Peni leaned back, staring idly out the window. The blizzard from before had stopped hours ago. The moon peaked through the clouds, practically making the snow glimmer. She had to admit this world was much prettier than her own. Well, it wasn’t exactly prettier, but it was different. Peni needed something like this. It was a cleanser from her world.
The girl sighed, patting her stomach. Peni’s stomach was filled with her free meal and what felt like a thousand cups of cocoa. Mrs. Cake had insisted on giving her as many refills as possible. Peni couldn’t possibly complain.
“Is there anything else you need?” Rumble asked, snapping Peni from her daze. She glanced at her empty plate. It was littered with crumbs.
“I would love more food, but…” Peni trailed off. “I’m filled with coco. The food was amazing, though.” She chuckled. Rumble beamed, a blush appearing on his cheeks.
“Thanks! I’ve been cooking for ages.” Rumble explained. “And it took forever to master the coco.” His smile faded as he scanned Peni’s face. He leaned in closer, squinting.
“You know…I’ve never seen you around here. Are you new in town?” Rumble eyed her. He sat across from Peni, leaning in his hands. “I tend to memorize everyone who comes here.” He bragged. Peni chewed the inside of her cheek, averting her eyes.
“Yeah, yeah, I’m new…” Peni trailed off, trying to think of a response. “I…wanted to leave where I was from. I don’t want any reminders.” She muttered, dropping her gaze.
Rumble frowned, leaning back into his seat.
“So…have you seen much of town? I can show you around.” Rumble offered. Peni tried her best to not make a face. She wouldn’t want to wander the town with someone who was basically a stranger.
Peni eyed Rumble. He looked hopeful, a twinkle of wonder in his eyes. She couldn’t reject the poor guy. He had already been so nice to her.
“I think I’ll be able to find my way around, but do you have recommendations? Any places I should visit?” Peni asked with a sweet smile.
“There’s a nice park around here; have you seen it?” Rumble asked. Peni hummed, crossing her arms. Had she seen the park? The past week had been a blur. It was mostly her wandering in a daze.
“Mm, no, I don’t think so,” Peni said, shaking her head. Rumble's eyes lit up.
“It’s beautiful this time of year. There are lights strung up on the trees. You can see it glowing from blocks away!” He gushed. Peni smiled at his infectious enthusiasm. She had to admit, it did sound beautiful.
Mrs. Cake cleared her throat, interrupting the pair's conversation. She had a sweet smile plastered on her face.
“It’s closing time.” Mrs. Cake informed. Peni looked around the cafe. To her surprise, the place was empty. Had she really been in there for that long? She could’ve sworn it had only been an hour or two.
Peni’s cheeks flushed red. She had really overstayed her welcome, hadn’t she? She stood up, placing her hands on her lap.
“Thank you for having me.” Peni thanked Mrs. Cake, giving a little bow. Mrs. Cake dismissively waved her hand.
“Oh, don’t you worry about it, dearie.” She said with a chuckle. “You’re welcome to come back at any time.” She added. Peni couldn’t help but smile. Her eyes trailed over to Rumble, and she spared him a wave.
“I’ll…see you around,” Peni said. She turned around, making a beeline to the exit. The girl pushed open the door, feeling the harsh winter air on her skin.
Peni inhaled deeply, nearly choking over the cold. She looked down the near-vacant streets. Maybe she could sleep at the park Rumble had mentioned. She could find it with the tell-tale glow it seemed to have.
“Hey, wait up!” Rumble interrupted her thoughts, rushing out of the cafe. “It’s pretty late. Do you want me to walk you home?” Rumble offered. Peni pursed her lips, averting her gaze.
“I don’t…have anywhere to go,” Peni admitted, tugging at the hem of her shirt. Rumble frowned.
“Do you want to stay with me? I have plenty of room.” Rumble offered. Peni scrunched up her nose, staring at Rumble in disbelief. What was up with this kid? First, he brought her to his place of work, and now his home? This guy clearly never learned stranger danger.
Instead of pointing out all of this, Peni politely shook her head.
“No, thank you, I’ll be fine.” She rejected. Rumble frowned, looking like a kicked puppy. He turned on his heels, giving Peni a sad wave.
“Alright, well…I’ll see you around.” Rumble sighed, beginning his trek home.
Peni watched as Rumble walked away. A cool breeze washed over her, and she began to shiver. She was painfully aware of how underdressed she was. Could Peni withstand the horrid winter night? She didn’t want to stand around and find out.
