do it until now."
"Interesting...did you meet anyone else around here yet?"
"We ran into what Jazz called the A-listers yesterday. We didn't exactly get started on the right foot, but I'm perfectly fine having Jazz to be my only friend. We get along great, and have fun together. She's not stuck up or self absorbed, unlike that Paulina Sanchez."
Jazz blushed and gave a small grin at Spectra's remarks.
"Good to hear! As long as a person has at least one friend, they should be quite happy," Jack said.
"I had a question...do you mind if I sleep in Jazz's room while I stay here? You wouldn't mind would you Jazz?" Penelope said.
"Of course not Penelope. I never had a real sleepover before, so it might be fun!" Jazz replied.
"I don't see any problem with it, do you Mads?"
"I'm fine with it," she said.
"Sounds great! Thanks Jazz."
"Anytime Penelope."
The family continued eating in silence. Maddie would occasionally steal a glance at Penelope when no one was watching her.
'Normally I'd never be concerned with someone's looks. But she looks so...so...familiar,' Maddie thought.
After dinner it was about 9pm, Penelope and Jazz went up to her room to prepare for classes the next day. Maddie and Jack went up to their room for a well deserved rest from the trip. Danny went up to his room to sleep until his ghost sense woke him up.
"So Jazz...guess our nights are on hold until your parents go out or are too preoccupied, right?"
"Yeah. Give them a few days, they'll be back to work in the lab...two floors down. Danny...well..."
"He has ghosts to fight,"
"That's right...guess that's why I haven't heard his computer blasting music or the sound of gunfire or lasers from his video games at night."
"Maybe our love life won't be put on hold after all," Penelope said.
"Heh...maybe not."
Penelope stepped closer to Jazz, pulling her into a hug that slowly transformed into a strong, passionate kiss. As they finally separated, Jazz spoke up.
"Mmmm...that was great Penelope. It's too bad we can't go any further tonight."
"I know...but we have later this week, then there's the weekend. Believe me, that alone will make up for lost time."
Jazz could only imagine just what Spectra had in store for her. She looked at the clock. It was 10pm already?
"Well I normally go to bed around this time, so why don't we get some rest. You might as well be prepared for anything Paulina has in store for you tomorrow."
"She should know better, but from my time in the Ghost Zone, it's all a matter of dominance. If you show an assertive front at the beginning of whatever they're doing, they'll see that they aren't as in control as they thought."
"I somehow thought you'd be a pacifist," Jazz said.
"I was for quite a while. But being a ghost with powers to fight...it made me realize that some power struggles aren't won through negotiations. Sometimes you have to be ready for physical confrontation."
"I could see that."
"Well I suppose we better get ready for bed," Spectra said, starting to change into a nightgown of Jazz's. Somehow she forgot to buy a few while clothes shopping.
After they both quickly changed, they laid together in bed holding one another.
"Goodnight Penelope," Jazz said, giving her girlfriend a kiss goodnight.
"Goodnight Jazz."
Meanwhile in Maddie and Jack's room...
The Fenton parents had unfinished packing, and while a rest was in order, Maddie's mind would have none of it. She went through all of her past experiences: in high school she was a loner, college she was with Jack, and after college she began working with the ghost portal. She went though the people she had relationships with: her friends, like Tucker's parents, her enemies, like Mrs. Manson, and her casual acquaintances, like Mr. Lancer.
This new girl Jazz found...she recovered some sort of feelings she had hidden deep inside. But this girl was 16. It was impossible for her o have had some sort of run-in with her. Maybe it was time for a trip down Memory Lane tomorrow.
"Jack, where did we put our old high school and college stuff?"
"Uhhhh...which room did I fall in while we were moving in?"
"Jazz's I believe...That's it! We found there was a lot of empty space in her closet after you tripped and landed head first into the wall."
"Oh yeah...found a clever way to store some junk. That's using' the old noodle eh Maddie."
Maddie just nodded, thinking back to what she might have wanted to store that inaccessibly...
It was the day they were moving in...they were hauling in boxes of various contents from their college life and newly purchased furniture.
"JACK! BRING THOSE BOXES UP TO THE UPSTAIRS, THERE'S A CLOSET TO STORE THEM IN UP HERE!" Maddie said, putting
"Already here Mads, is there any-WOOOAAAH!" Jack yelled as he tripped over a small box Maddie hadn't picked up yet. He dropped the boxes and tumbled backwards, knocking a sizable hole into the wall of the closet.
"I'm Ok! Drywall is no match for Jack Fenton!"
Maddie face-palmed as Jack quickly got to his feet. Now they had a hole to deal with. Jack started inspecting the chunks of wall missing. Fixable? No. But a new piece of drywall cut to fit the hole would make it work just fine.
"Hey Maddie, need anything stored for a long time? There's some extra space in here. Looks like an extra foot and a half of space."
Maddie looked around at the boxes. Clothing, decorations, college stuff...
'We just graduated, and we're not having kids immediately...might as well.'
"What about this box of our old college things?"
"Hm...let me see..." Jack said, starting to browse through the box.
"Hey look, an old picture of us, and that friend of yours..."
"Penelope, Jack. She was my best friend..."
"Ah that's right. You should look her up sometime, call her and see what's going on," Jack said cheerfully before going down to bring up more boxes.
