[center][img]https://txt-dynamic.static.1001fonts.net/txt/b3RmLjY2LmJjYTgyZi5VR1Z1Ym5rZ1RHRjNjMjl1LjAA/fake-boss.regular.png[/img][/center]
[hr]

Penny shook her head as Lynette listed off half of the periodic table. A pained expression formed on her face as her denial swole until it began to leak from her mouth in soft, nearly incoherent refusals. The muted orchestra of nos, stops, and shut-ups played the harmony against her friend’s tune and ended abruptly when Lynette barked with laughter. Penny winced at the sound. The laugh was the perfect imitation. She twisted her head further down and bit her lip in a pitiful attempt to stop her body from trembling. No matter what this Lynette said, no matter if it was actually composed of all of the chemical compounds that constructed a human being, it couldn’t possibly be Lynette. She had seen the girl die. She had seen it almost every goddamn night. 

"I'm just wondering why you were giving Hagan and Zoey so much shit for something you too are guilty of," said Lynette, the accusation heavy in her voice.

[color=goldenrod]“I never said I—”[/color] The exasperated words that poured out of her mouth were cut short as Penny shut her eyes and covered her face. Her fingers squeezed her head so hard that she felt like her skull was cracking. How did Lynette even know that? Stacey had interrupted her before she could confess those feelings to Odessa. It didn’t matter. Lynette was right. Even the part that was aware enough to blame herself still piled most of the guilt upon Hagan and Zoey, making Penny think that she was only at fault for believing in them. Penny sat down on the steps with her hand on the back of her neck. She felt completely gutted.

“I just want to make sure you don't hurt yourself out here, Penny."

Penny dropped her hand and lifted her head. This sounded more like the person she knew. Her eyes watered as Lynette took a few careful steps towards her and then stopped. Lynette had always been so smart about not crowding Penny when she was clearly upset. Penny scrapped her thumb against her lip as she listened to the girl’s warning, her nail cutting a thin scratch on her cheek as the final thing Lynette said completely caught her off guard. Ever since falling asleep in an airport and waking up in Paradise she had been so distracted by everything going on that she had nearly forgotten what had made her leave home in the first place.

[color=goldenrod]“Lynette, I am getting out of here alive,”[/color] said Penny, her voice strained. [color=goldenrod]“I am going to avenge Caelea, find a way out of this shithole, and tell Jaden and Cierra about what happened to you. I don’t fear the loneliness getting to me, because I have the best goddamn secret weapon I could ever hope to have.”[/color] Penny tapped the sigil that had once belonged to Lynette. [color=goldenrod]“You’re always with me. Your dreams, your memories, every shitty thought you had about me that was, I’ll admit, totally deserved? They’re always there when I need it.”

“So,”[/color] Penny kicked her feet out in front of her and jumped up with a shit-eating grin, [color=goldenrod]“I’m never alone, but I appreciate the concern.” [/color] Penny tucked her elbow under the other and stretched, fixing Lynette with a glare. [color=goldenrod]“But if you really think that some stupid city full of jerkass ghosts is going to get the better of me and make me break my promise then you can go fuck right off. I know Lynette. I know she’d never have doubted me.”[/color]