Status: Complete!
Strictly Roommates
Chapter 3
“I brought you something,” Jon said, bending down to where Penelope was sitting on the ground.
“How’d you know I’d be here,” she muttered, taking her earphones out and stuffing them back into her bag.
“C’mon Pen. I know you. Every time you need to think you come sit under the bean at Millenium Park.” Jon gave Pen a small smile. “Can I sit down?”
Penelope shifted over. “I guess so.”
“I brought your favorite snack.” Jon started unloading stuff out of his backpack.
Penelope smiled to herself. Even though Jon had become a huge star in Chicago, he was still willing to do the small things to make her happy. He handed her a tub of pistachio ice cream.
“Did you bring the Lucky Charms?”
Jon laughed. “Of course.” He took a Ziploc bag out of the backpack. “As you like it, with only the rainbow and horseshoe marshmallows.”
Penelope opened the tub of ice cream and Jon poured the marshmallows in. “Jonathan Toews, captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, hand picking marshmallows from a bag of cereal? No one’s gonna believe it.”
Jon chuckled. “You better eat all of it up, you weirdo. Who eats cereal with ice cream?”
“Come on, Toews. Have some. Get fat with me.”
Penelope handed Jon the spoon but he shook his head.
“Loosen up, captain. A bite won’t kill you.” Penelope spooned some of the ice cream into her mouth.
Jon smiled. “I know. I just wanted to say something before the ice cream turns my brain to mush. You know how I get with cold food.”
Penelope laughed, thinking back to the summers when they would get slushies together after hockey practice with a bunch of teammates. Jon always bought one but never drank them. Penelope never knew why, until one day they decided to have a slurping contest and Jon ended up with an hour-long brain freeze. The ten year old cried for 50 of those 60 minutes whining about how he was never going to get slushies again.
“Pen, I’m really sorry. You know how I always act on impulse… but I’ve thought about it. Please don’t go. We’ve been living together for seven years and friends for almost our entire lives. I know we’re both growing up and starting to want different things, but right now I want this. I want to keep waking up to your insane bed head everyday.” Jon looked down. “I know it’s not all about what I want, but I’m really hoping that you want to stay too.”
Penelope chewed on her marshmallows. She and Jon had always had an easy-going relationship, understanding each other’s habits and pet peeves. They rarely fought. To hear Jon confess his feelings so openly was completely new to her, and combined with the crunching noises of the Lucky Charms, she was barely able to think straight. “What about Lindsey?”
Jon sighed. “We talked it over. We are still planning on moving in together, but we’re going to take it slow. With the playoffs coming up, she knows that hockey’s going to be my main focus. Besides, you’re right, we would look for a different place. This apartment’s for you and me. It wouldn’t feel right for you to move out and Lindsey to move in.”
Penelope sighed. “I’m sorry I ran.”
Jon put his arm around her and leaned her head onto his shoulder. “Don’t be, I was wrong.”
It was getting pretty cold as the sun had set hours ago. Penelope shivered and leaned into Jon's neck. “It’s just that the idea of us separating is pretty fucking scary.”
Jon laughed. “So you’re never gonna get married and leave me? I’m taking your word for it.”
Penelope looked down. “Getting married requires falling in love, Jon. That shit may work for you and Lindsey, but it’s just way too complicated for me. I’m happy the way I am right now.”
Jon gave her shoulder a squeeze. “So am I. Come home with me?”
“Only if you let me kick your ass in NHL 13.” Penelope said between mouthfuls of ice cream.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“You’re gonna let me force feed you the rest of this ice cream when I win.”
“I’d like to see you try, Pen. I’d like to see you try.”
“How’d you know I’d be here,” she muttered, taking her earphones out and stuffing them back into her bag.
“C’mon Pen. I know you. Every time you need to think you come sit under the bean at Millenium Park.” Jon gave Pen a small smile. “Can I sit down?”
Penelope shifted over. “I guess so.”
“I brought your favorite snack.” Jon started unloading stuff out of his backpack.
Penelope smiled to herself. Even though Jon had become a huge star in Chicago, he was still willing to do the small things to make her happy. He handed her a tub of pistachio ice cream.
“Did you bring the Lucky Charms?”
Jon laughed. “Of course.” He took a Ziploc bag out of the backpack. “As you like it, with only the rainbow and horseshoe marshmallows.”
Penelope opened the tub of ice cream and Jon poured the marshmallows in. “Jonathan Toews, captain of the Chicago Blackhawks, hand picking marshmallows from a bag of cereal? No one’s gonna believe it.”
Jon chuckled. “You better eat all of it up, you weirdo. Who eats cereal with ice cream?”
“Come on, Toews. Have some. Get fat with me.”
Penelope handed Jon the spoon but he shook his head.
“Loosen up, captain. A bite won’t kill you.” Penelope spooned some of the ice cream into her mouth.
Jon smiled. “I know. I just wanted to say something before the ice cream turns my brain to mush. You know how I get with cold food.”
Penelope laughed, thinking back to the summers when they would get slushies together after hockey practice with a bunch of teammates. Jon always bought one but never drank them. Penelope never knew why, until one day they decided to have a slurping contest and Jon ended up with an hour-long brain freeze. The ten year old cried for 50 of those 60 minutes whining about how he was never going to get slushies again.
“Pen, I’m really sorry. You know how I always act on impulse… but I’ve thought about it. Please don’t go. We’ve been living together for seven years and friends for almost our entire lives. I know we’re both growing up and starting to want different things, but right now I want this. I want to keep waking up to your insane bed head everyday.” Jon looked down. “I know it’s not all about what I want, but I’m really hoping that you want to stay too.”
Penelope chewed on her marshmallows. She and Jon had always had an easy-going relationship, understanding each other’s habits and pet peeves. They rarely fought. To hear Jon confess his feelings so openly was completely new to her, and combined with the crunching noises of the Lucky Charms, she was barely able to think straight. “What about Lindsey?”
Jon sighed. “We talked it over. We are still planning on moving in together, but we’re going to take it slow. With the playoffs coming up, she knows that hockey’s going to be my main focus. Besides, you’re right, we would look for a different place. This apartment’s for you and me. It wouldn’t feel right for you to move out and Lindsey to move in.”
Penelope sighed. “I’m sorry I ran.”
Jon put his arm around her and leaned her head onto his shoulder. “Don’t be, I was wrong.”
It was getting pretty cold as the sun had set hours ago. Penelope shivered and leaned into Jon's neck. “It’s just that the idea of us separating is pretty fucking scary.”
Jon laughed. “So you’re never gonna get married and leave me? I’m taking your word for it.”
Penelope looked down. “Getting married requires falling in love, Jon. That shit may work for you and Lindsey, but it’s just way too complicated for me. I’m happy the way I am right now.”
Jon gave her shoulder a squeeze. “So am I. Come home with me?”
“Only if you let me kick your ass in NHL 13.” Penelope said between mouthfuls of ice cream.
“Don’t even think about it.”
“You’re gonna let me force feed you the rest of this ice cream when I win.”
“I’d like to see you try, Pen. I’d like to see you try.”
♠ ♠ ♠
What do you think? Glad Pen's staying? Disappointed she's not getting a new roommate?And just because things are looking up doesn't mean they're going to stay that way ... the drama is just starting.
Thanks for the comments! They mean a lot. Keep them coming :)