Maddie solemnly nodded. She didn't tell Jack about what the two of them did, nor did she mention Penelope's untimely demise. She picked up the picture and felt a tear drop from her eye. It was Penelope's suicide write up underneath it.
"Penelope...I know you can't hear me. But what I did wasn't right...I was just so caught up with Jack that I didn't even visit you in your hour of need. I can't forgive myself. I just feel so...guilty about your death. I'm sorry Penelope, I truly am," Maddie said to no one. She was broken down in tears by the time she finished speaking.
She neglected Penelope...one day they seemed like soul mates, then Maddie moved out, then Penelope killed herself. She was gone, and there was no way she would be able to say she was sorry.
Back in the present...
'That's it...that girl looked like...Penelope? Perhaps they're related...' Maddie rationalized. It was impossible that they were the same person. She needed to talk to the girl one on one.
With her mind in a satisfied state, she began to feel drowsy. As she lay on the bed, one thought passed through her mind...
Jack could never find out her suspiscions.
The next morning...
Everything went on as normal. Danny, Jazz, and Penelope woke up, got dressed, and ate a quick breakfast. Maddie and Jack slept in a bit later.
Danny walked to school, Penelope and Jazz drove.
"I guess I need to take a driver's test...while I love having a chauffeur, I miss being behind the wheel."
"Tucker, one of Danny's friends, can probably make you one."
"Ah, then my luck's improving."
The two finally arrived at Casper High. They could see everyone walking to the doors or standing outside waiting for their friends to arrive.
"You need to go to the office to get your schedule."
"Good call. Walk with me so it doesn't look like I know about the school already," Penelope said.
Jazz 'led' Penelope to the office, where the Principal was waiting for them.
"Hello Principal Ishiyama, this is the new student, Penelope Spectra. I believe you have a schedule for her?"
"Right here. I just put her in your classes, it made things easier with paperwork."
"That's good. I know I can keep up with them," Penelope added as she took the schedule from the principal. The two then headed to the first class of the day.
"She sure does look like that therapist..." Principal Ishiyama said out loud once they were gone.
Penelope and Jazz were now headed to class...Physical Education with Ms. Tetslaff.
"Ugh...gym to start the day?" asked Penelope. Waking up, then running laps wasn't her idea of a good morning.
"Yeah. It takes a little while to get used to but after a while it starts to get easier. You feel refreshed and invigorated."
Penelope sighed, "If you say so."
As they stepped into the locker room, a booming voice greeted them.
"You're the new kid right? Here's your gym uniform. Take it home at the end of the week to wash it, bring it back Monday. Forget it at home and it's 5% off your grade, no excuses. Rules are simple: show up, dress, and get active. Swearing, fighting, or back talk will not be tolerated. Understand? Good," Tetslaff said and walked away.
"What just happened Jazz?"
"That would be an intro to the class done in less than a minute. Just follow my lead and you'll survive her."
That was easier said than done. As it happened, they were late getting to class which forced Tetslaff to wait. She was angry to start out, and waiting for a new student just agitated her further.
Gym was indoors today. Tetslaff decided to forgo basics and wanted to break the new girl in the best way she knew...dodgeball. After Jazz and Penelope were dressed she locked the locker room door and headed to the gym.
"Alright girls, the name of the game's dodgeball. Get hit by a ball from someone on the opposite team, you're out. Catch a ball from someone on the opposite team, they're out and you bring someone on your team back. Face shots aren't allowed. Spectra, your on Valerie's team. Set up the balls...and...on your marks, get set, go!" she yelled and blew her whistle.
Valerie's team was made up mostly of volleyball players, she also had Jazz on her team. The opposing team was lead by Paulina...who took the A-listers and cheerleaders. She saw Penelope was in her gym class now, it was time for revenge.
'Normally, I don't care about gym. But when I get a chance to take down a loser like her, I'll do it...' Paulina thought. Her plan was simple...stay in, get a ball, and knock Penelope out.
Ten minutes into the game, Valerie's team seemed to have the upper hand. They had strength and speed, but the cheerleaders seemed to have faster reaction times. Jazz was out, Penelope was in, and Paulina just picked up a ball that took Star out of the game. She saw Penelope just standing looking over at the small battle that had erupted with three of the four balls.
She ran at full speed and...
WHAM!
Penelope flew on her back to the ground, her head thumping loudly on the wooden floor.
'Mission, completed,' thought Paulina with a fiendish smirk. She suddenly realized Tetslaff was watching the entire event...
"Sanchez! I saw that move! You're out! Go to the office! I'll deal with you there."
'Still worth it.'
Jazz, who at that time was standing against the wall, saw her friend plummet to the ground and raced off to help her.
"Penelope! Penelope, are you ok?"
Penelope was struck in the left side of the face. She slowly opened her eyes. The bright gym lights filled her vision, slowly forming a silhouette of a person that began to fill in with details. It was Jazz, and she looked like her guardian angel...
"Ow...my head..." Penelope groaned as she slowly got up. Jazz saw she was having trouble standing straight, so she quickly wrapped her right arm around Penelope to give her some support.
"Fenton, take her to the nurse. I'll write you slips for your next class when you come back to get dressed."
"Alright Miss Tetslaff."
She and Penelope then began the trek down to the school nurse.
End Chapter 11
Been brainstorming alternative chapter ideas lately and college restarted. So I'll update sooner or later.
-Phantom of the Asylum