If one more bad thing happens to JJ on this show. Lol. R&R

xoxo Jules

Chapter 11: "Don't ever make the grade"

Meg walked back to her house that day after Sunday school with a little hop in her step. There was nothing that could get her down now. She and Sam were finally together and there was nothing else that seemed to matter. They were finally happy.

She pushed open the front door.

"Meg!" She heard her dads voice call, loud, booming, threatening…

"Is everything okay?" Meg asked as her father approached her

"No it's not. What the hell Meg! I thought that I told you time and time again to stay away from Sam Walker!"

Meg swallowed a huge lump in her throat

"I tried to deal with this with just us but in a couple of hours all of Philly is going to know!" Jack yelled

"What are you talking about?" Meg asked in a childish voice.

"The Sister Clara saw you leave Sunday school today. She saw you kissing Sam in the alley beside the church." Jack screamed

Tears were now streaming down Meg's face.

"Do you know what this is going to do to our family! Our name!" Jack yelled

"I like him a lot dad." Meg said in a hushed voice

"What did you say?" He asked lowering his voice to an intimidating level.

"I said that I like him a lot." Meg said

Her father grabbed her firmly by the arm.

"I forbid you to see Sam again do you hear me Meg! Forbid it!"

Meg cast her eyes downward.

"I am not going to stop seeing him."

"Sometimes I am ashamed that you are my daughter!"

"Sometimes I am ashamed to have such a cold intolerant man as my father!"

And then Jacks eyes lit up with rage. He thwn without thinking hit her across the cheek… His eyes were regretful then as he back away, but he did not apologize, he let go of the grip that he had on her arm then retreated upstairs.

Meg sunk to the ground with her head in her hands. She could feel her cheek now burning as tears streamed down. She wasn't how sure she sat there before she let her anger get the best of her. She stood, straightened her skirt, and then headed out of the door.

The next day Roxanne clutched her books to her chest as she walked down the hallway. People were looking at her looking for Meg. It was obvious that they had heard what had happened between Meg and Sam. That night after Meg's fight with her father she had stayed with Roxanne at the apartment that she was now sharing with Luke. She had no intentions of going home anytime soon.

Sure Roxanne never minded attention, but everyones eyes were on her. She stopped short when she saw Sam leaving the building. She turned around and followed after him.

"Sam!" She called "Sam, wait up!"

He stopped and turned around happy to see a familiar face.

"What's going on?"

"Apparently my scholarship money ran out and now I don't have enough money to go to East Catholic."

"What? That can't be true." Roxanne said in shock

"It's awfully convenient considering everything isn't it." Sam said sarcastically

"Well you can fight it or something can't you?" Roxanne asked

"There's no point, I've only got three more months left, and I have already been accepted to college. I can survive at my home school for awhile." Sam said "I've been looking for Meg, have you seen her? Everybody knows and I'm getting kinda worried." Sam said

Roxanne was surprised. That was the most words that she ever heard him say in one sentence.

"She and her dad got into a fight last night. She's at my place now." Roxanne said handing him a key. "I'll meet you guys there after school."

Sam turned the key to Roxannes apartment to find Meg huddled on the couch sipping a cup of tea.

"Sam." She said in surprise sitting the cup down.

"Hey." He tossed his bag on the floor and then joined her on the couch.

"Why aren't you in school?" She asked

"My scholarship supposedly ran out." He said looking at the ground

Meg clenched her jaw.

"Don't worry, it's fine! I just think it was pressure from the parents. It was trouble enough that we came to the school in the first place but now parents are getting scared that their kids are going to…"

"End up like us?" Meg asked

"Yeah, I guess." Sam said

"So, what are we going to do?" Meg asked crossing her arms revealing a bruise on her shoulder from where her father had restrained her.

"Meg, what happened?" Sam asked taking hold of her arm.

"My dad was a little angry." She said pulling her sleeve back down.

"He hasn't done this before has he?"

"No, it's not like that Sam. He didn't mean to hurt me, honest. It okay. Really." Meg said

"Are you sure?" Sam asked again

"Yeah." Meg said smiling at him "We'll figure this all out later."