Chapter Text
Penelope Park wasn't your usual teenager. Not in the slightest. She wasn't the clichèd "she was beautiful, but she didn't know it." No, no. She was beautiful and she was well-aware. She knew exactly the effect she had on people, she knew perfectly well what she wanted and how to get it. She was calculating. A mastermind, really. If you asked her, anyway.
That was until she met Josie Saltzman: a young, beautiful witch who stole her breath away, and possibly her heart too (though she would never admit it), the very first time she saw her.
And maybe, just maybe, when her eyes landed on the brunette she was speechless and she forgot her usual cool and collected self, though it was only for a second, mind you.
Being the new girl in a school like the one she was at, sucked. Everybody knew everyone else's business and she loved her privacy. She soon found out the source of all the gossip and information, the day after her arrival, when a short blonde sat beside her at lunch and just a few seconds after she introduced herself she started asking an overwhelming amount of questions. If she hadn't known any better, Penelope would have thought the chick was trying to write a book about her.
She managed to deflect most of the questions and on those occasions were the girl was relentless about getting her answers, she gave her snarky remarks and clever one-liners. By the time the bell rang, Penelope could tell that the girl was pretty disappointed by the lack of new information she received. Or maybe she was more disappointed she couldn't blab about the new girl during the long lessons to come; Penelope, on her front, was really proud that she managed to maintain her private business... Well, private.
Soon after that, she realized that not answering the blonde's questions only dragged more attention on herself. She quickly became the talk on everybody's lips: the mysterious, allusive new girl who was hiding God knows what big secret.
Penelope didn't mind the attention. She didn't mind the intrigued eyes following her around the school, nor she minded the talks whispered in ears every time she walked in a room. She paid no attention to it. As long as nobody was bothering her personally, she was fine with being the talk of the week, knowing that sooner or later people would just grow tired of speculating and they would just move on to another topic. For the time being she just had to find a place far enough from the school to have some peace and quiet. That school was sure noisy. Good thing she liked to walk.
On the fourth day at the Salvatore school, Penelope found a nice clearing in the woods, not far from a little cemetery, real creepy, no doubt, but still breathtaking.
She was heading that way that Saturday, her mind wandering yet again to one particular brunette that she still hadn't been able to shake from her head. They hadn't had a real conversation, other than that first introduction when Mr Saltzman welcomed her to the school and introduced her to his daughters. In the six days spent at the school, Penelope still found Josie to be the most interesting part of it all.
She came close to walk over to the brunette and say 'hi' a couple of times, just to turn on her heels and go straight back where she came from, when she was standing just a couple of feet apart.
Penelope was still trying to analyze why that girl had such an effect on her. It's not like that was the first crush she ever had. Not by any means. But there was something about that face, something about the aura she emitted that had the power to render her speechless and turn her mouth dry every single time. She was always so smooth and collected without even meaning to be, but that one time she needed her overflowing confidence, that's when it failed her? That wasn't very cooperative of her. Not in the slightest.
She was so absorbed in her thoughts, she didn't notice that her usual spot in the clearing was already taken and she almost stumbled upon the young girl sat cross-legged on the grass.
"Oh, I'm so sorry," said the girl looking up.
"No, I'm..." Trailed off Penelope, before she could see who it was and of course it was her. Of all the people and all the places. Of course Josie Saltzman was sitting in the only solitary place she could find.
"I didn't realize anyone knew this place," the raven-haired mumbled, as if that was an explanation for why she almost stomp all over the witch, but the brunette simply smiled, she smiled one of those breathtakingly kind smiles that Penelope had only ever seen on her face.
"Not many people like the hike." She replied softly and Penelope had the feeling the other girl understood everything she wanted to say, but she didn't. "I hope you don't mind sharing," Josie added, sitting back down as she was before being interrupted. "If it's necessary I'm even willing to do one of those joined custody thing. You get it three days a week and I get the other four?" She asked teasingly, before the raven-haired could even answered the first thing.
"As long as we split the weekend equally!" She replied matching the teasing tone and sitting down by her side. And maybe she silently congratulated with herself for not loosing her usual attitude.
The girl laughed sincerely, the noise echoed in Penelope's head long after it was finished as if she was trying to commit it to her memory for future use.
After that the two girls fell in a quiet silence, that was only slightly awkward, but not really for some reason.
"So," said Josie after a long moment, raising her eyes to focus on the girl next to her. "How was your first week?" She asked and Penelope thought she looked genuinely interested, it didn't sound like she was just trying to fill the silence, or to spread rumours or report to her father, so the girl shrugged, trying to find something to say that was little deeper than "it was ok", but she couldn't come up with much, so she said just that.
"It was ok," and Josie raised one single eyebrow at her, intrigued and amused. "I mean, not that I expected a talking hat or anything, but I'm sure a moving staircase wouldn't be so hard to achieve." She added making the brunette at her side laugh again and she quickly recognized that she loved hearing that, she loved seeing that face lit up by genuine laughter, but more than anything she loved being the cause of it.
"You'll have to put it down in the suggestion box, I'm sure my dad will find it to be top priority." She countered when her laugh turned into a soft giggle, which, if possible, was even cuter.
"I might just do that." She replied trying to maintain her façade instead of turning into a staring creep.
"Other than your failed expectations?" Josie asked after another moment and now she was prying.
Penelope noticed and she regarded her for a long moment, trying to understand why.
Josie was looking at her with a soft smile on her lips, but her eyes were serious, it was as if she was telling her that she was well-aware of the fact that she was hiding behind jokes and a tough attitude, but she knew there was more to it. Or maybe Penelope was just reading way too much in that single look.
"Accademically it looks great," she said simply and it was true and not only because it was the only school of its kind that she knew of.
"And non-academically?" Josie prompted.
"People seem..." She paused trying to find the right adjective. "Really interested." She finished. And Josie raised another eyebrow.
"Interested, not interesting?" She asked in clarification.
"Well, a few people seem interesting," Penelope said looking directly into her eyes. "But mostly interested."
"I take it you met Millie." She said with a knowing smile.
"Is that her name?" The girl asked. "Yay tall, lots of questions?"
"Sounds about right." Josie said with another grin. "I feel like I should apologize for her, I'm sorry." She added. "We are a small community, people here see newbies as the main entertainment, you are like the new shiny toy." She explained.
"I figured as much."
"But I have to say that your reluctancy to give her details might just have prolonged your new interest status." She admitted.
"Oh, so you listen to rumours too?" The raven-haired asked interested and the way Josie scrunched up her nose was just the cutest thing Penelope has ever seen.
"Well, I mean..." She stuttered. "I don't... necessarily go look for them, but..." She tried. "I mean... It was hard to avoid this time." She managed to say at last.
"I'll offer you a deal then," Penelope said, not sure where the sudden surge of confidence came from.
"You can ask me anything and I'll answer as honestly and completely as possible." She said.
"And what do you want in return?" She asked candidly, not scared or suspicion about having to do something in return, but intrigued.
"You show me to the best movie and dinner in town." She replied, a serious look on her face, even if she was almost dying inside, by how nervous she was. "My treat," she added.
For the third time that afternoon, Josie raised an eyebrow with a smile on her face and the raven-haired had to admit, she looked really good with that expression on her face, not that she wasn't beautiful with every expression, but there was just something about that look that was almost challenging and just so alluring.
"So, I'm getting a free dinner a movie and an honest answer?" She asked almost confused.
"Honestly, I don't know why you are still thinking about it. It's such a good deal for you."
"Deal." Josie said immediately, stretching out her hand for Penelope to shake, which she did. The smile on the girl's face was almost blinding.
"So..." The twin started to think about her question.