The Park; Tuesday Afternoon

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

The cabins seemed too confining and a campfire didn't particularly appeal to her sense of quiet solitude and the need for fresh air. Given, the park was more open, more inviting to just about anyone. But it was also large and Penelope assumed she could take a slow walk through it and avoid others who were of the same mind, easily.

One thing she was looking forward to was meeting new students. They didn't know her before when her curse was firmly affixed to her face, so now it would simply be meeting new people as a normal girl. There would be no stares of bewilderment, no one thinking she was a monster or a freak.

She smiled a small smile and prepared herself to enjoy the afternoon.


[[ OOC: Public park is open. ]]

Comments

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

Tim was on the way to the pond to feed the ducks when he passed Penelope.

He could have sworn the last time he'd seen her she'd had a different nose, but his experiences with the Fae allowed him to shrug it off. Or at least shunt it aside for now.

"Hey." he smiled at her. "Having a good day?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Hello," she replied politely, her head ducked somewhat. "I am, thank you. Are you?"

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"Yeah it's not bad. I'm Tim Desmond. Possibly the youngest teacher at this school."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Yes," she said. "I remember you coming into Caritas if the mun is remembering right, la. You do seem fairly young."

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"Oh yeah you bartend there. Sorry." Mun keeps doing that "I find it helps to think of it as running a workshop rather than teaching a class."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"On Wednesdays, yes," she answered, smiling. "And that's a good way to look at it. You're eighteen, was it?"

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"20 actually. Though in 2009 I'm probably closer to 35 or something." Actually it was 40 but he wasn't going to think about that.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"Oh, that's decidedly older, isn't it?" she smiled, teasing. "Twenty suits you just fine."

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"I'm liking it." he agreed. "What year are you at the school?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"I will be a senior in the fall," she replied.

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"Got any plans for college yet?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"No, not yet. I'll return home to go, however. That much I do know," she answered. "And what will you do after the summer is over?"

[grand-fallguy.livejournal.com]

"Go back to Princeton. Hopefully manage to keep in touch with my friends here. Last time it didn't work so well."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley was walking through the park, on his way to get some more s'more supplies.

Yeah, he was getting s'more obsessed.

He stopped when he saw Penelope. He didn't recognize her, not right away.

"Do I know you?" he asked her, definitely thinking he was missing something.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Oh no. She hadn't expected to run into Hurley so soon after her return and her heart sped up, beating faster as her nerves hit her stomach hard.

"Yes, you do. I-it's me, Hurley."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley knew it, the instant she spoke.

His jaw dropped. "Holy cow," he said. "You... you're gorgeous."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

Penelope blushed, profusely. "Thank you."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

That's when his brain caught up with everything, and his heart sank like the Titanic.

"Guess this means, uhhh, you're Mrs. Rich Guy, huh?"

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

When her brain caught up with his compliment, she couldn't help but wonder if he didn't think her gorgeous before. She was still the same person after all.

"Actually no. I didn't marry Edward, Hurley. I didn't want to and I couldn't do that to him. He didn't want to marry me."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Then... how did... I thought..." Hurley was confused.

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

"It seems I had the power all along to break the curse."

Her eyes met his. "I like myself. I like everything about myself and that included my nose."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

Hurley blinked a few times. "Whoa," he said. "That's kinda... deep."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She nodded. "It is, but it's also simple."

[likes-chicken.livejournal.com]

"Man," Hurley said. "I... I'm really happy for you."

[bad-nose-job.livejournal.com]

She eyed him for a moment or two. "Are you sure, Hurley?"