31 Day Writing Challenge: Day 16 - 'Tears'

"It's still another girl, Penny. You're still dating another girl."
Hope wasn't quite shouting, but the volume of her voice was increasing. Tears welled in her eyes. She didn't want this. She didn't want to make Penny feel guilty, to see the pain she'd caused. Taking a deep breathe, Hope managed to retain some composure and continued:

"I get why, I guess, she can do the one thing I can't: truly understand. She gets what you are going through, I mean, she's been through it. But that doesn't mean you had to choose her. It doesn't mean she'd be better for you or love you more. And it doesn't make it hurt any less."

"Hope..."

"Don't. Just don't. There is nothing you can say right now to make this better."

Penny and Hope just stared at each other. Penny wanting to comfort the girl who had always loved her and shown it in both small and big ways. The girl who had given everything she had to support and care for her. But Penny knew she couldn't give into the urge to hold Hope as she cried.

Tears were streaming down her face. She didn't even try to wipe them away. Penny watched as her Hope, her emotional cheerleader, broke in front of her. Because of her, the positivity, every ounce of it, seemed to have been completely eradicated from her beautiful, eternal optimist.

'I'm not worth this.' Penny thought.