Anybody

“What do you mean you left?” Shannon gaped.

“I left,” Penelope shrugged as they sat in their dressing room. “That’s all there is to it.”

“No,” Marissa shook her head. “That’s not it. And you know it too.”

“Yes, that is it,” Penelope argued. “I had nothing to say to him, so I left.”

“How could you leave?” Shannon asked. “Patrick Sharp was practically professing his love for you and you walked out on him.”

“He was not professing his love for me,” Penelope rolled her eyes. “He was probably delirious or something. All that either of us was in it for was the sex and that’s it.”

“Lies,” Marissa pointed her finger. “You like him and he likes you. I don’t see what the big deal is.”

Penelope turned away from her friends and looked at herself in the mirror, locking eyes with herself. “It’s not that simple.”

“Yes it is!” her friends shouted together.

“You’re being irrational,” Shannon said.

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes you are!” Marissa agreed. “Just come out and say it already. You’re in love with Patrick Sharp and you’re too scared to take a leap of faith!”

“Maybe I am!” Penelope said throwing her pointe shoes on the ground and standing up. “Maybe I’m too scared of having what happened to my parents happen to me! Maybe I’m too scared of what happened last time. And you know what; maybe I’m okay with that. Maybe I don’t need him!”

Marissa’s and Shannon’s faces softened as their friend began to cry. Tears streaked her face and her shoulders shook.

“Maybe,” Penelope began again. “Maybe I’m okay with the way I am.”

“Oh, sweetie,” Shannon said kneeling next to her friend and pulling her into a hug. “Don’t cry.”

Marissa knelt too and rubbed Penelope’s back. “You just gotta learn that not everyone is out to hurt you. You need that one guy to show you that everything’s okay.”

“No I don’t,” Penelope pouted. “I’m doing just fine on my own.”

“You’re never alone, Pen,” Shannon said. “You’ve always had us.”

Penelope sniffled and stood up. “I know. But maybe I don’t need anyone else. You know? Maybe I can survive the way I am.”

“Sleeping around with random guys and dancing every day?” Marissa asked. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Dancing is all I need,” Penelope countered. “I can leave everything else behind. Just you watch.”

After Penelope had left the room, Shannon turned to her friend.

“I don’t want to see her hurting.”

“And you think I do?” Marissa asked. “We’ve got to figure out something.”

“No,” Shannon shook her head. “It’s up to her and Patrick. They’re the only two that can work this out.”

Nodding sadly, Marissa couldn’t help but agree.