A/N:
A few things I need to comment here:
1- As a reminder, this chapter is essentially a continuation of the previous chapter, which I felt I needed to split and create as a new chapter.(so this is a shorter one and it mind end on a somewhat weird note but I needed to end that chapter exactly there).
2- VERY important reminder this is a long story, we are actually far from the end, and while SOME personal and relationship conflicts are slowly being resolved here, it hardly means EVERYTHING is already sorted out and there are not more things to talk about and think about etc. (just keep that in mind) (just you know, keep that in mind)
3- THIRD IMPORTANT NOTE. Please keep in mind that what I make the characters say or think is not always my opinion about THEM or life; this is a story about many perspectives, some of which are correct, some of which are incorrect - even the "heroes" see things incorrectly at times. More than that, it is a story about personal development and how we perceive ourselves, among other things (besides the romance, of course). So I beg you to keep that in mind.
4-Reminder that ffnet hates me and it's hard to format social media posts in the ideal way (tbh) I hope that it's not confusing, but if it is, for whoever doesn't understand how the social media posts are mbeing organized, the story is also on ao3 with more ideal formating
5-ENJOY
Cinthy️ ️ Cy3452n
I JUST DROPPED MY PHONE ON THE FLOOR
Hilly hilllaryss
WHAT YEAR IS THIS
june btoninitalyy
hilllaryss girl when was the last time i saw you using all caps
Hilly hilllaryss
btoninitalyy IDK WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME WE GOT THE OLD COLIN BACK?
mimi leonidasn0raxx
OH. MY
𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔩𝔬𝔰 carlosbton
leonidasn0raxx I NEVER KNEW WHAT IT FELT LIKE TO BURST INTO FLAMES UNTIL NOW
Ro is waiting for Sword and the Heart roroswift
Colin remembered his ig password just to defend Penelope
fab featheringtonsdaughter
roroswift IT'S TRUE LOVE
Ro is waiting for Sword and the Heart roroswift
featheringtonsdaughter I mean i wasn't shipping them and i still don't but i don't understand what is happening
Mari noraswig
THEY CAN'T DO THIS TO ME
Vanessa Brown vanybr
noraswig PENELOPE AND COLIN YOU'RE EITHER THE LOVE OF EACH OTHER'S LIVES OR YOU AREN'T PICK ONE BEFORE WE ALL DIE
Mari noraswig
vanybrTHE FIRST ONE
Joe Josephnavarro
Why is Colin Bridgerton trending did he die
billie noraswsift
Josephnavarro no we did
it's always rainy in delulutown loranator
I see Colin and Penelope are trending again and i'm scared
Jessica Souza leonidasbabe
loranator GIRL
it's always rainy in delulutown loranator
leonidasbabe how bad is it
Jessica Souza leonidasbabe
loranator YOU SERIOUSLY DON'T KNOW?
Cinthy️ ️ Cy3452n
leonidasbabe loranator ERIKA GO TO IG RIGHT NOW OR I'LL SWEAR MY GHOST WILL HAUNT YOU FOR ALL ETERNITY
｡ ﾟ ︎｡ ｡ ﾟ ﾟ｡ Dan leo_norax
WHERE WERE YOU AND WHAT WERE YOU DOING WHEN COLIN BRIDGERTON POSTED FOUR STORIES TO SAY HOW MUCH HE LOVES PENELOPE FEATHERINGTON
Olly bridgertonscol3
Okay so let's see if i get this straight *takes a deep breath* colin just admitted the only reason he answered that on the interview was bc penelope is the one who closed the door on them not him
Selena. selfabbri
bridgertonscol3 ppl are saying it's pr but i believe him?
