What Happens In City Does Not Stay In City

Chapter 2

(at a school, many many years into the future...)

"Hi Harmony! Hi Penelope!" Tyler called to the fraternal twins.

Tyler

Age: 16

Let's face it, just Tyler.

Penelope hid behind her twin at the sound of his voice; she was too shy to talk to him.

"Oh hey Tyler! What's up?" Harmony asked.

Harmony Thompson

Age 16

"The Loud One"

"Not too much, just wanted to see what you two were up to...Penelope are you ok?"

Penelope quickly nodded.

Penelope Thompson

Age: 16

"The quiet/shy one"

Tyler laughed; he thought Penelope was cute.

"What's up?!" Scarlett greeted.

Scarlett

Age 17

Just Scarlett.

"Hey Scarlett! We're just talking." Harmony answered in response.

"Hi" Penelope half squeaked; still nervous because Tyler was there.

"Hey Penny, what's up? Cat has your tongue?" Scarlett asked.

Penelope smiled, but shook her head, "N-nothing much.." she stuttered a bit more calm.

"We should go and do something." Tyler suggested.

"Basketball!" Harmony suggested with a grin.

"Sure! Basketball sounds fun." He agreed.

Penelope attempted to cover the panic that she began to feel; she wasn't the most athletic person, and usually made up tons of excuses to get out of P.E. class.

"Come on Penny!" Harmony locked arms with Penelope.

"O-okay." Penelope quietly squeaked looking as if she was about to cry.

Harmony began to sing as they walked, "We're off to play basketball! The wonderful game of basket! And uh...Penny might win!"

Tyler laughed, "Does Penelope even play basketball?"

"No...but I have! and we're sisters so that counts for something."

Tyler smiled, "I guess it does."

Penelope quietly whimpered as they drew closer to the basketball court. Once they started playing she started to feel better; it helped that she was on a team with her sister. Unfortunately she ended up gaining too much confidence and decided to show them one of the cool 'tricks' she could do with the basketball. She started off by dribbling and somehow lost her balance and tripped making the ball smash into her nose. Completely embarrassed and in pain she fell to the ground covering her face; blood starting to trickle down her hands, and didn't move a muscle.

"Shit, that's a lot of blood." Harmony said in awe.

"Penelope! are you ok?" Tyler asked extremely concerned, running to her side. She still didn't move, if anything it seemed like she had become even more motionless.

"I'll call for help." said Scarlett, pulling out her phone.

Penelope slowly, very slowly, stood up; the blood running down faster, shaking her head so Scarlett wouldn't call for help. She moved her hands a little bit so you could see her mouth, "I'm fine."

"I'm calling mom." Harmony said as she called Mom. "Hey mom? Penelope's bleeding to death, can you come help?"

"Why did you say she's bleeding to death?" Tyler asked attempting to get Penny to move her hands so he could look at the damage of her nose.

"Because," Harmony moved Penelope's hands. "She'll come here quicker."

Penelope slapped Harmony's hands and proceeded to cover her nose.

"Dammit Penelope let us look at it!" Tyler raised his voice.

"N-NO! I'm fine." Penelope hid behind Harmony.

Then Layla showed up. "PENELOPE PAPRIKA THOMPSON!"

Layla Mary Thompson

Loving wife and mother

Penelope whimpered turning completely white, covering her nose just a little bit tighter, attempted to hide behind Harmony even further.

Harmony backed away, picking up the bloody basketball while Layla went to Penelope.

Penelope reached out her hand to try to get Harmony to stay..but quickly brought it back to continue covering her nose.

Layla wrapped an arm around her, bringing her to the car and driving her to the hospital.

She desperately tried to convince her mother that she was indeed, fine and yes, she was still covering her nose and wouldn't let anybody see it.

Layla phoned Benjamin, telling him what happened and asking him to bring Harmony to the hospital with him.

He drove up to the court where the three were still playing basketball.

"Harmony!" he called walking up.

Benjamin Thompson

The husband and father

Harmony gave him a weird look, taking a step back, "How the hell do you know my name, stranger?"

Benjamin raised his eyebrow giving a slightly unimpressed look, "ha. ha. very funny. Common we have to go to the hospital."

Harmony sighed, "Why do I have to go? Her nose is fine."

"Because your mother said she wants us all to be there...what exactly happened anyways?"

"She tried to be cool and impress Tyler over there by dribbling and she tripped, getting herself smacked in the face with the ball." Harmony said with a straight serious face.

Benjamin burst out laughing, "Really? that's hilarious!"

"No dad," Harmony shook her head slowly, "It's not. It's basketball. Basketball is a serious game."

"She smashed herself in the face trying to impress Tyler." Benjamin said still laughing.

Harmony glared at him, "You never mix love and sports together. Don't you know that?"

"Apparently not." he looked at his watch, "Okay, lets go, you're mom'll get mad at me if we aren't there soon."

"Fine," Harmony relented.

They arrived at the hospital fifteen minutes later...and were there for an hour and still had no progress getting Penelope to let the doctor look at her nose.

"You know Penelope," Harmony put down a book she was reading entitled: How To Know if Your Parents Are Trying to Kill You or Send You to Boarding School. "If you don't let them see your nose, it'll get infected and gross until it finally falls off. Then everyone will think that you're Voldemort's daughter."

"Nuh-uh." Penelope argued.

"And," Harmony got up, walking towards her, "the dance is next month. What will you do if you can't go with Tyler, because mom will be keeping you at home, nursing you to health. Twenty. Four. Seven."

Penelope fussed, but uncovered her nose a little. Harmony patted her on the head, smiling. Penelope glared back at her.

"That's as much as I'm moving my hands." Penelope stated firmly.

"Penelope, common, this is ridiculous, just let the doctor see your nose." Benjamin told her softly.

Penelope shook her head. Layla lost it, "DAMMIT PENELOPE! LET THE DOCTOR SEE YOUR ******* NOSE!"

"B-but its f-fine.." Penelope quietly argued.

"Penelope," Layla said quietly, her voice was soft, but the way she put her hand on Penelope's shoulder was a tell-tale that she was pissed. "Let the doctor see your damn nose, please and thank you." she smiled, leaving no room for argument.

"But-but mom.." Penelope whined.

"I don't want to hear it." Layla said through clenched teeth.

Penelope finally gave in, revealing the completely crooked, bloodstained nose, "There."

Benjamin's face turned red from trying not to burst out laughing. Harmony picked up the book she was reading before.

Penelope seeing that her father was about to laugh at her, instantly covered her nose back up. "That's why I didn't want anyone to see my nose!" she said nearly sobbing.

"I'm sorry, I'm sorry." Benjamin said calming down, but still laughing.