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“Ro!”
Rowan frowns to herself. It's unlike Penelope to be the one rushing them to school. She pulls her bag over her shoulder and stalks towards Penelope's room.
To see her definitely not ready for school, and definitely not even out of bed. “Hey, sis,” she fakes a cough.
Raising her brow, Rowan squints her eyes at Penelope, her face barely visible. “Are you sick?”
“Totally,” Penelope nods rapidly, “very, very sick. I don't think I can go into school today.”
Rowan shrugs, “sure whatever. I'll tell them you're not coming in-”
“Wait!” She knew it. She knew there was more to it. “I kind of have an exam today I can't miss,” Penelope rambles out to the point Rowan has to play it back in her head for it to make sense.
And then it hits her. “No.”
Penelope pouts, “please? I really can't afford to miss it and I'm already on my last warning for skipping. Mami will kill me if I don't take it.”
“Then go and do it yourself. I'm not taking your exam for you, I have classes too you know!” Unbelievable. “Besides, I have a perfect attendance.”
“Exactly,” Penelope grins, “nobody will question you being off sick.” Rowan remains unmoving. “Come on, Ro. What's the point of having an identical twin if you can't do this sort of thing? You know how much I hate algebra. It's pointless to me. I mean, I'm brilliant, but it's so boring.” Still nothing. “I'll do your chores for the day.” She scoffs. “Two days?” Cocks her head. “A... week?” Penelope flinches and it sends enough satisfaction through Rowan that she's tempted. Because while she doesn't mind doing chores, she knows Penelope despises them.
She waits a second, watches the fake, clammy sweat Penelope obviously created on herself via steam turn into real sweat as she anxiously awaits an answer. “A week, and I get your next two turns for movie night.”
Penelope works her jaw. They have vastly different tastes in movies, and Penelope moans all the way through anything Rowan picks. “Fine, but you'd better get me an A.”
Rowan grins and turns to make her way to school before Penelope stops her again. “What?”
Disgusted eyes trail over her as Penelope shakes her head. “You don't really think you can go to school looking like that, do you?” Rowan rolls her eyes. “You have to act like me, too. So just, you know, be the complete opposite of yourself.”
“You know it's not too late for me to back out of this, right?”
Penelope ignores her. “You can't let Josie find out either. She's already been on my ass about skipping.” She jumps up and walks over to her closet. “Okay, time to make you look hot.”
-
Why on Earth did she think she could pull this off?
She's barely made it past the doors and people are already greeting her. Penelope is the popular one while she'd much rather stay in the shadows. Attention makes her awkward, and now she's suddenly full of it.
But she pushes through, makes her way towards Penelope's locker and breathes out a sigh of relief.
One that doesn't last long.
“Why are you wearing Penelope's clothes?”
Rowan slowly closes the locker and turns her head slowly. “Am I really that obvious?”
Nicki smirks, “you walk differently to her.” She crosses her arms and leans against the lockers. “What's going on?”
With a sigh, Rowan cringes under Nicki's gaze. “You can't say anything, okay? I'm taking one of her exams.”
“Why?”
“Can I explain later? I'm going to be late.”
Nicki stops her with a hand on her wrist and Rowan's entire arm tingles. “Penelope is always the last one to stroll in. It honestly makes me sick how little effort she puts in yet she still gets top grades.” Rowan snorts. “So...” She drags out, “does this mean no sitting with me at lunch?”
Although both Penelope and Nicki are popular, they are popular in different social groups. Penelope is more of a person that people want approval from and she'll acknowledge those that talk to her, whereas Nicki likes to keep things tight knit. Everybody knows who she is, but they know better than to try and interact with her. And they certainly never interact with each other, especially at school. “I can't even be in there. It's probably already going around the school that Nicki Sullivan and Penelope Hart are talking. Gasp, the drama.” Nicki laughs. “Anyway, I'm under strict instruction to avoid Josie at all cost.”
“Your sister is so dramatic.”
Rowan shrugs through a laugh, “she takes after mom.” The bell rings and Rowan has to fight all of her instincts to get to class on time. “See you later?”
Nicki hums, her gaze falling to Rowan's lips, and Rowan gulps. “Don't do this again, alright? I like getting to kiss my girlfriend during the day.”
“One time deal,” Rowan assures her. But then she hears Penelope's name being called behind her and immediately pales. “Shit. I need to go.”
Laughter follows her down the hall and she curses Penelope for putting her in this position.
-
Josie's been looking for Penelope all morning, concerned when she didn't show up to meet her before school. First, she thought Penelope had probably gone to her hidden spot behind the school to smoke weed, but she wasn't there. Then she tried the parking lot in case they were running late because it would not be the first time at all, but the car is empty, meaning she has to be somewhere around.
She sees MG hovering on the step. “Hey, MG. Have you seen Pen?”
MG cocks his head, “yeah she came through like, ten minutes ago.”
“What?” That's not like Penelope at all. “Are you sure?” He nods. “Was Rowan with her?” Maybe Rowan made sure she'd actually get to her algebra exam.