Olly bridgertonscol3
selfabbri Never in his life has this man used ig like this it's not pr
Selena. selfabbri
bridgertonscol3 i mean last time he posted a story like this was like 4 years ago
Selena. selfabbri
bridgertonscol3 before he was cancelled for being whiny
Olly bridgertonscol3
bridgertonscol3 Exactly
Harriet colilns
DID COLIN JUST USE HIS IG STORIES
𝒥𝑒𝓃 thronessatwar
colilns I thought he didn't even know he had one
K. gingerkam
She rejected…. him?
val featheringtonlady
gingerkam Honestly deserved
K. gingerkam
featheringtonlady never understood why ppl were shipping her with an ugly guy who can't even act
Dee warofthorns
#They are so dumb
Re XcolinxXbr1
warofthorns he's obviously lying to save face
Dee warofthorns
XcolinxXbr1 Exactly
Re XcolinxXbr1
warofthorns Pr through and through
Wren arrianassgrandis
First i was mad at Colin now I'm mad at Penelope lol
aniston penelo_pee
arrianassgrandis I mean she doesn't owe him anything
core ladylikeafeather
penelo_pee colin stans being their toxic selves as always
Wren arrianassgrandis
ladylikeafeather ? I'm just upset he's clearly hurting why you ppl have to make everything a problem
sab bbtooncol
People actually believe Colin thinks penelope is pretty LMAO
ɪʀɪꜱ swor4onh3rt
bbtooncol This was by far the most obvious pr move i've ever seen
sab bbtooncol
swor4onh3rt but i mean ppl eat it up so good for them
Denise S. easternprincess
bbtooncol swor4onh3rt you ppl just can't accept that nobody cares about a low-tier actor who only gets roles because of his brother
Chrissy chriszabala
honestly sick of this mid looking mid talented actor putting penelope's name on his mouth every single time
Vivi featheringtonviv
chriszabala he's so self centered he doesn't even see he won't help at all
Daniella pensfeathers
featheringtonviv chriszabala this is what i'm saying he should just shut up
Vivi featheringtonviv
chriszabala pensfeathers been on the internet long enough to know he doesn't know how to the man loves the sound of his own voice
Chrissy chriszabala
featheringtonviv pensfeathers well something has to make up for the lack of talent
Samantha ﾟ｡ watched fourth wing 4x mermaaidsammy
Okay i never cared about this stupid book but now i kinda need to watch the movie
Nanda nandaxinha
mermaaidsammy same lmao
Alex 𓍢ִ໋͙֒ VibeXia
nandaxinha mermaaidsammy y'all seriously falling for that? that's just colin regular need to call attention before everyone remembers his problematic behavior right before the movie his own brother cast him premieres
Nanda nandaxinha
mermaaidsamm VibeXia problematic behavior? I never heard about this before
Alex 𓍢ִ໋͙֒ VibeXia
nandaxinha mermaaidsammy only likes younger girls, got into fights with journalists, used drugs, and the media covered it up. He even went to rehab for a while, gained a lot of weight when he was there too
Z. ZX867
What do you mean the director and the main actress are fighting but then the actress came out to defend him and now the secondary couple is in love but isn't but is
billie noraswsift
ZX867 the funniest part about all this is they aren't even the secondary couple
Z. ZX867
noraswsift what? They aren't?
billie noraswsift
ZX867 no lmao
Hilly hilllaryss
noraswsift ZX867 basically the producers had the brilliant idea of casting two platonic friends with chemistry to act as the two platonic friends ppl have been shipping for a decade
Z. ZX867
noraswsift hilllaryss their characters don't even get together?
billie noraswsift
ZX867 hilllaryss no the ending is terrible
Felicity felalbby
Penelope Featherington THE WOMAN YOU ARE
Sa. sarahsnorthqueen
felalbby my jaw now lives permanently on the floor
「 tami 」 bR1d6y_Qu33n
If someone said I'd ever call Colin Bridgerton romantic I'd laugh in their face.
