Female Novel
Chapter 241
Aaron 5- Late and leaving
The next week feels very long and | find that for most of it, I’m in a very foul mood. Not that anyone particularly notices since |tend to keep my thoughts and opinions to myself. | have caught Alpha Ryann looking at me strangely a few times though so shemight have her suspicions. The only bright side is that | actually did sleep better. Not WELL but better than | have been. | suspectit is all thanks to the recording of Penelope that | have gotten any sleep at all. At the very least | have been able to function atamostly normal level. Despite no longer being COMPLETELY reliant on going to hear Penelope sing at the club in order to getsome rest, | am still ridiculously disappointed when Alpha Ryann asks if | can work late Friday. | know | could refuse, tell her that| have plans or something, and | know she wouldn't mind. But protecting her is MY job, not to mention she would probably havea lot of questions if | said | have plans and | don’t want to answer them. Missing one night won't be a big deal, right? It’s not likeanyone will particularly care if | don’t turn up.
Saturday | arrive at the club fairly late again. James is at the door again and he greetsme enthusiastically.
“Hey man. | didn’t see you last night.” He comments, curiosity in his tone. | shrug.“Working.” | say as an explanation.
“Ah, | get it. Still, its good you’re back. You were missed, you know.” He says with a wink before turning to take money fromsomeone else trying to enter. What? | barely interact with anyone. How could have been missed? Who missed me? My mindimmediately goes to Penelope, but that is probably just wishful thinking. I’ve hardly said more than a few words to her. Whywould she care if | didn’t turn up? Although I do think | need to make more of an effort to talk to her. Actually, | WANT to talk toher, to get to know her. I might be reserved, but I’m not stupid. My sudden inability to sleep without hearing her voice isn’t justbecause she’s a good singer. | don’t go out of my way to talk to just anyone. I’m feeling determined and slightly anxious when |head inside and sit in my usual spot. | expect to hear Penelope. already on stage singing, but she’s nowhere to be seen. It is atleast twenty minutes past when she usually starts. Is she not performing tonight? Why not? Is she sick? Did something happen?I'm struck by the sudden need to go track her down. Perhaps | can convince James to give me more information about her, likewhere she lives. If he won't talk then | could always
recruit Alex to find her information for me. He would ask questions, but he would do it, even if | don’t answer him. Although | canbet that the Alphas would hear about it. Probably Alpha
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Ryann. Alex has taken to giving a lot of his reports to her. | think she makes him morecomfortable.
My planning is interrupted when Penelope collapses into the couch beside me. Oh. | guess she’s okay after all. | may haveoverreacted a little. | was just... concerned. I’m too distracted to control my expression so my shock must show on my face.Penelope laughs at my surprise.
“Hey, | hoped you would turn up tonight. | didn’t see you yesterday and | was worried you weren’t coming anymore. Didsomething happen?” she asks, her tone is one of sweet concern. | shake my head.
“Just work.” | explain. | hesitate, should | elaborate further? I’ve never been good at knowing how much to say, so unless | reallyhave something that needs to be said | usually don’t say much at all. But that’s no way to develop a relationship. Before | canfigure out what else to say, if anything, Penelope continues speaking.
“You really are very quiet aren’t you?” She comments, | nod and then hrug. Damnit. | knew | should have said more.
“It's kind of nice, at least | know you're a good listener. | talk way too much. Most people probably wish | would STOP talking somuch.” She says the words as a joke although from her
slight frown | would say that at least a part of her believes it.
“| like your voice.” | tell her, trying to be reassuring. | immediately want to slap myself. ‘I like your voice.‘ Could | have thought ofsomething more awkward to say? | could have told her that she doesn’t talk too much, or that I’m sure people enjoyconversations with her, that | enjoy conversations with her. But no, | just told her that | appreciate her voice. | study her face tosee her reaction. She seems thoughtful for a moment, then pleased. She gets to her. feet and | realise | must have misread herbecause she’s leaving.
“| like e your voice too, even if | do barely hear it. Talking to you is fun. You might not talk much but you always answer. But | hadbetter start my performance. | waited because | thought you might still turn up but I’m running super late now. | just didn’t want torisk you running off before | had a chance to so much as say hi. Oh but here.” She pauses then reaches into her cleavage andpulls a slip of paper out of her bra and holds it out to me between two fingers. | reach out and take it carefully.
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Aaron 5- Late and leaving
“I'll talk to you later hopefully.” With acheery wave she turns and makesher way to the stage. Wait, so shewas... waiting for me? That's asurprise. | unfold the slip of paper shegave me and find it’s a phonenumber. Did... Did she just give meher number? Why? What could |possibly have done to motivate her towant to share more abaut herself? Isshe expecting neldte her? | havené-idea what | would even say. |barely use my phone except for work.| have exactly four non-work relatedconversations in my phone. One withmy mum, one with my dad, a groupchat with my sisters and thestrangely named chat that AlphaRyann added me to ‘Cock Tales’which seems to mostly be a way forher and all her friends to keep up todate on the most recent gossip. |have to admit to enjoying thatparticular chat even if | don’t respondto it much. Aside from Alpha Ryann,no one tells me much aside from mysisters. | Suppose most people takemy lack of reaction as lack ofinterest. It’s not that I’m uninterested,| just prefer to think before | speak.Conversation rarely comes easily forme. Although | do have to admit that |am sometimes intentionally quietwhen it comes to dealing with AlphaRyann since she seems to havemade a game out of getting me totalk. | The content is onNovelDrama.Org! Read the latestchapter there!
don’t HAVE to submit reports inwritten form, but it was hilarious tosee her response. Regardless | Raveno idea wh Repelopelhas given meher Funbet or what she expects, but| carefully enter it into my phone,double and triple checking to makesure | wrote it correctly. | then foldthe paper and tuck it carefully into mypocket, not wanting to lose it and Thecontent is on NovelDrama.Org! Readthe latest chapter there!
accidentally share her phone number around.
When her performance ends | find |am anxious and rather than riskembarrassing myself faythér PdédideteleavdQuidnly hesitate at the exitof the club as | look out into thepoorly lit parking lot. | turn to Jameswho is watching me leave. Thecontent is on NovelDrama.Org! Readthe latest chapter there!
“Keep her safe.” | order him with a pointed look at the dark car park. The doorman nods firmly.novelbin
“Of course. Have a good evening.” | nod and leave, but | can’t help the nagging feeling that | should be making sure she getshome safely myself.