Fragile

The past

"Are you seriously mad at me for coming home late?! I told you a million times that I have a big project due-...."

Meredith heard her parents argue in their bedroom as usual. She was working on her homework in her own bedroom. She was 12 years old, but she understood everything that was happening in her home, she knew that sooner or later she would have to choose who she wanted to live with.

She knew she wasn't ready to answer but it didn't change that it was happening.

She didn't have siblings to talk to or play with, her parents marriage stopped working the moment she was born, so she felt like it was her fault.

She has been a good student her entire life, she felt good every time she got an A on her assignments, it made her feel special, specially when no one else understood but she did. She always felt important when her teachers showed her work for example in class. That's the only reason why she is great in school.

Seated on the threadbare couch in the living room, Meredith braced herself for the inevitable confrontation. But before either of her parents could broach the subject, she spoke the words that had been weighing heavily on her heart: "I want to live with dad." The room fell silent, the tension thickening with each passing moment as her parents exchanged a stunned glance. And then, as her mother silently retreated to the kitchen, tears streaming down her face, Meredith felt a surge of guilt wash over her. But as her father enveloped her in a warm embrace, whispering words of gratitude and reassurance, Meredith knew that she had made the right choice, a decision born of love and necessity in equal measure.

She knew she loves her mom but dad understood her, he always knew what to say to her and always checked on her whenever mom wasn't around.

As the years drifted by, a somber cloud settled over Meredith's life when her father succumbed to the ravages of bone cancer. His passing left behind a gaping void that seemed impossible to fill, yet amidst her grief, Meredith found herself thrust into a new role as the inheritor of his estate, including the family home and all his assets.

With no other family to turn to, Meredith's mother moved in with her to take care of her. Meredith wasn't entirely happy about it but she knew it would be best then just living alone. She didn't have a choice.

At 17 years old, Meredith stood on the cusp of adulthood, a junior in high school with a stellar 4.3 GPA that spoke volumes of her academic prowess. Yet, for all her scholarly achievements, Meredith found herself navigating the halls of her school with a palpable sense of isolation. While her classmates knew of her, she remained a solitary figure adrift in a sea of faces.

People definitely knew her name but they just didn't stick for long since they only asked for her help academically.