kimberly funniestgirlk
bR1d6y_Qu33n romantic? you ppl lost the plot completely
kay𓆰𓆪lora era loraskiss
Colin: penelope is beautiful and smart and perfect and she smells nice and everyone that disagrees just go to jail
Colin: AND ONE MORE THING—
mimi leonidasn0raxx
loraskiss no but why is this LITERALLY what happened I'm losing it
nai saw the eras x5 swifitamondo
Maybe i can't fix him but penelope featherington can
.༘ Fa loratheexplorer
swifitamondo LMAO
coleen nuclearcolll
My soul just left my body
Cinthy️ ️ Cy3452n
nuclearcolll LIKE I SERIOUSLY NEVER SAW COLIN LIKE THIS
coleen nuclearcolll
Cy3452n No i mean i watched the movie
Cinthy️ ️ Cy3452n
nuclearcolll WHAT WHY HOW TELL ME EVERYTHING
coleen nuclearcolll
Cy3452n press screening but i can't say more the embargo hasn't lifted yet
The champagne glass shattered with a sharp crack, sending shards of glass and a spray of bubbly liquid across the polished floor. Everyone's eyes were on her, the silence heavy and expectant, but all she could focus on was the phone screen in her hands.
Kate placed both hands on her shoulders, and the world snapped back into focus as she realised she'd been hyperventilating.
"Are you okay?" Kate's concerned voice and warm brown eyes came into focus.
Her attention then shifted to something behind Penelope. She reassured whoever was there, saying, "It's alright." Taking one of Penelope's hands, Kate turned to address the same person, stating, "We just need to clean up," before leading the girl away.
Penelope quickly realised that Kate had led them to a different restroom than the one she had used before. Unlike the elegant, clean, and fresh-smelling restroom they had just entered, that one was nothing like it. Walking toward the sink, the redhead briefly berated her own stupidity before splashing water on her face.
"Pen," Kate called out, rushing to her side and holding her hair back so it wouldn't get wet.
"Why would he do that?" Penelope asked, her face still flushed as she reached for a paper towel. Her eyes welled up with tears once again, just like they had countless times throughout the day. "Why..." she asked, her voice trembling as she wiped her face. "Why would he say that?"
"I'm not sure what happened between you two, but—" Kate said soothingly, watching Penelope furiously wipe her face.
"Absolutely nothing!" Penelope exclaimed, lifting her hands, both clutching paper towels. Incredulity and confusion were evident in her blue eyes. "Nothing ever happened between us, I don't…" Her voice trembled as her hands flew up to cover her face. "I can't stand him, I really can't stand him."
Kate could only stare, utterly taken aback by such an unguarded display of emotion she had never witnessed in the woman before.
"I..." Penelope's voice faltered again, and she raised her head, looking into Kate's eyes. Overwhelmed by her feelings, she couldn't bring herself to lie. "This is exactly why this is so hard," she said, her voice tight with frustration, pointing a shaky finger towards the dressing room. "Why can't he just be... dreadful?" the redhead inquired, her breath catching in her throat. "Every single time I try to forget him, he just won't let me, because he always does this, he's always just..." She shook her head, throwing her hands by her sides. "Him."
That seemed about right, Kate thought briefly. It had been a year and a half since she first met the duo, and despite their constant denials, it seemed impossible that there were no feelings between them. So it didn't surprise her in the slightest that Penelope indeed had feelings for Colin, but she just wasn't sure if Penelope was seeing the whole picture.
"He really cares about you," Kate explained.
Penelope touched her forehead, biting her lip, a look on her face that suggested she already knew—and that was exactly the problem.
"But…" Kate continued, furrowing her brow as Colin's stories filled her with a sense of confusion. "Are you sure he doesn't—"
"No, he doesn't," Penelope cut Kate off, preventing the other actress from completing her question. She couldn't even bear the question that he might harbour romantic feelings for her. "Believe me, he doesn't," she insisted, splashing more water on her face, undoing all her efforts to dry it. "That's just Colin being Colin," she waved dismissively. "I know him; he's just trying to protect me from the media. You did something like that for Anthony. It wasn't as demented, but still, it didn't mean a thing, did it?"
Kate paused, her mind reeling; it was as if Penelope's words had just rewired her brain, completely altering her perception of her own actions. "Yes…" she murmured, a hesitant pause hanging in the air before she continued, "I mean no, of course it didn't," her cheeks flushing slightly.
