Chapter Text
Penelope was a freshman in high school along with her best friend Eloise. The girls were inseparable. They spent hours together, studied together, talked about boys, and shared basically everything. They were so alike, yet had many differences. Eloise was outspoken, serious, and out to prove something. But only being fourteen not many took her seriously. She had a straight dark brown bob to her shoulders with blunt bangs. She was beautiful. She swore to everyone she ever talked to that as soon as she turned eighteen she was getting full sleeve tattoos, which made her mother Violet cringe every time Eloise brought it up but she would always just say “well we have time to discuss that when you turn eighteen.”
Penelope was shorter than Eloise. She had long thick auburn waves and freckles all over her face and shoulders. The freckles would darken every summer which Penelope absolutely hated. Her style was controlled by the fact that she always had hand-me down clothes. It wouldn’t be so bad but her older sisters went through a three year phase of only wearing yellows, oranges, and gold tones which did not suit any of their fair skin tones. High school was going to be different though. Penelope worked all summer at the movie theater and saved up so she could buy the clothes she desired. Unlike Eloise’s goth yet somehow elegant all black attire Penelope chose light feminine pieces from inspiration she had seen in teen vogue and seventeen magazine. She followed ideas of a few celebrities and influencers on Instagram that had in her opinion,(Eloise would probably disagree and say it was too girly) beautiful style. She was just starting to get used to her curves and spent every night picking out an outfit then piecing it together with accessories she had collected over the years.
The girls were also really close with Eloise’s older sister Daphne. Daphne was in her sophomore year and killing it. She was popular and drew the attention of the entire boys lacrosse team, but she was also so kind and really down to earth. Daphne unlike Eloise had long sandy blonde hair and was always up-to-par with the latest fashion trends, music, and gossip. She always went out of her way to make Penelope feel comfortable and important when the three of them hung out. She was truly the older sister Penelope never had but desperately wanted. Unlike Daphne, Penelope’s real older sisters, Prudence and Phillipa were preppy, bratty, and unkind. They had something to say about all of Penelope's outfits, hair styles, and hobbies over the years. They all used to be close but once they got to high school they thought they were too cool to be dragging their little sister around with them everywhere. Penelope’s mother Portia just rolled her eyes and told Penelope it’s a phase they will get over it soon enough. That was two years ago. She really didn’t mind distancing herself from her sisters because that just meant she had more time to spend across the street with Eloise and Daphne Bridgerton at their house.
The Bridgerton house is large but unlike Penelopes it is beautifully decorated with light neutral colors and always felt welcoming. The backyard is stunning with a huge pool, and all the siblings had separate rooms with their own personal touches. There is also a grand library where the girls spend a majority of their time in when they are not in Eloise’s room singing at the top of their lungs to music or painting their nails. Penelope loved everything about the Bridgerton house. It also didn’t hurt that every time Penelope was at her best friend’s house she got to see Eloise and Daphne’s brother Colin. Colin was handsome, and funny, with dark brown wavy locks and sparkling blue eyes. He is high school junior this year and Penelope has had a crush on Colin since the first time they met when she first moved in across the street.
She was eight and he was ten at the time. He was minding his own business riding his skate board on the sidewalk when Penelope dropped one of the move-in boxes that had an assortment of small toys in it. As the random toys scattered and bounced to the ground a marble rolled down the driveway and on to the sidewalk. It perfectly wedged itself between the front left wheels of his skate board and he went flying in the air and landed in the grass. It was quite funny looking back on it now, but at the time Penelope was scared he would be so mad. He just laid on the Featherington lawn and laughed. Penelope ran over and asked if he was okay. “Yeah, I’m fine! Unfortunately that’s not the first time I fell off this thing today.” Penelope sighed and a small smile curled across her face “Hi, I’m Penelope Featherington.” She brushed her hair out of her eyes. He smiled back at her. “I’m Colin, I live right over there, do you have any brothers?” She frowned “no.” Colin got up and dusted himself off “well that’s okay, I have three. Anthony and Benedict are older, and Gregory is a baby.” Penelope smiled again. “Do you have any sisters?” She asked shyly. Before he could answer a girl that looked her age with the same hair color as Colin ran across the street and said “Colin mom wants you, now.” Colin looked back at Eloise, “This is Eloise, she is my most annoying sister.” Eloise smacked him on the back and then started talking Penelope’s ear off — the rest is history. Since that day Penelope gained a true best friend and a very big crush on said best friend’s brother.