Josie knocked at the door. She had hung by long enough to know someone was in there, but just as she suspected, no one answered.

She had spent the night in her dad’s bed, crying and venting to him about her current situation until he had gotten a text from Dorian and rushed out to take care of something early in the morning. It didn’t matter. By that time, Josie knew what she had to do anyway.

Apparently Landon wasn’t in the same place yet and didn’t want to see her. Her shoulders slumped. She couldn’t blame him, not really. She could only imagine how hurt he was hearing it from Lizzie of all people.

She thought about heading downstairs for breakfast, but the guilt in her stomach made her nauseas enough. She was just about to see if he could retreat to her room when Penelope rounded the corner.

Josie turned, but there was no escape in the long hallway.

“Invisique.” She held her breath as she watched Penelope pass. Just when she thought she was in the clear, Penelope stopped, tilting her head like she sensed something. A long moment passed. Josie’s lungs burned from holding her breath.

Finally, Penelope turned her head without turning around. “I can smell your perfume, Jo.”

Josie let out her breath in a loud rush, dropping the spell in defeat. “I’m not wearing any perfume.”

“Hmm.” Penelope shrugged. “I could still smell you.” She looked Josie up and down. “Are you avoiding me?”

“Sort of.”

“Because of last night?”

“Yes.” Josie led them away from Landon’s door. “I have a boyfriend, Pen - or, at least, I had a boyfriend.”

“So what I’m hearing is you’re single?”

“I’m being serious!”

“So am I.”

Josie drew her eyebrows together. “I cheated on him.”

“You cheated on me, too.”

“And I don’t want to be a cheater!”

“Then figure out what you do want, Jo-Jo,” Penelope said, stepping closer. “You don’t know what you’re looking for in a partner, so you keep bouncing all over to whatever you think you want, because the truth is, you just don’t know what it is you actually desire.”

Josie crossed her arms, heart pounding in her ears. “What I want is to know why you didn’t tell me that MG was Hope’s new partner in crime.”

Penelope looked away. “I didn’t tell you because … MG was going through a hard time, and we were helping him through it. We had it under control. I didn’t want you to get your dad involved.”

“I wouldn’t have …” But wouldn’t she have? The first thing she did when she found out was run and tell her dad. And now he knew … “I had to find out in the same conversation I found out my sister is sleeping with Hope.”

“Oh, yeah.” Penelope brushed off the surprise in Josie’s voice. 

Josie’s jaw dropped. “Did everyone know this except for me?” she cried.

“I mean, I kind of assumed. Your sister’s been following Hope around like a lost puppy.” 

Josie buried her face in her hands. “I can’t do this. I can’t do this. On top of all that, I have that stupid pageant tonight and I’ve had no time to practice my speech and now I don’t have a date -”

“Then drop out.” Penelope scoffed. “You didn’t even want to compete in the first place.”

Josie squinted at her. “How do you know that?”

Penelope didn’t answer. She just watched as she dug the toe of her shoe into the floorboards.

“What is this time? More spelled pens? Bugging my room? Blackmailing a vampire into compelling information out of my friends?” Josie shook her head in disbelief. She didn’t even know why she bothered to be surprised anymore. “I know what I want in a partner, Penelope, and it’s not someone who spies on me and meddles in my life for her own selfish, obnoxious, and evil reasons.”

Penelope nodded slowly, like Josie’s words didn’t hurt her. She turned, calling over her shoulder, “At least that takes Hope out of the running too.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

It meant that she and Hope had something very selfish and evil planned for that night, but she didn’t say that. “You’ll just have to find out.”