Penelope gestured toward the woman, underlining her point, then inhaled deeply, gazed at her reflection, and finally, with her eyes closed, placed a hand on her face. "I just..." she began, her voice barely a whisper, then swallowed hard before bravely admitting, "I wish I didn't love him."
"Have you ever told him?" Kate asked, the question so unexpected it almost made Penelope laugh.
"Do I need to?" she said, her eyes searching Kate's face for a sign of agreement. "Isn't it obvious?"
Kate wrinkled her forehead, contemplating that after everything that was commented about them, perhaps it was, but then again in theory, so were Colin's feelings for her, and yet they all knew things weren't that simple.
"That's not how it works," Kate said. "You can't really know what is going on in people's minds or hearts unless you talk to them."
With a shake of her head and pursed lips, Penelope retorted, "What difference does it make? Look at all of you, look at me," she said, as if that explained everything.
Confused by her words, but sensing negativity in her self-deprecating tone, Kate asked, "And what exactly am I supposed to be looking at?"
The other woman scoffed, shaking her head at Kate. "You're too kind."
Tilting her head back, Kate's brown, eyeliner-rimmed eyes showed disbelief. "No, I'm dead serious."
The girl stared at her with wide, incredulous blue eyes. "Haven't you been online? I'm pretty sure they could go on and on about every little thing that's wrong with me. I don't fit in here with any of you. You all are..." she looked towards the ceiling, searching for the words, "perfect and I'm..."
Short, average looking, overweight—
Penelope was interrupted by a derisive snort from Kate; the sound was sharp and unexpected, and Kate's face was a mask of confusion.
"You must be joking," Kate said. "Pen, do you have any idea how old I am?" Penelope furrowed her brow, clearly about to voice her bewilderment, when Kate continued, "Haven't you ever noticed anyone mentioning that? 'Who does that old hag think she's fooling?'" She said, waving her hand and mimicking an obnoxious fan. "See these wrinkles?" Kate gestured towards the laughter lines around her eyes.
"Wrinkles? Are you crazy?" Penelope exclaimed.
"And then there's my nose, the way I'm abnormally tall, or not feminine enough," Kate carried on, a self-deprecating smile playing on her lips. "The way my 'funny' accent occasionally slips out, and the fact that I'm a thirty-seven-year-old unmarried woman without children, about to have my eggs all dried up." She raised her eyebrows thoughtfully. "And let's not forget about the colour of my skin..."
"Kate, please," Penelope interrupted, completely shocked by her list. "This is absolutely ridiculous. You are," she exhaled, "one of the most talented, most beautiful women I have ever met. I don't have words for how absurd—"
"I know," Kate replied with a knowing smile. "It took me…" she trailed off, her lips pressed tightly together as she said, "a really long time to understand that some people are always out for blood, and we cannot let their spiteful lies become truths in our minds."
Penelope gazed at her, letting the woman's statement sink in. In her mind, she recognised the sense in what Kate had said, which was similar to what Colin had expressed in his stories. However, it was difficult for Penelope to accept it, considering how she had grown up with people constantly pointing out her insecurities. Still, she couldn't deny that it was eye-opening to realise that even someone as perfect as Kate Sharma had faced such hateful treatment.
Nodding, Penelope conveyed she had heard Kate's words. She then dabbed at her eyes with a paper towel, joking, "Since when is being tall a bad thing, anyway?"
Kate smiled in response, rolling her eyes. "Believe it or not, it's a real problem, even when dating."
"What?" Penelope asked, unable to fathom such a thing.
"Oh, absolutely," Kate said, looking at her with an amused expression. "You might find it hard to believe, but not all men like it when they can't tower over you." Then, a humorous thought crossed her mind, and she added, "I think even Anthony gets annoyed when we argue and I get too up in his face and—" She furrowed her eyebrows, realising it was an odd segue, before clearing her throat and refocusing on Penelope. "Anyway, trust me, they love being taller."
Finding the woman absurd, Penelope shook her head, a thought occurring that she might sound just as silly complaining about her own appearance.
"I honestly had no clue I had a superpower," Penelope joked, referring to her very short stature.
