CHAPTER 3

Penny was deep at sleep, on her soft white bed, when her phone rang. She shot up and woke her iPhone 5S. On the notifications tray, it stated that her cameraman will be holidaying and that another would replace him until the official holidays. He told her to be nice and welcoming to him - since he was new to the business and he was just another photographer from some international organisation. He also told him there was no poses for tomorrow.

Penny just flopped to her bed, tired and restless. Trying to sleep, she changed her postures three times. She shot up, once again, to try and refresh. She felt that she wanted to wake up, yet she physically didn't. She opened her iPhone's browser, and slowly sunk into it. As time flew, the sunlight slowly flowed into her cold room.

Penny, exhausted after texting to her friends up in Britain, stood up to get a cup of coffee. She did all of her morning business and set off. Her red dress and straw hat attracted many people on the way to her job. Some of them - including the pizza man - stalked her all the way.

When Penny got near the studio, the stalkers stood by the bus stop, pretending to read the newspaper. Penny noticed them, seeing that the newspapers were upside down. She gave a little chuckle and entered the studio, leaving the stalkers lovestruck.

"Bonjour, Monsieur… Gumball!?" Penny stood there, shocked, looking at the blue cat on the camera. He, too, was surprised.

"Is that Penny Fitzgerald?" he asked for clarification.

Penny nodded shakily. Gumball smiled at her.

"How?" Penny stammered.

"I got offered a job promotion and my…"

Penny ran up to Gumball and hugged him - which made him blush madly. He heard Penny softly sob on him. She never sobbed like that ever since the day she left. That was when she cried. Gumball always saw the strong side of her - a person full of integrity, spirit and persistence. This was the only time he saw her soft side - a person without any connections, cut from the outside world and is very vulnerable to everyone, including herself.

"All of those years," Penny stammered underneath her tears, "I had to live without happiness. But now you came… Gumball, I… I miss you."

Penny looked up, to see Gumball - who was now higher than her. Gumball saw, not a peanut in despair, but a flower blossoming in spring. He remembered how attractive she was.

Penny stopped hugging Gumball, the cat saw the peanut sitting at a seat in the corridor, looking out a window. Gumball remembered how his client asked him to ask whoever was there if there was a problem, but Penny was the only one. He thought it would bother Penny if he asked her.

To be very polite to Penny, Gumball tried finding the switch for the camera. He bit it, he threw it, he stomped on it, he placed his eye on the eyehole and he started chewing on it. He finally gave up and dropped on the ground. Penny looked down at him and pulled on a smile.

She laid her head on the chair beside her and slept, after the tireless night she endured. Gumball stood up, and groaned to see Penny asleep. It was a pain not being able to do his work. He tried more and more of his techniques.

Hours passed and he finally got the camera on. Sadly, it was dismissal. Penny's iPhone rung, signalling it was time to go.

"Hey, Gumball," Penny yawned. "Do you have spare time?"

Gumball started, "I'm sorry, it's just that" - Carrie and - "I are planning my" - honeymoon - "trip" - with Carrie - "to Britain."

Penny sighed, letting a frown take her smile again. "Okay."

"Well, see you, Penny!" Gumball called, while leaving the studio.

Penny stayed there, shocked that Gumball was going to leave this time. She was only to stay with him for a short time and thus, she must do something worthwhile, still clueless of Gumball's marriage.

The peanut just drifted asleep, dreaming of a kiss from Gumball.

• • •

"So, what happened today, Monsieur?" Carrie asked with a smile, while chopping the onions she got from the market.

As Gumball entered he said, "Uh, I met a model" - named Penny, the same girl from Elmore - "who, er, helped me."

Carrie froze and teleported next to her fiancé. She hugged him, randomly. Gumball was utterly confused when she did so, until she explained herself.

"Gumball, I was just worried that she'd steal you from me."

"She never would - she never will."

"Is that a promise?" Carrie asked.

"Promise," Gumball nodded.