[CONTENTID1]MY ROSE AND MY STORM - PENELOPE'S POV[/CONTENTID1]
[CONTENTID2]

NOW {6 Years Later}

I gave myself another once over in the mirror before grabbing my purse and walking out of my bedroom. I strode into the living room and smiled when I saw my husband playing with our one year old daughter. He looked up and grinned, standing up with Pandora in his arms. He walked to me and planted a kiss on my lips.

"You look amazing," he said and I beamed at him, blushing slightly. I had on a black and blue strapless peplum dress and black platform pumps, my short hair was dyed blonde again (I'd had to stop dying it during my pregnancy) and I kept my eye makeup simple, contrasting it with plump-coloured lipstick. "Are you excited?"

"Very," I replied, taking our child into my hands. "Hi, sweetie pie." Pandora cooed and threw a hand in my face, her tiny fingers grabbing at my mouth. I grinned and kissed each of them, making her giggle as she continued to poke her index finger in and out of mouth, as if expecting something different to happen each time. "Are you gonna miss mommy?" She cooed again and I felt my heart warm. I kissed her all over the face until she was giggling madly.

"Did you eat?" My husband asked and I smiled at him. In every question he asked, I knew the meaning behind it; I love you. I nodded and leaned over, covering his lips with mine. I felt his hand slip around the back of my neck, drawing me in closer. I smirked and pulled away. 

"I have to go, jagi," I reminded him and he grinned, leaning in to kiss me again. I laughed into his mouth but returned the kiss, our lips softly. Pandora squealed and we broke away, laughing at our hyper baby. It was like she never rested; she liked to keep mommy and daddy awake all night but not with tears, with the sweet sounds of her babbling and giggling. "I'll see you both later. Are you gonna pick mommy up with daddy later? Hm, precious?"

"Be careful, drive safely," he ordered lovingly and I nodded, agreeing as I always did. "Remember your seatbelt. Have fun, okay? I love you."

"I love you too," I murmured against his lips, kissing him once more before handing him our baby and kissing her, too. 

"Mama!" She exclaimed and I gasped, looking at my husband in shock. Pandora had managed to call out for him at around 8 months but this was the first time she addressed me. "Mama."

"Yes, mama's leaving. She'll be back though," I told her, her thick brown curls. She already had a head full of wild hair. Her hair was a mixture of mine and my husband's, but it resembled Victoria's overall.

"Bye-bye!" Pandora beamed and I giggled, kissing her nose. "Bye, mama!"

"Bye, baby. I love you," I cooed, then with a smile, I left my family and exited our home. It was warm but not unbearably so. I got into my car and pulled out of the driveway, making my way into the city. Jagi and I had both decided we had enough business inside of Dallas, we didn't want to add to it by also living there so we bought our house on the outskirts, just like Daddy Park and Lizzy. The lovely green scenery surrounding me soon turned into tall buildings and skyscrapers. My phone rang through my car and I answered it with the click of a button. "Hello?"

"You almost here?" Cleo asked. I glanced in my rearview mirror then in the left one, before making a turn.

"Almost," I answered. "Five minutes, give or take. Who else has arrived?"

"Just about everyone. I thought I was late but they're all just early," she said and I nodded though she couldn't see me. I knew I wasn't late, I was never late. As the CEO of a huge business, I couldn't afford tardiness. I was at the top of my game, the best of the best - and I wasn't just bragging. I'd already been recognised as one of the most influential businesswoman in the entire US, the title quickly spreading across the globe. It didn't hurt that I was also loved by green organisations with my company's high involvement in environmentally friendly projects. 

"I'll be there in a flash," I told my best friend before hanging up. I reached my old high school and parked in the spot that used to be mine, happy when I saw that it hadn't been taken by anyone else. Getting out of my car, I grabbed my purse and locked the vehicle before striding into the building. I was instantly hit with a million memories made in that particular institution. I'd spent four years of my life there, four amazing/horrible years. I'd both loved and hated those years, though mostly loved them. 