Kate sarcastically widened her eyes, mocking amusement glinting in them. "Indeed," she said, straightening up. Her voice softened to a serious tone. "You should try it, actually. Ask Colin to fetch things from top shelves for you."
Even though she'd been crying, the woman's words cracked Penelope up, resulting in a fresh wave of tears that ran down her cheeks, hot and salty. With a sniffle, she rubbed her eyes with her index fingers, and said, "I think that ship has long sailed. And I have no idea how to handle that. He's one of my best friends, maybe my only best friend right now. I could only bring myself to end our friendship because I realised he valued his image more than me, but then…"
"I understand," Kate responded, her lips pursed in thoughtful contemplation, and her arms tightly crossed. She pondered how to help Penelope. "Maybe we just need to go out more."
"What?" Penelope asked, her bright blue eyes locking onto Kate's deep brown ones.
"Just something my sister has been talking about lately," Kate murmured. She took a moment to inhale before continuing. "It seems like I should cut back on work a bit and enjoy myself more."
Penelope let out a rather amusing sigh. To her surprise, she found she wasn't the only one getting such advice.
"I never really agreed with that, but maybe..." Her voice trailed off, sounding kinder than Marina had ever been. "Maybe both of us can do it together. You can find someone to move on from Colin, and I can find someone..." She paused, exhaling audibly. "Someone who's taller than me."
"I'm pretty sure you could find someone right this second if you wanted to," Penelope replied, a kind smile forming on her lips.
"Have you seen the pool of single men in London?" Kate raised an eyebrow. "I think we need to branch out to New Zealand."
Penelope laughed again, somehow not despising her suggestion. She wouldn't mind occasionally having a girls' night out with Kate, especially since she needed to find a better way to move on from Colin. Her decades-old methods were an absolute disaster.
"Alright then," Penelope conceded. "Let's give it a go."
Penelope had a full day to decide what to do before seeing Colin again. She debated whether to stay away for good or try to rekindle their friendship, weighing all the nuances in between.
With 24 hours at her disposal, she thought long and hard about the matter and ended up with… absolutely nothing.
So there she was, on her way to yet another talk show that they were supposed to attend. With the film's premiere only a week away, they knew they would see each other—and the rest of the cast—more and more every day, which would only make things worse.
Fortunately, when she arrived at the studio, there weren't any other cast or crew members around. This allowed her to enjoy a few minutes of calm, despite the now-customary stares in her way. That was until she was directed to yet another dressing room; but this time, when she opened the door, Colin was there.
He froze, and Penelope remained rooted to the spot, her hand still on the door. She couldn't help but notice his red-rimmed eyes and his messy hair, along with his black shirt that clung to his body beneath a pair of brown pants. Just seeing him sent warmth rushing through her veins, and it felt as if time had stopped, despite only a day passing since their fight.
"Ten minutes, that's all I can give you," Will stated, his words causing Penelope to notice him and John for the first time since her arrival.
As Colin's manager and assistant walked by, she finally tore her eyes away from him. The door closed with a soft thud, and she stood beside it, her eyes tracing the grain of the reddish wood as if it held the key to avoiding Colin.
Noticing her closed-off demeanour, the actor pursed his lips. A subtle frown etched itself onto his face as his gaze dropped to the soft, brown leather of his expensive Italian shoes. He knew that what he had done would likely not be forgiven, as it seemed he had irreparably hurt Penelope. But he couldn't help but wish that somehow he hadn't lost her forever, even though it was a futile wish.
"Look, Pen, I'm truly... truly sorry," he said, his voice tinged with regret. "I never...," his voice wavered, the sound of his uncertainty lingering in the air. "The last thing I ever wanted was to hurt you, and I realise now it's far too late to make amends."
Penelope remained in silence, not contradicting his statement, and Colin realised that indeed having hope was idiotic. A dry scoff escaped his lips as he continued, the bitterness evident in his tone. "It's a bit ironic, actually. I made both of us promise that none of this would affect our friendship, and yet here I am, the one who's gone and broken it."
