A Brand New Day

Chapter 13

Meadow's POV
Mom and Dad stare at me while river takes off. I freeze I don't know what do to, do I just stand here, in a t-shit and my underwear. Dad, finally sits on the bed and sighs. That's when Mom breaks, she begins to bawl, standing in front of me staring, but she doesn't say anything. She just cries. Dad sighs again, and clears his throat, "why?"
"I just..." now I feel stupid. I can't tell them. I bolt to the bath room locking the door.
"Open the door." Dad says. I scream, I scream but I don't say anything at all. I can't do this. I can't explain what is happening, why it's happening, everyone is going to hate me. I just said every hateful thing that I could think of to get River to leave me alone. She wasn't supposed to know. They weren't supposed to know. I don't know how to tell them. I just wanted to see what it felt like. I wanted to see if it actually worked. I could feel everything when I cut, all the anger and pain washed away. When I help that freshly put out match against my skin, everything I was feeling floated away. I'm not sorry.
I am sorry for what I said to River. I never wanted to hurt her. I just had to get out, I didn't mean any of it, I started talking and everything came out. I'm in trouble. I know it. I'm not leaving this room. "Meadow. It's me." Max says as he knocks on the door.
"Go away."
"Hey, miss. Your mom and dad went to look for River. I was told to bring you some pants if you'll just open the door." I sigh. I open the door and stick out my hand. I close the door again. "I got some chocolate chip ice cream, on the way over. Come share it with me." There's no way out of this, I just pray he doesn't try to make me talk. I open the door and he standing with his hand out to me. I take ahold of it. We go to the kitchen and on the counter is two tubs of ice cream. "I bought two because I know you won't share with your favorite uncle, no matter how much you love me." My face cracks with a smile. "There's that beautiful smile. Let's watch a movie." I nod and he gets spoons. I sit on the couch and pull a blanket over my legs. "Trolls okay?" I nod. I put a spoonful of ice cream. The movie starts and that's when he looks at me, "wanna talk about it?" He asks.
"No, but thanks for the ice cream."
"Your welcome." We watch the movie and slowly I fall asleep.
*DREAM*
"Hey, you little bitch. Did you ask for that?" Meredith asks.
"Umm, it was in the freezer I thought."
"My freezer, my food. You know what that means."
"I'm sorry, please. Don't make me."
"Go to the bathroom now. Either I can do it or you can."
"I was just so hungry. Please don't make me." I begin to cry. I wish River was home. I'm too little to fight her myself.
"Go." She says.
"No." I say through tears. I can be brave just like River.
"What?" She asked baffled.
"No, I'm not going to." That's when in one quick move she snatched my hair and drags me upstairs into the bathroom and throws me into the toilet. I hit my head on the toilet and begin scream, "RIVER!"
*DREAM*
I thrash around and that's when I hear her. I open my eyes. "Meadow, shut the fuck up. It was just a dream." River says. I try to pull her into a hug but she pushes me away. "Just because I helped you, doesn't me I forgot. So just shut up and be quiet I'm trying to sleep." She gags and takes off to the bathroom. I go to the living room and lay on the couch. Mom and dad are in the kitchen whispering.
"What the hell happened tonight?" Dad asks.
"Well, we saw Meadow's dark side." Mom says.
"Well, it was bound to happen, no one is ever happy all the time. So what do we do?"
"She's going to have to be watched closely. She can't go to that school anymore. Your gonna have to call Jessie, we need to make a specific schedule, and have a support team for her."
"I really don't think she should go."
"It would be a good opportunity. And I think it will help her mature and with her separation anxiety."
"Don't you think that she's too young."
"I think she's had enough life experience to handle this."
"How are we going to fix their relationship?"
"We're not, they will mend it themselves." I shuffle a little and pretend to be asleep. Until mom sits beside me. I open my eyes and they overfill with tears.
"I just wanted to see if it helped."
"It did, but that's not the right way to cope."
"I know. I'm sorry."
"It's okay. Come here." I crawl into her lap and she holds me. Until I fall asleep.