"Oh my god, is that Penelope Park?" I heard someone ask but didn't bother to look. It was like being back in the past, being 17 again. It left a bittersweet taste in my mouth. "She looks amazing!"

"Yeah, you know she got married?"

"What, seriously?"

"I heard she has a baby now."

"She's, like, mega rich now."

"I never liked her."

"I can't believe it's Penelope Park! Man, I was so in love with her back in the day."

"Hi, Penelope! Remember me?" A girl asked as she walked up to me. I stopped and briefly scanned her, deciding I hadn't a clue who she was. "We were in the same AP psychology class. Gretchen? Gretchen Stephens?"

"Oh! Gretchen, hi!" I exclaimed brightly and a broad smile graced her face. "How are you? You look great." 

"Me? Look at you! You're rocking that whole y, badass businesswoman look," she gushed and I blushed, tucking a lock of hair behind my ear. "I'm fine, thanks. We should catch up sometime." 

"We should. In fact, here," I said, taking out one of my business cards from the stack I always carried with me. "Call this number and my assistant, Sabrina, will answer. Tell her you're an old friend." 

"Will do. Thanks! See you soon, Penelope," Gretchen smiled and I nodded, squeezing her shoulder before I resumed my walk to the school's auditorium. Upon entering the grand room, all eyes turned to me but I didn't feel shy, I was used to captivating the audience from my countless board meetings and press conferences for PetroPark. I spotted Cleo standing with our childhood friends and walked over to them.

"Hey, Pen. Looking good," Jongdae - he now went by his real name, having outgrown the nickname Chen - complimented and I grinned, winking at him. I exchanged hugs with all my friends and linked arms with Cleo. "So, who's betting Stacey and Logan ended up together?" I laughed out loud and shook my head at him.

"Nah, I'm betting on Logan being in prison for something else," Baekhyun cackled, earning a chuckle from the other guys. It felt good to be reunited with the gang, not that we didn't meet up regularly because we did. It was different this time because we were all in the building we became so close in. This was where we'd bonded, where we'd argued and joked and gossiped. It was where we'd said our goodbyes to our year group and where we'd shed tears at our graduation. 

"Have anyone of you guys seen Kai or Sehun?" I asked and they shook their heads. 

"Looking for us?" A voice asked from behind me and I turned to find said men with Krispy Kreme doughnuts in their hands. Sehun grinned guilty and shrugged a shoulder. "We felt peckish." I rolled my eyes and drew him into a hug, then hugged Kai. "You look good."

"Back at you, handsome," I replied, ruffling his brown hair. He'd finally allowed it to go back to his natural colour, though I'd be lying if I said I didn't miss the wild colours. I looked at Kai and smiled, happy to know that things between us were no longer awkward. It had taken years but the hard work had paid off. "We're just discussing what we think's happened to Logan and Stacey."

"I don't even want to think about them," Kai snorted, shaking his head in disgust.

"Oh my god. Guys, look!" Tanya gasped, nodding at the doors. Stacey frickin' Harlow walked through them, her face looking more plastic than a barbie doll and her s an unnaturally large size for her frame. Cassie threw her head back and laughed, only to be shushed by Luhan. She stuck her tongue out at him and for a second, I thought we were back in time. 

"Well, look at this," a voice sneered, snapping me out of my reverie. I fixed my eyes on Stacey as she made her way over. She stopped a few feet from us, propping her hands up on her hips as she scrutinised us with her eyes. "The loser group is back together."

"We never disbanded," Kris replied, his tone calm and his face an expression of nonchalance. We were older and more mature, we were parents for Christ's sake, we didn't feel the need to engage in petty arguments with our enemies anymore. Childhood enemies, to add to that. Forget the fact that we'd just been badmouthing her a few minutes before...

"That's nice," Stacey said though her face did not look as if she appreciated