Penelope blinked, having forgotten about that.
Promise me that whatever happens, we won't let it affect our friendship. Only the power of this pinky swear can conquer the fanwars awaiting us.
Her laughter danced through the air, and his eyes sparkled with delight. And now there they were, and she wondered if she somehow hadn't broken that promise a little too.
But then she recalled something else he had mentioned that day.
"Colin," she whispered, her voice thin and high, instantly pulling his attention, and she found an unexpected strength to look directly into his eyes. "You said there's nothing we can do to change how fans or the media react. So why did you even try?"
Taken aback by her reply, he stared in surprise. He pursed his lips and furrowed his brow in thought before answering, "I had to try for you."
Her heart raced, the rapid beats echoing in her ears, as she struggled to process his admission.
"And if I couldn't change it, I would stand by your side then," he added, his voice filled with determination. "At least you wouldn't have to face their scrutiny alone."
Damn it, Colin, she thought, her vision starting to blur. A frustrated grimace contorted her features, compelling her to press her fingers against her eyes in a desperate attempt to regain her composure.
"And because you had to know." His voice, so certain, left her breathless. "I don't care if anyone assumes we're dating. I couldn't care less if they think we secretly want to be together or have wild theories about us being married with children. And I'm sorry if it ever made you feel like I was ashamed of you, because that couldn't be further from the truth."
"I know," she replied, her voice choked up as she looked up at him in tears, having lost the battle with herself. "I know, okay? I got that when I watched you."
Whether she liked it or not, she understood Colin more than she wished she did. His heart was the biggest in the world, even when he messed up, which was infuriating. As soon as she watched his stories, she understood what he was trying to say. It was about more than defending her relentlessly; she saw that because she could always read his heart. That was how she fell in love with him in the first place.
However, Colin watched her frustrated expression and misinterpreted it. With a sorrowful twist of his face, he looked away and nodded. "I understand that this doesn't make up for anything, Pen. I just didn't know what else to do. I realise..." He inhaled sharply, his chest tightening, eyes squeezed shut for a moment before continuing, "…I realise I fall short in so many aspects of my life. I just never wanted to fall short this terribly in our friendship."
Despite battling a surge of tears and the conflicting emotions she felt for Colin, Penelope couldn't help but pause, a lump forming in her throat at his illogical response.
"What are you talking about?" She asked.
He looked at her, finding her confusion somewhat amusing. "Come on, Pen, it's not as if you haven't noticed before."
She blinked, now feeling completely lost in the conversation.
"I'm a bit of a disaster, at least half the time. It's quite remarkable how someone can struggle with just about everything," he said, gesturing with his hands to emphasise his point. "Not great at maintaining friendships, even worse in relationships, hopeless at sports, and there wasn't a single subject in school where I excel—"
"—You were good in literature."
"I'm a terrible dancer, just an alright singer, absolutely dreadful at telling jokes—"
"I laugh at all your jokes—"
"I ended up spending twice as long as the average actor on media training, simply because I'm hopeless at giving interviews. And even then, I still managed to make a right mess of it. Honestly, I think the only reason I became an actor is that the one thing I'm good at is not being myself."
Completely baffled, Penelope stared at him, unsure how to address the utter absurdity of his reasoning. Because, to her, the only issue with Colin was that he had always been too perfect, annoyingly so.
He let out a wet, ragged laugh, and Penelope realised, with a pang of sadness, that he was crying—something she hadn't witnessed in years.
"I can't even manage to keep my own emotions in check, I never could, really." He wiped his eyes, looking down at the tears as if they were an offence to him. "Which is rather humiliating."
"Colin," she shook her head and took a step towards him, "I've never heard you spout so many stupid things all at once, I swear to you," her voice trembled as she, too, was crying. "The fact that you have always been so sensitive is one of the best things about you, by far."
The man finally ceased his self-deprecating mutterings, his gaze settling on her with an expression of utter bewilderment, as if she were some strange creature from another planet. He had never thought anyone could find that part of him appealing, yet Penelope did, and the thought sent a surprising, joyful tremor through his heart.