“Wait up!” Peni shouted, chasing after Rumble. She slowed to a halt, stopping a few feet from Rumble. “I changed my mind.” She muttered, a blush forming across her cheeks. Rumble beamed.
“Alright!” He said a little too happily. “I live right around the corner,” Rumble stated, gesturing for Peni to follow him. Peni nodded, mumbling a small ‘thank you.’
The pair began their trek to Rumble’s home. The snow crunched under Peni’s soles, seeping into her shoes. She shuddered, a chill shooting up her spine. She trailed behind Rumble, rubbing warmth onto her arms. Peni felt pathetic relying on another person for shelter, but it had to be done.
They had only been walking for a few minutes, and Peni could already feel the cold seeping into her clothes.
“Here we are!” Rumble said, gesturing to a rather large condominium. Peni’s eyes veered to the building towering over them. It had to be about five stories.
Rumble rummaged through his pocket, pulling out his keys. “You don’t have to worry about being quiet; my parents aren’t home.” He reassured. The door popped open, heat pouring from the door. “They’re on a business trip.” He added, stepping into the house.
Peni hummed in response, entering behind Rumble. A long staircase was stretched before them.
“Come on, I live on the top floor,” Rumble said, beginning to bound up the stairs. Peni was surprised that Rumble was still so energized this late into the night. She followed the boy, her body feeling heavy. She was ready to lay somewhere warm.
Soon enough, they both made it to the top of the stairs. Rumble pushed the door open, stepping into his apartment.
Peni had to admit that Rumble lived nicely. His house was well-decorated, looking rather cozy. “Wow…” She uttered, slipping off her wet shoes. She didn’t want to track anything inside.
“It’s nice, isn’t it?” Rumble said with a heartfelt sigh. Peni could only nod in agreement. It reminded her a bit of her old home. Dread tugged at her heart.
“You can sleep here,” Rumble said, pointing to the couch. He tossed the cushions to the side, letting them hit the wall. He reached within, grabbing a metal bar that resided. With one hard tug, a bed unfolded. Rumble reached under the table next to the couch, pulling out a fluffy blanket. “Here you go!” He handed the blanket to Peni.
Peni rubbed her thumb across the blanket. It was soft in her hands. “Thanks for letting me stay,” Peni mumbled, an embarrassed smile beginning to form.
“It’s no problem!” Rumble said, grinning ear to ear. A long silence filled the room; the only thing being heard was cars passing outside. Peni felt tense. What was she meant to say? Rumble broke the silence, obnoxiously clearing his throat.
“I’ll be right back. Go settle yourself.” Rumble said, backing out of the room.
And with that, Peni was alone. Peni sat on the bed, drumming her fingers against her legs. As excited as she was to sleep, she couldn’t turn her brain off.
Peni brought her knees to her chest, wrapping the blanket around her body. Her mind began to wander. Where would she go after this? Would Rumble kick her out or let her stay? She didn’t want to burden Rumble; she barely knew the guy!
“Oh, you’re still awake.” Rumble caught Peni’s attention. How long had she been spaced out?
“Yeah, just can’t sleep.” She shrugged. Rumble plopped next to Peni.
“Is everything okay? Anything you need to talk about?” Rumble offered with an all too kind smile. Peni’s breath hitched.
“No, no, I’m fine.” Peni hastily reassured. She pressed her fingers deeper into the blanket. “And thank you for letting me stay with you. I really need this.”
“Psh, it’s nothing, Parker!” Rumble brushed off. Peni began to gnaw at the inside of her cheek. She had told him that was her name, hadn’t she?
“That’s another thing, Parker is my last name. My name is Peni.” Peni confessed.
Rumble smiled, sticking his hand out. “Hi Peni, my name is Rumble. It’s great to meet you.” Peni humored this action, shaking Rumble's outstretched hand.
The pair sat in silence once again. It wasn’t as tense as the silence before; this felt more comforting. Peni let her head drift, nuzzling into Rumble’s shoulder. He was nice and warm.
“I should leave you to…” Rumble began, only to see Peni had drifted to sleep. She laid idly on his shoulder, her breathing soft. Rumble couldn’t help but smile. Judging by the bags under Peni’s eyes, it looked like this sleep was well overdue.
Rumble wistfully sighed, taking a part of the blanket from Peni. He could stay here for a little longer.