Unlikely Conditions

Chapter 18

"That was quite a shit show." Nicole commented from the doorway of the bedroom. Meadow didn't bother getting up from the floor as her back rested against her bed, her knees pressed to her chest.

"Fuck off, can't you see I wanna be alone!" Meadow snapped back at her as she buried her face into her knees. Nicole ignored her as she entered the bedroom, her eyes darting to Meadow's phone on the bed as it lit up with a message notification. She reached down to pick it as she gazed curiously at the name on the screen.

"Who's Keegan?" Nicole asked curiously as Meadow quickly dived to her feet without a second thought. She launched herself forward, swiping the phone from Nicole's hand as she fell onto her bed. Nicole stepped back in shock as Meadow pressed her phone screen to her chest as she sat up again.

"She's just a friend of mine, you have no business looking at my phone without my permission!" Meadow snapped back at her before pulling her phone from her chest to smile at the message on her phone. Nicole watched her for a moment before her eyes slowly widened from the realisation, her lips parting slightly as if she was about to say something. She began to slowly back away towards the door.

"Oh my god! I fucking knew it!" She yelled, her back against the door as she met Meadow's eyes with a glare. Meadow simply stared back in confusion.

"Knew what? What the fuck are you on about?" She snapped back at her as she looked her up and down at the somewhat disgusted look on her face.

"You're a fucking dyke!" Nicole yelled back. Meadow was taken back by the sudden homophobic insult aimed at her. She'd put up with Nicole's homophobic tendencies for a long time, probably internalised homophobia if she was honest with herself finally. She didn't wanna be a bystander for her disgusting behaviour anymore. She narrowed her brows in a frown as she glared her down.

"Do you know how ignorant you sound?! I'm not what you've just called. I'm bisexual!" Meadow snapped back at her as she folded her arms across her chest. Nicole froze for a moment before erupting into laughter. She held her stomach as she tried to calm herself down.

"If you're a lesbo just admit it. There's no such thing as bisexuality!" She laughed as she calmed herself down slowly. Meadow felt her blood boil as she listened to her talk. She tried to put a lid on her anger to avoid any further conflict with people.

"I'm so tired of your homophobic comments. I've been a bystander for too long, I don't wanna do it anymore." Meadow added as she continued to glare her down. Nicole shook her head repeatedly at her as she rolled her eyes.

"I should've known, you were probably into me. You're disgusting!" Nicole commented in disgust as Meadow simply chuckled back at her.

"Don't flatter yourself bitch!" Meadow snapped back as she watched the sudden shocked look plastered on Nicole's face. Nicole brushed loose strands of hair from her face as she shook her head at her.

"Whatever dyke bitch, just be grateful I'm not telling your mom. I'm glad Declan was able to escape you." Nicole commented, Meadow held her tongue as she glared back at her before turning to grab her duffle bag to start packing her clothes. She ignored all Nicole's looks and glares as she neatly folded her clothes into her duffle bag. Nicole let out a sigh of frustration as she turned and disappeared out the room. She lifted her head to the sound of light footsteps heading towards her room, a small smile creeping onto her face as Tonya stood in the doorway.

"Riley said he's ready to take you home." She announced with a slight smile. Meadow threw the duffle bag over her shoulder as she nodded back at her before following her downstairs. She could hear the sound of her mom laughing and talking still with the guests as she was suddenly stopped in her tracks by Iris standing in front of the door, throwing on her jacket with a smile.

"I'm proud of you!" She announced happily before throwing her arms out to her, Meadow dropped her bag to the floor as she embraced her without a second thought, breathing in the scent of her perfume as she clung to her. Iris chuckled as she stroked along her back slowly before pulling away to place a kiss on her forehead. Meadow turned to glance at her mom peaking round the corner with a glare before turning away without a word she turned, brushing her hair behind her as she followed Tonya outside were her brother was waiting in his car. She helped her load her bag into the trunk of the car before they both climbed inside. Riley check her in his rear view mirror, smiling briefly as he started the car and slowly pulled out of the driveway.

"How you feeling?" Tonya asked as she peaked her head round to look at Meadow sitting in the backseat. Meadow looked up from her phone to glance back at Tonya. If she was honest she wasn't sure how she was feeling. She felt a sense of relief but at the same time she felt terrified for so many reasons. She exhaled for a moment before parting her lips to answer.

"I..don't know.." She sighed as she glanced back down at her phone to see her reflection in the black screen. Tonya turned to glance at Riley focused on the road ahead of them before adjusting herself in her seat.

"Let me just say, I never liked Declan." Riley commented as Meadow lifted her head suddenly from hearing Riley's comment, she could feel a faint smile creep onto her face as a soft chuckle then escaped her lips.

"I only met him a few times but I knew from the first time I met him that he was a dick." Tonya added as Riley chuckled back at her. Meadow joined as she smiled at both of their comments.

"Well, he won't be coming back into my life don't worry. Besides, there's someone else I like!" Meadow said with confidence in her voice, looking up to see Riley's smile in the reflection of the rear view mirror as she proudly smiled back before seeing Tonya reaching out her hand to her. Meadow leaned forward as she took her hand in hers as they happily smiled at one another. This was the first time in a long time that Meadow had felt proud of herself and actually could feel the happiness through out her body. Her heart raced but this time it wasn't because of her anxiety. It was a completely different feeling.

She'd been home for nearly 2 hours now, her clothes were unpacked, she was far away from her mom and her guests. She was back in her own home but yet she still found her mind wondering as she stared at her laptop screen. She pulled her knees up to her chest, exhaling deeply as she thought to herself for a moment before swiftly closing her laptop screen and getting dressed into the first outfit that caught her eye. She threw on her backpack and hurried out the front door without a word to Heidi as she left. She panted as she stepped off the bus in a hurry before hurrying down the street towards Keegan's apartment complex, she stopped suddenly from the sight of her stepping out of the lobby. A huge smile crept onto her face as she saw her dressed in her famous leather jacket.

"Keegan!" She shouted. Keegan spun round to wave over at her with a chuckle before Meadow hurried towards her, trying to catch her breath back as she stood in front of her.

"You okay?" Keegan asked as she slid her apartment key into the small front pocket of her ripped jeans. Meadow caught her breath back, resting her hand against her chest, feeling her heart race as she looked up at Keegan's face. Her cheeks felt warm as she suddenly found herself lost for words as she couldn't stop looking at her.

"I..I wanted to see you. Do you..wanna grab some lunch with me..tomorrow?" Meadow stuttered, her heart ready to burst out her chest as she chewed on her bottom lip nervously awaiting Keegan's response. Keegan was taken back by Meadow's sudden question. She could see the light pink blush on Meadow's cheeks as she found herself lost in her bright green eyes for a few moments as she swallowed before answering her. A soft chuckle escaped her lips as she snapped back into reality.

"Are you asking me on a date bambi?" She chuckled, folding her arms across her chest with a grin. Meadow blinked repeatedly at her as her cheeks blushed brighter.

"What!? No! I-"

"I'd love to grab lunch with you." Keegan interrupted happily as she reached out to brush a small loose strand of hair from Meadow's face. Meadow grinned back at her, exposing the small gap in her front teeth proudly.

"G..Great! I'll see you then!" Meadow stuttered nervously as she played with the ends of her hair. Keegan chuckled as she watched her, playfully ruffling her hair for a moment.

"Till tomorrow, princess." She said with a faint grin as they both waved goodbye before Keegan walked in the separate direction of her. She did it. She actually asked Keegan out on a date.