She bit her lip, holding back from saying too much, and glanced away, her cheeks turning crimson as she said, "And, honestly, I have no idea where you got the notion that you're lacking in anything. It's quite frankly the most absurd thing I've ever heard."
Colin shook his head, reminding himself to be realistic; her words were just polite. He then looked away, placing his hands on his hips.
"I mean it," she said, her frustration growing with his doubt.
"Pen, even before," he closed his eyes, not wanting to mention it again, "this week, our friendship was barely holding on until we were cast in the same movie." Penelope furrowed her brow as he continued, "We hardly spoke since Eloise left."
She halted. Because she was convinced that Colin hadn't even noticed that, but once again, she was proven wrong.
"I was busy, and so were you," she argued, her voice tinged with desperation, clinging to the old excuses that had kept them apart.
But as he scoffed and shook his head, a bitter undertone laced his self-deprecating words. "It's alright, Pen. I know I'm not my sister."
"I don't want you to be your sister," Penelope blurted out.
She couldn't comprehend how their conversation had reached this point. But when Colin looked into her eyes, she noticed something she had never seen before. He didn't understand why Penelope was his friend in the first place.
"Colin," she began, her throat dry as she swallowed hard, "I didn't become your friend just because you're Eloise's brother. You know that, right?"
His twisted lip and avoided gaze expressed his disbelief, making Penelope unexpectedly defensive.
"I mean, I know I've always been your little sister's best friend to you, but—"
"What?" Colin's head snapped towards her. "What are you talking about?"
"Isn't that how you've always seen me?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.
"No," he responded, creasing his forehead.
It was peculiar how the answer came effortlessly, despite the fact that he had indeed viewed her in that light, especially at the start. Perhaps for many years he had indeed classified her inside that box in his head, but as the years went by, it became far from the truth. Until she became this constant and self-titled presence in his life, Penelope being Penelope and nothing else.
"Okay..." Penelope's voice trailed off, a frown emerging on her face as she glanced down at her hands, idly toying with her fingers.
An unusual silence settled between them as Penelope continued scrutinising her nails, determined not to let anxiety ruin her manicure. She wasn't entirely certain what they had just clarified, but it felt as though a few things had been resolved within her heart.
She had already come to the decision that she couldn't spend her entire life in love with Colin. That chapter was over, and she would make sure of it. However, she couldn't deny the fact that they were friends, and always had been. The moment she saw that video, she had forgiven him, and even more so now, after their conversation. She was well aware of that.
Meanwhile, Colin stared at her, in a state of expectation, though he wasn't sure what he was waiting for. As she focused on her fingertips, his gaze lingered on her shiny, soft hair, serving as a vivid reminder of his words from the previous day. Penelope was, without a doubt, stunning; he certainly hadn't been wrong about that.
In fact, it seemed like his mind was constantly reminding him of that fact throughout the day. It was as though, now that he had openly admitted to all the things he knew about Penelope, he simply couldn't help but notice them, not even for a second.
Like when she entered the room, and he immediately noticed her soft, floral dress that accentuated her curves—which she had, quite a few of them. Or how the small red flowers on her dress perfectly matched her hair and lipstick, making her lips appear particularly enticing that day. And that was precisely what he meant when he expressed his confusion about how people didn't see how stunning she was because she…
"Maybe... maybe we could have a fresh start?" Penelope said, looking up at him and interrupting his thoughts.
Colin blinked, struggling to refocus on the conversation. "What—"
She pursed her lips, and he tried not to be distracted by them as she continued, "I think it's quite clear that we've both been viewing our friendship from the wrong angle. Perhaps we should hit the reset button and clear up any misunderstandings."
Doubt clouded his face as he tried to understand her meaning. Was she actually forgiving him?
Penelope extended her hand to Colin, determined to keep her emotions separate from their friendship. She knew that from that moment on, things would change. She would move forward, find someone new, and experience love again, all while maintaining a normal relationship with her friend, Colin.
"Friends?" she asked him.