“I don't think so. You know Peez, always in a world of her own.”
But that's the thing. She does know Penelope, and she's never in a world of her own. “Okay. Thanks, MG.” He nods again, completely oblivious, and Josie gets through the door just in time for the bell to ring. She walks through the hall until she gets to the one that holds Penelope's locker, tilts her head quizzingly when she spots her talking to Nicki. “Strange,” she mumbles, shakes it off and continues walking. “Pen!”
Her eyes widen in shock when Penelope pays her no attention and instead walks off, more confusion hitting her when Nicki laughs after her.
The second bell rings and Josie huffs as she makes her way to class. She'll just have to ask Rowan what's going on.
Except, upon arrival, Rowan is nowhere to be found.
She's never known Rowan to miss a day of school in her life.
Wait a second.
Nicki walks in shortly after and her eyes flick to Josie before she avoids her gaze entirely. But since their names are next to each other, Nicki has no choice but to sit next to Josie. “Is Rowan okay?”
“Oh,” Nicki jumps at Josie's whisper, “yeah. She's off sick.”
Josie's eyebrow raises, “Rowan? The same Rowan who came to school when she was literally full of the flu? That Rowan is off sick?” Nicki hums. “Must be bad. Is that why you were talking to Pen?”
“Miss Saltzman, are you planning on paying attention in my class today?”
“Sorry,” she grumbles to her teacher.
But something in the back of her mind is still bugging her, and does so for the whole lesson until the bell rings and she scurries out of there to find Penelope's class.
She remains hidden as the class filters out, watches Penelope leave in a rush and frowns. She sees Penelope pass Nicki in the hall and grits her teeth when Nicki winks and Penelope blushes.
No. Not Penelope.
“Oh,” she grumbles to herself, “she's so dead.”
-
Penelope stretches lazily on her bed, wakes up comfortably an hour later, taking advantage of her unexpected day off.
Admittedly, she never thought Rowan would go for it, but since she did, Penelope is going to milk it for all it's worth.
She'll make it up to her. Maybe.
First, she decides to do all of Rowan's chores as promised so she can get back to her lazy day, before she decides to curl up with a book. She shoots a quick text off to Rowan to see how things are going- she has a reputation to maintain after all and Rowan is far too sweet sometimes- but before she puts her phone back down, a text comes in from Josie.
She's actually quite surprised she hasn't had one already. Josie usually can't resist texting her during class.
This text however, makes her angry and jealous.
JoJo: Your ass looks amazing today. Are those new pants?
Her jaw twitches, but she needs to keep up appearances.
Penelope: Sure are, babe. Got them just for you. You like?
JoJo: I don't know. Maybe you should meet me in your spot at lunch so I can check them out properly.
Penelope sits up in her bed, bites her lip. God how she wants to go to school just for the lunch period now.
But she can't.
Or can she?
She checks the time and groans, she'll never get there before lunch.
Penelope: I'm sorry, JoJo. I have something I need to do.
JoJo: Oh? Have I done something wrong?
What? Penelope blinks.
Penelope: What? Of course not. Why do you think that?
JoJo: It feels like you've been avoid me all morning.
Damn it.
Her fingers hover over the keypad on her phone, hesitant. She should just be honest.
Penelope: I'm sorry. I've just been distracted with this exam. I'll make it up to you, I promise.
Or not.
Rowan: This is a nightmare. How do you put up with all of these people everyday? Honestly it's exhausting being you.
Penelope chuckles to herself.
JoJo: I get it, I guess. Can I come over after school? We can stop off and get some stuff to make Rowan soup or something to help her feel better. It's okay if not. But I want a kiss before you leave.
Her eyes widen in panic before she groans again.
Why today? Why did she have to pick today of all days?
Penelope: What if I caught this thing off of Rowan? I don't want you to get sick, babe.
JoJo: I'll take that risk.
Fuck. How the hell is she going to get herself out of this one?
All she can do is pray to anything that may exist that Rowan gets out of there before Josie manages to get a hold of her.
-
Rowan somehow manages to make it until last period. The exam went well, of course, but now she's panicking because Penelope had told her Josie was going to be looking for her after school.
“I feel like you deserve this,” Nicki drawls as they make their way to their final class of the day.
Rowan glares at her, “you're supposed to be on my side.”
“You should've thought about that before you and Penelope decided it'd be a good idea to keep this from Josie.”
“Penelope. Penelope decided that would be a good idea.”
Nicki smirks, “it's weird to talk about yourself in the third person.”
Rowan scoffs, “funny.” She freezes when arms slip around her waist and she squeezes her eyes shut in an attempt to make them go away.
“There you are,” Josie husks down her ear, “I've been looking for you all day.”
A loud laugh from Nicki forces her eyes open and she winces when she feels Josie grinning against her cheek. “How long have you known?”
Josie grip loosens, “after first period.”
Rowan spins in shock, “so the texts to her?”
“All planned,” Josie nods, “sorry I had to involve your ass in it, but it is a nice one.” Nicki's eyes knit together playfully, but also in warning. “I'm coming with you after school. Do not tell Pen, Rowan.”
