Hey, just wanted to thank everybody for the reviews/follows, it means a lot. I hope you like this chapter. Bear in mind, not all updates will be so quick - esp. because I have exams coming up.
Just wanted to mention, this takes place before Penny introduces Howard and Bernadette - her and Leonard are an item, Amy isn't a character, Howard + Bernadette are single. But yeah, take it with a pinch of salt.
Luckyhai5 XD
(This chapter is for the gorgeous Doritos-X)
Penny was wiping down a table in the Cheesecake Factory, slightly more vigorously than necessary. The light glinted white off the dark wood. She was thinking about a multitude of things, none of which featured the previous events of the day. Rather decidedly.
Table 4 wanted their cheque. The man, indicating, in what Penny knew he considered a sophisticated manner, that he wanted the bill, was a large, red-looking person, his dark hair scraped into a painful comb-over. It made Penny shudder to look at, but she still plastered a good old Nebraska smile onto her face as she sashayed over, planting the little dish with the bill in it on the table, before walking off slowly, to give him a good view. He was the type to tip better if he liked what he saw, she could tell. Usually, Penny would hate to sell out like this, but she needed the money if she wanted to pay off the cute red shoes she'd bought the other week.
Lazily, her mind wandered to the check-engine light in her car. Maybe she should get it to a mechanic. Sheldon always said so…
Abruptly, she stumped that train of thought. Instead, she focussed real hard on carrying out the dishes from Table 2, balanced precariously on her arms. In true waitress style, she dumped them on the kitchen counter, relieved to see her friend Bernadette arrive to take over the shift.
Penny's phone beeped. For a moment, she felt a ridiculous surge of hope and anticipative horror, looking to see who the text was from. Leonard. She didn't want to admit that she was a tiny bit disappointed, quashing the emotion and forcing herself to feel, instead, a sort of token affection.
Want to go out tonight? Xxx
Penny did smile, despite her reaction to the text. Leonard was a thoughtful boyfriend, at the very least. She typed back a reply, pocketing the phone and turning to Bernie, who was tying her mustard yellow apron. "Table 4 need the cheque." She informed her, smiling.
Bernie smiled back. "Thanks Penny. Catch ya later!"
Bernie hurried off to start work and Penny hung up her apron, shrugging on her jacket and stepping outside into the street.
She decided to wear her new red shoes on her date later. Smiling secretly, continuing down the road, she thought about her boyfriend.
Penny sat across from Leonard at the red-trimmed table, staring down at her meal. Her hands were in her lap or utilised moving her fork from the plate to her mouth, each bite seeming tasteless. Leonard was speaking, but she wasn't listening; when she looked up, she saw his brow furrowed in that typical Leonard way, yet she couldn't bring herself to care.
It was shameful. She was thinking about what had happened earlier, with Sheldon.
It made her blush to think of, an incredibly unusual occurrence. Penny knew that Leonard noticed this, his hand gestures becoming progressively larger as he felt her attention slip away. The cheque couldn't come fast enough; Penny was glad to escape the stifling restaurant and get into the street. The fresh air hit her, and she breathed deeply, finally beginning to relax. The night was dark, stars glinting dully above the orangey haze produced by the city and its towering, protruding skyscrapers. Luckily, Leonard called a taxi, so there was no awkward walk home. The car journey was, nonetheless, uncomfortable; the goodbye on the stairs was equally uneasy. Leonard looked thoroughly dejected, leaving Penny contrite.
Once in her apartment, she busied herself with little odd jobs, doing nothing in particular. Her nails were repainted a bright shade of pink, she cleaned the kitchen counter – an event so rare she knew she was not herself – flicked through a magazine, and ended up sat alone on her couch, eyeing up her laptop.
Penny felt, with a sinking in her stomach, a pull to do something she feared she would regret.
She found herself dragging her laptop onto her knees. This is a bad idea, she reminded herself, A bad, bad idea.
Opening her email inbox, Penny began to write. Unsure how to phrase what she wanted to say, she paused, biting her lip. A moment later, she resumed her typing, which was fast. Quickly, she closed her eyes and pressed 'send' before she persuaded herself not to.
Hey Sheldon, are you feeling better?
The reply was almost instantaneous.
Well, my cold has abated, if that is why you are enquiring.
Penny smiled despite herself.
I'm glad.
Breathing in slowly, she began to type out the second part of her message, bracing herself physically.
Look, Sheldon, I've got some hot dogs in the freezer and was wondering if you want to come over tomorrow evening? It'll be nice to catch up.
This reply took a moment of nail-biting suspense to arrive. Penny jumped when the computer beeped.
See you tomorrow evening.
Exhaling, Penny gently closed the lid of her laptop.
In his apartment, Sheldon stared at his screen for a moment longer than necessary. Then he went to make tea.