Colin stared at her in awe, as if something impossible had occurred. A slow smile crossed his lips as he finally reached out to shake her hand. "Friends," he replied, the word feeling unfamiliar as her gentle touch sent shivers down his spine
Before he could dwell more on it, the door burst open with a loud bang, and Will appeared, startling them. The manager took one look at their distraught expressions, tear-streaked cheeks, and bloodshot eyes and pointed to them, saying, "I won't help any of you if rumours start circulating online about you two doing lines of coke backstage."
With their hands still intertwined, Colin and Penelope exchanged a look before bursting into laughter. And in that moment, Colin realised that even amidst the slight confusion, his heart felt incomparably lighter now that she had returned to his life.
Hyacinth: Colin
Colin: Hya I swear everyone that needed to yell at me already did
Hyacinth: actually
Hyacinth: i was gonna say it was really nice what you did
Daphne: i agree
Gregory: same here
Colin: uhum
Colin: so that's why you all are talking to me now
Hyacinth: obviously
Benedict: what do you think
Gregory: yes
Anthony: good for you, because I, for one, am just about to start ignoring him.
Benedict: anthony
Benedict: You of all people should be thanking him
Gregory: LMAO
Anthony: and why is that exactly
Anthony: besides the fact he started a pr nightmare twice
Benedict: for one my neighbour just came up to me showing her granddaughter's ig screen and swearing she was going to watch your movie
Benedict: and she hasn't stepped out of her house since 84
Gregory: something she and anthony have in common then
Anthony: I wish
Hyacinth: honestly it's all anyone's talking about.
Hyacinth: had to log off ig for the first time in years so i'd stop seeing colin's face every 5 seconds
Colin: love you too hya
Gregory: i mean daphne has heard about it that's all the proof you need right there
Daphne: i'm not even gonna bother replying
Hyacinth: you just did?
Daphne: ok so
Daphne: now that everyone is on speaking terms again
Gregory: except eloise
Daphne: i need to make an announcement
Daphne: and an invitation
Benedict: mom im scared
Colin locked his phone, the click echoing in the quiet room, and dropped it onto the smooth wooden table as he breathed deeply, preparing to leave.
The talk show interview went smoothly, and he and Penelope successfully avoided any overly personal questions from the host. Sure, people were still staring at them, but he expected the attention to fade soon, as it always did.
"The car has arrived, Colin," his assistant announced from the door, catching the actor's attention momentarily.
"Thank you," he said absentmindedly as he retrieved his phone. However, he suddenly remembered something and paused. "John," he called.
The man paused, his grip on the door tightening as if he sensed something was wrong in Colin's tone. He looked at his boss and confirmed his suspicions when he saw the tense expression on Colin's face.
He had been expecting it, his dismissal, that is. It was just that a day had gone by since Colin's video, and the silence from his boss was breeding a foolish optimism that his ignored calls had been forgotten.
Colin pursed his lips, fiddling with a jagged piece from the dressing room vanity. "I know I'm not the easiest person to work with, and I'm far from being the best boss," he said. "I'm fully aware of all the ways Penelope is a better person than me. And if you had chosen anyone else over me to be loyal to, trust me, we wouldn't even be having this conversation."
John blinked, his hand going limp against the door before Colin looked at him.
"I don't expect you to like me, but I do need your professional loyalty," he concluded. "If you feel unable to continue in your position because of me, I completely understand. I am more than willing to provide you with a letter of recommendation to help you pursue other job opportunities. However, if you choose to stay, I ask for your loyalty, flaws and all. Do you understand?"
John, completely astonished, felt his voice catch in his throat. Unable to speak, he watched as Colin, without waiting for a reply, walked past him toward the elevator. As he watched his boss leave, witnessing yet another new side of him for the third day in a row, he realised that he had fallen into the same trap as many members of the public. Things were definitely not as he had believed.
A/N:PHEWWWWWW
And now, I would like you to wait 10 minutes and, while you are at it, look up famous Brittany Murphy quotes from the movie Clueless, just, you know, to pass the time.
See you!