Josie walks away without another word and Rowan sighs.
“So do you want to start digging Penelope's grave or should I?”
Rowan tugs at Nicki's arm to pull her towards the classroom and ignores her giggling.
-
Penelope almost throws her phone at the wall.
JoJo: I miss you already. Damn, that kiss was something else. I might have to go not seeing you the day more often.
She's going to fucking kill Rowan.
There's a scruff on her wooden floor from her pacing, and she rushes downstairs as soon as the door opens. “What the fuck, Rowan?”
Rowan's brows crease, “what?”
“You kissed Josie! How could you do that to me?”
Penelope seethes more when Rowan simply shakes her head and smirks. “Oh boy. I didn't kiss Josie, Penny.”
“She just texted me!”
Nicki tumbles in after Rowan, “why are you shouting at my girlfriend, Hart? Also we're friends at school now.”
Everything halts. Penelope blinks, “what's happening?” She gulps when Josie steps through the door. “Oh. Shit.” Josie glares at her. “Hey, babe.”
“Don't you 'hey, babe' me.”
Rowan whistles low, “so I'm going to go and get started on dinner. Come on, you,” she adds when Nicki looks between the two in glee.
Nicki somehow manages to hold her amusement off until they make it to the kitchen, where they can hear Josie scolding Penelope and Penelope trying to flirt her way out of it.
It won't take Josie long to forgive her for doing something stupid. It never does.
“Hey, can you do me a favour?” Rowan cocks her head in acknowledgement. “I really want to get you out of those clothes.”
“What,” Rowan smirks, “you don't like the Penelope look?”
Nicki shakes her head, “no. I like the Rowan look.”
Rowan leans up to kiss her, “I'll change when I've finished prep.” The two voices in the living room trail off to whispers. “Okay no. I'm going now before going upstairs scars me for life.”
-
Once Nicki and Josie head home for the night and Rowan puts the leftovers in the fridge for when their parents get home, she and Penelope settle down for a movie. “Thanks for doing that for me, Ro.”
Rowan takes her attention away from the screen. “Yeah. No problem.”
“I just really fucking hate algebra, you know? Like, really hate it.”
“I know, Penny.”
Penelope nods, bites her lip. “So everything went okay?”
Rowan squints her eyes, “what are you after?”
Hands are up in innocence before Rowan even finishes her question. “Nothing!” She goes quiet and Rowan waits. “Do you think Josie really thinks you have a better ass than me?”
She bursts out laughing, uncontrollably because of course that's where Penelope's mind would go. “She was just saying that so you'd get wound up.”
“Yeah,” Penelope looks down, “you're right. Mine is way better.”
“Sure, Penny.” They fall asleep to the movie and wake up a couple of hours later when the door shuts. Rowan blinks up, “hey, mami. Dinner is in the fridge for you and mom.”
Rowan feels a cool hand on her forehead and wrinkles it in momentary confusion. “We're sorry we couldn't get back to you in time. Work got crazy and we didn't have a chance to check our messages. How are you feeling? You don't have a fever.” Penelope grumbles as she wakes, too.
Damn it. The school must've phoned them. “Uh, yeah. I'm good than-”
“Why are your eyes covered in make up?” Her mom joins them, cocks her head, and mere seconds later, folds her arms over her chest. “Alright, spill. You're obviously not ill so what have you two been up to?”
“Me? Why do you think I-” Penelope shuts up at the glare she receives.
How could she be such an idiot? She was in such a rush to get back downstairs before Penelope and Josie went up she totally forgot about how dark her eyes were. And why would she have any form of make up on if she were sick? Her mom isn't an idiot. Rowan knows she pulled her own stunts to get out of going to school.
“Kim, it's late. Whatever it is we can punish them tomorrow.”
“But, Trini-”
“Nope. Food and bed.” Kim relents and both Rowan and Penelope let out slow breaths.
For all of three seconds, that is.
“You two, bed. You can tell me why you decided to take today off of school when you're not sick in the morning.” Trini shakes her head in disappointment. “I never thought I'd have to deal with you doing something like this.”
Rowan sputters, “mami-”
Trini stops her, “in the morning. Rooms. Now.”
Penelope escapes first. Unlike Rowan, she's been on the side of Trini's anger more often than her. Even worse, she's been on the side of Kim's anger, and Rowan has yet to manage that. “Hey,” Penelope whispers at the top of the stairs, “at least you got me an A, right?” Rowan glares. “Right?”
She enters her room.
“Rowan! You did, right?”
Closes the door.
“Rowan?”
She's never going to let Penelope convince her to do something stupid ever again. No matter how much she offers to give in return. Absolutely not.
“I was going to surprise you, but I managed to order you some of that bubblegum vodka you like as a thank you. For the party at the lake next weekend,” Penelope says timidly, almost uncharacteristically sweet, through the door. “I know you said you didn't want to go, but...”
Okay. Maybe one more stupid thing won't hurt.