Penelope's Pov:
It wasn't so easy passing through the entrance as many people kept trooping in and out. If not for the fact that Ivy and I were holding hands, we'd have definitely been split.
After jostling our way through the crowd, we finally got outside and I breathed out heavily as we did.
"Geez!" I mumbled and let go of Ivy's hand.
As expected, everybody around kept talking and dreaming of Andrew's performance. Shocking enough, I saw a lady crying while telling her friends how he almost touched her.
"So, tell me, Penelope, how was it? Tell me you didn't enjoy It." Ivy said, smiling and I scoffed.
"You know me, Ivy. I'm not a music person." I replied In a monotone.
"And whoever said you needed to be a music person before falling in love with Andrew? Anyway, I know you're just bluffing. You're definitely crushing on Andrew more than I do." She said and I glared at her and she laughed.
I just hope my driver's still waiting for me.
"Ivy!" We suddenly heard someone call from behind and we turned to see two ladies making their way to meet us.
"Agatha!" Ivy also called in surprise and ran into the arms of one of the ladies.
Perfect.
"Oh, my God! Look at you. I can't remember the last time I saw you." The lady smiled, totally elated.
"Yeah. How've you been?"
I sighed and crossed my arms. I wonder how long this is going to take.
Immediately, I heard my phone ringing and brought it out of my bag to discover it was Chris calling.
Gosh!
I let it ring to an end the first time but it started ringing again and decided to move a few distances away to a place with lesser noise.
"Hello?" I said when I picked up the call.
Even where I stood was still noisy and I wondered if I'd be able to hear him.
"Hello? P…Penelope? Is that you?" He asked and it was obvious he sounded relieved.
I just rolled my eyes and didn't say anything.
"Penelope please, I beg of you. Listen to me. I'm so sorry for what happened. I…I was just being carried away…"
"Really Chris?" I cut in and scoffed.
"To be sincere, I never expected such an act from you. I mean, I get it if we're dating but trying to force yourself on me, it's absurd." I said and heard him sigh.
"Penelope, please, just forgive me. I promise never to do it again. I swear, it's never gonna happen. Just give me another chance, please. I promise to make it up to you."
I was so engrossed in the call that I didn't notice different horns of cars had been blaring at me.
"Penelope!" I heard Ivy's voice.
"Hey!" I heard other people scream and it snapped me back to reality and that was when I realized I had been standing in the way of some cars that had been honking at me from behind to move aside.
Oh, my gee!
I quickly brought the phone down from my ear and jumped aside and gave way to the line of flashy cars to pass.
They seemed to be special.
The first vehicle was a police car and one of the policemen glared at me from the window, probably for the way I had blocked their passage the first time.
They were moving slowly and since I was standing at a close range, I could have a clear view of them.
The second car was also a police car and the third one was a black hard-window SUV jeep and since the windows were hardcover, I couldn't get anyone in it.
The fourth one had its window slightly open and hah! It was Andrew!
Oh, my gee!
Andrew! He was the one in the fourth flashy jeep! And Lady J was sitting beside him.
"Andrew!!!" Some of the ladies around started calling after him when they noticed he was the one in the car.
He stared at me from the window as they cruised past and it made me freeze at that moment. I was looking at him from a close range and damn! Indeed, he was handsome.
He kept staring at me until they passed where I was and then the fifth car was also a black SUV jeep with hard cover windows. Then, one more police car followed behind.
"Penelope!" Ivy called as she ran up to me immediately.
"Were…were you hurt?" She asked, taking her eyes around my body.
"I'm fine," I replied and tucked my hair behind my ear, trying to go get over it.
"Was Andrew really the one in the car?" She asked and I nodded.
"Oh, my gee! You mean you saw him at a close range? Oh, my God Penelope! What did he look like?" She asked dreamily and I scoffed.
"I don't get it. Didn't you just see him on stage not long ago?" I asked grumpily.
"I know. But…"
I didn't let her finish up her statement as I started walking away and she came scuttling behind me.
We got to where my driver was meant to wait for me and luckily, he was still there. Ivy and I entered the car and sat in the backseat.
"Josh, you're gonna drop Ivy off at her place before taking me home," I told the driver and he nodded and took off.
Immediately, my phone started ringing — Chris.
I had actually forgotten I had been on a call with him. I sighed and picked up the call.
"Chris, I'm busy, okay? I'll call you when I get home." I said and dropped the call, not waiting for his reply.
"Oops! Isn't that our anonymous boyfriend?" Ivy asked in a teasing tone and I gawped at her and she laughed.
"So, why don't you wanna talk to him, huh?" She asked but I didn't say a word.
"By the way, why did he ask you to come over today?" She asked.
"None of your business." I replied with an eye roll.
Well, I couldn't tell her about it. It'd definitely make her dislike him more.
Knowing she wouldn't get me to talk, she changed the topic and began talking about other little things which didn't really interest me.
Somehow, as I looked through the window, I recalled the moment.
I had seen Andrew at a close range. It was so beautiful — when he stared at me with those dazzling eyes of his. No wonder all the ladies are crazy over him.
Indeed, he's as handsome as a god.
I snapped out of my thoughts when Ivy tapped me.
What am I even doing?
"Hey, have you been listening to me?" She asked and I just itched my nape.
What was she saying?
She resumed talking and in short while, we got to the gate of her house. At last.
"Don't forget to be early in school tomorrow, okay? Good night, P." She said and hugged me.
"Good night." I replied and she alighted from the car.
I waved at her from the window and Josh took off again.
I kept admiring the lively streets as we drove by and along the way, when the car had slowed down due to a little holdup, I saw a man by the roadside selling some spicy stick beef.
Wow! That was when I actually remembered I hadn't eaten.
I quickly asked Josh to pull over and he did while I came out of the car and went over to the beef spot.
"Good evening Mr. How much for the beef please?" I asked.
"It's just two dollars per stick, Miss." He replied while working on some of it.
I took a stick and had a taste and wow! It tasted so great!
"I'll have three more." I told him and took three more sticks from the fire and after that, I paid him.
Gosh! I was so hungry.
Like…I was just realizing that.
I was about to head back to the car when I saw something that caught my attention. I saw some kids playing with toy ponytails a distance away and I slowly went toward them.
I stood and watched as they all went round in circles, riding on the ponytail, laughing happily. I smiled wistfully.
Well, I always enjoy watching children play and that's because I never had a fun childhood.
Mom never had time for me so All I did back then was go to school, come home, eat and sleep.
There was actually a time she had forgotten my birthday.
Yeah. My 10th birthday. I'll never forget that experience.
She's always too busy and I get it if she's just trying to pay attention to the company, but she should also try to pay attention to me as well.
I watched them for a little more while and sighed, deciding to go back to the car.
But just when I was about to leave, two dowdy-looking boys came up to me.
"Hey, Miss" One called with a cranky smile.
The other just smiled and took his eyes to my legs.
What the heck?
"Um…hi," I said perfunctorily and tried walking away, but they stood in my way.
What the…
"Sorry, pretty miss, but our boss over there would wanna have a word with you." The same guy said and looked in a particular direction and I traced it and saw some other boys under a shade.
They were three in number and just one was sitting and smoking while the rest remained standing.
Probably, the one sitting and smoking was actually the boss.
Seriously? As young as he was?
I scoffed and shook my head.
"Sorry, I'm not interested." I said bluntly and tried walking away, but they held me back by the arm.
This time around, it was the one who hadn't said a word.
"Sorry, hot legs, but you're going nowhere." He said with a smirk and it made my heart leap.