Crescent Camp - H.S.

~Eight~

Penny sat in Megan's office, the wooden floorboards creaked as Meg swayed back and forth on the balls of her feet. Matching wooden walls were covered in photos of past camp mates but also certificates and awards that Meg and the camp had won.

The ticking of the clock seemed to get louder and louder the longer Meg kept her mouth shut.

She'd said nothing for a good minute. Standinf at the window with her back to Penny.

"Megan..."

"Nope. You don't get to talk."

Yikes. Okay she's mad, mad.

Penny quickly closed her mouth again. She looked like a deer caught in headlights.

"I don't care to know the details, that is your business. What I do care to know is why you decided to do this on camp grounds with the kids just over a mile away?" Her tone wasn't loud or angry. It was calm. This was more worrying to Penny.

"I.. uh.. I.."

"Penny, you are smart. You are great counsellor. The kids love you and I'd hate for you to get caught up in something."

Penny furrowed her brows as she processed what had just been said.

"What does that mean?" She asked.

"I mean... please don't let someone lead you astray. I'm not your parent. However while you are here I am a guardian to you all. If anything happens to you that is technically my responsibility. You've been coming here for five years now and I'd hate for some... fling to change you."

Penny was no longer confused. She was angry. Pissed even. Megan had no right to say these things about her and Harry. She didn't know anything about him. He'd only just got here this year.

"Fling?" Penny spat.

Megan sensed Penny's anger and moved back slightly.

"With all due respect... you don't know anything Megan. You're not my parent like you said, so who are you dictate my life like this?! I just work here. Harry is good and kind and he makes me happy. How dare you judge me based on this? I'm sorry we did it on camp grounds. We should've thought about that more but Jesus Christ Meg were young. Mistake is a part of the deal when you're young." Penny tried to swallow down the anger and get her point across clearly.

"Precisely. You're both young and stupid. Mistakes can and will happen."

There it was. Mistakes  can and will happen. Mistake being code for a something else.

Penny getting pregnant would be catastrophic for business. There'd be uproar about the camp. Parents wouldn't want their kids going anymore. Meg would lose money. Her name tarnished.

It was all making sense.

"Oh my god! Are you gonna have this same conversation with Harry? Or Becca and Blake or Di and Ryan. Because same the same thing is happening there! You spout all this bullshit about being a guardian and caring about us. Lies! It's looking more and more like you just don't want a baby scandal on your hands!"

"Now that's not what I'm saying..." Meg walked over to where Penny sat, she tried to place her hand over Penny's but she just yanked it away.

Meg had changed her tune, realising the bad cop approach wasn't working, she was trying to be sympathetic now.

"You know what... I know what this is. Look I'm sorry you can't have kids of your own. I'm sorry that life dealt you a shitty hand on that front. I'm sorry it's caused you to have trauma surrounding that. Nobody deserves that. However, you can't direct all of those fears and trauma onto me. I don't have to sit here and listen to this bullshit. You've made it very clear your opinions and thoughts. I'm sorry to have been such a disappointment to you Meg."