Chapter 17: Comfort from Friends
With hatred burning in her heart, she'd stormed out of the building and ran towards her car. She had attacked her birth father out of blind fury, remembering his antics against her when she was very young. She had missed the old days, the days where she would play with her friends without echoes of the past, the way she would've continued to change people and get more popular. Back in elementary school, things were so simple, so warm, so refreshing.
Now, 13 years passed since she'd seen them, some friends gone to other schools, some friends becoming different, but at the end of the day; under that cool Meg persona was a Griffin Girl who would've been hunted by her family hunting her down and dragging her back. Meg still had dreams of that happening and would wake up in bed and go on her computer to work on a report for an excusing herself to stay away. While it doesn't happen as much as it did in her first 4 years with her family, Meg had frequently have problems.
Trembling, she attempted to stick her key in the lock, but it couldn't go in. All Meg could do is collapsed her head against her hands, allowing tears that she'd never shown for years. Meg wished she hadn't been born as a Griffin. Even after years of being a Bowman, she was still a Griffin and had their standards, her tears hitting her hand. She had tried again in sticking her key in and finally managed to stick it in, but someone latched onto her hand and grabbed the key and pulled it away.
"Meg, this is not the way to go about this, I know you're hurt," Perry said, holding her key, not allowing her friend from doing something reckless. From beside her, Ryan had his arms crossed, staring down at his friend.
"Perry, Ryan, guys I need to end it all, I'm not the same! For years, I have been a fraud, but in the end, I am a girl who'd run away from home!" Meg bellowed, realizing that she'd exposed the truth of her past, feeling the anguish burning through her. "I have never told you all about my past! Before I went to your school, I was a Griffin! I was from this state! I was abused! If I hadn't run away, I would've grown up in this town! That boy I had beaten down was my little brother who my parents always side with!"
Suffice to say, her friends were shocked. Meg had never been asked about her life behind the age of 5. Even though she did, they'd caught several grimaces from her whenever she was touched at elementary school.
"Meg, you're not a Griffin, you're a Bowman," Ryan said, placing his hand against her shoulder. "Without you, I would have never gotten friends and probably wouldn't be accepted in groups. Without you, we would've never met amazing friends throughout the years. Those people are not your parents, and they'll never be your parents again."
"Listen, Meg, let's take a little drive around town, go calm yourself down," Perry offered, realizing that her friend is hysterical currently and that she had a very dark past as a very young child.
Perry had been trained to drive with her parents so Meg trusted her with her car. Not saying anything, she scooted herself over and planted her head on the steeling will. Hopefully, there's an ice cream parlor or something that can refresh the friends. As they'd hoped in the girl, they drove off.
Meg was lucky that she'd allowed her friend to drive, she might've done something either stupid or suicidal, two things that she would've regretted as she had laid on the deathbed. Besides, she is not in the state to drive; not after seeing her parents again which brought back very painful memories that she'll do anything to forget about.
They had managed to find an ice cream parlor but none of them trusted the guy running the business so they'd decided to drive a little bit out of town, hoping that there's one leading to Redbrook, but still not far from the state. Luckily, there is a restaurant where they immediately stood up from their seats and walked in. Meg had felt a little bit better at being far away from those people at the moment but she has to confront those people someday and reveal herself.
For years, Meg had wanted to laugh in their faces, gloating about how much she had grown into a better girl, giving them pieces of her mind, showing them pictures of trophies that she had win throughout the years. However, when she came across them, she had just snapped and kicked her birth father in the shin and stormed out, wanting to get out of there as fast as possible. In some way, if there is a way to gloat without breaking down, the Bowman girl would do it, but she is doubtful that it will work... right now.
That bloody Principal made her want to kick a wall and Meg never lost her temper. She'll humiliate him and get vengeance, but the stubborn ass was probably scared of her as it is. With him around, more stress was built at the sight of her birth family, making it feel like it was his dumbass fault. Meg had wondered what would have happened if she had stayed with the Griffins.
She imagined herself as a pink shirt girl with blue pants and red and white shoes with a pink hat, getting pushed around and mistreated by everyone, the sight of her making them throw up or lit themselves on fire. Of course, it isn't real but it hurts nonetheless.
"Meg, what do you want to order?" Ryan asked, nudging his best friend's shoulder, making her return to the real world and look at him with confusion. "What do you want to order?" He repeated before motioning up to the young woman who had a smile on her face, seeming to be glad that she worked there. Well, jobs like this mus pay high, as long as you're in the right town.
"I will take a hamburger, french fries, and a sprite, please," Meg replied absently, completely unaware that she had wasted her friend's time, but grateful that they seem to understand. Meg had noticed that rain was thudding the window outside, but the senior also knew that they could stay inside. However, she made sure to grab her remote car key and turned the hood up so the seat doesn't get wet. She didn't want to wash her car later when she'd already wash it some time ago and doesn't have to wash it for at least another month.
The woman did as order and told two in the back to begin cooking the kids order; Ryan ordered a cheeseburger and soda, whereas Perry ordered a chicken sandwich with orange soda, and Joshuna ordered a chocolate chip cookie, a coke, and chicken and rice. Meg had to keep herself from giggling lowly since Joshuna is someone who will eat anything but the dude would somehow remain balance and not grow fat. Well, it's good to see how she got her friends.
When the food was finished, the four led their trays to a table that is enough for them; Meg and Ryan sat beside each other, and Joshuna and Perry also sat beside each other. Whereas Joshuna does eat a lot because of his weight disorder, he still is tough for someone like him. Meg knew that Perry had a crush on him but wouldn't admit it.
Meg wouldn't judge it though, nor will she confront those two and demand for them to get together. Romanic is starting to blossom from the two, though it's very short at the moment. To be honest, Meg had a tiny crush on Ryan, but she would not admit it. Ryan is sweet and kind but Meg helped him years ago and pulled him out of seeds of depression years ago.
As she ate, right now, Meg knew that she will have to confront them sooner or later to take a heavyweight off of her shoulders, but she was sure her friends will be by her side.
