Thank you, Kelley

Chapter 22

Meghan's POV:

After leaving the field with the officers we make a quick stop at the hotel to collect the rest of my stuff. They then escort me to the precinct. I am told that a social worker will arrive soon to take me back to New Hampshire. Apparently she is even going to ride on the plane with me which is actually kind of nice. I guess the real reason though is that they don't want me running off.

After many hours of traveling, I arrive at the front steps of the house I so desperately don't want to be at. I stand at the door not wanting to open it as the social worker drives away. She was nice but definitely didn't really care that much. I mean really. It is not like they did a welfare check even though there was a voiced concern about abuse. The system is definitely fucked up.

I know exactly what awaits me beyond this door. A night of pain. I decided I'd rather just get it over with and enter the house. Of course, Jan isn't home so this will be a bad one. Just as I expected as soon as I set foot in the door I started getting yelled at. Something about how he provides so much for me and I'm so ungrateful that I disobey him and leave without his permission. Bullshit! I don't even really listen to the rest and the punches start coming. Somehow he is smart enough to not go for my face which I am thankful for.

Marks on my face mean people question. Between the teachers at school and Kelley, I really don't want to deal with that.

The blows continue on my body for what seems like forever. Pain ripples through my body with every punch and kick. Shouting at me all the while but I don't hear a word he is saying. My sides are burning with the contact. Eventually, he just walks away. He seems satisfied. Not eager to see if he changes his mind I drag myself up the stairs to my room.

I close the door quickly and make my way over to my dresser and mirror. Painfully I slide my shirt off and can see that bruises are already forming. Well, this is not at all how I thought my next week would go. Literally less than 12 hours ago I was on the field with my teammates having the time of my life.

I run my hands over my ribs causing pain to radiate through them. I know I have to make sure none of them are broken or out of place though. Thankfully none of them seem to be. I climb into my bed not even bothering with a shower because I am exhausted.

I sleep for a bit until Jan knocks on my door and comes in. She is still in her diner uniform. She must have just gotten home from work.

"Oh, I didn't mean to wake you. Sorry. I thought you were still up."

"No, it's ok. Hi." I say back.

She comes over to me and tells me how sorry she is that Greg has made me come home and about the beating I just took. I remind her it's not her fault and we talk about how the half of camp was. Eventually, she leaves and I fall back to sleep.

-----

I watch the girls game against Chile at the end of the week. I was thinking it would be a good way to end my disappointing week but I am mistaken. They seem so off their game and I can't help to think that I have caused them to lose.

For the next couple of weeks, I fill my time with school, soccer, and work. I have practice three times a week and when I am not there I pick up as many shifts at the diner as I can. I try to stay away from the house as often as possible because Greg has been extra angry lately which only means more beatings for me.

Even people at school have started to notice. Specifically my soccer coach. Apparently I'm not playing as well as I normally do but I can't imagine why. Maybe it's my bruised ribs that can't heal because they keep getting assaulted.

I have stayed at Sophie's house a few nights as well but that just pisses Greg off more. It's like the anger gets pent up so it is twice as bad the next night. So I have stopped doing that.

Kelley has threatened to come here several times but I have refused. I'm surprised and honestly, a little said she listened. I know I told her I don't want her to help but it is beginning to be too much to handle. My mental health has definitely gone down the drain. The one thing I had to look forward to every couple of weeks had been taken away from me and I really have no hope for the future.

Just as things start looking really bleak I see familiar faces walk into the Diner. One of my coworkers leads them to a table and I can see them looking around. I head over to them.

"Alyssa? Morgan? What are you guys doing here?" I look at the two and I'm not entirely sure I'm not dreaming.

"Hey, kid." Alyssa gets up and gives me a hug. She and I are fairly close after our plane adventure from Boston to Orlando. Then Morgan gives me a hug.

"We both were visiting family and decided to take a little road trip up here to say hi," Morgan says. I had forgotten that the Naeher and Brian families live in New England.

"You guys have no idea how good it is to see you," I say. "Oh aww, what do you want to eat? I can go put it in and then see if I can take the night off and hang out." They order and I get the ok from my boss to take the night off. We end up hanging out and talking until like 3 am. It turns out they have a flight out to their next camp tomorrow. I am sad about this since I am not going but am hiding that from the girls. They tell me how much all the girls miss me and I ask them to give them all a hug from me.

We have so much fun before they finally have to leave and I have school tomorrow so I should probably get some sleep too. I make it back to my house and into my bedroom without any interaction with Greg. I fall asleep with a new hope. Life isn't quite as grim as it was earlier in the day. Seeing them reminded me that I only have to get through the rest of the year until I'm 18. I can still fight to be the best soccer player so that I can get back on the team and stay there.

Sleep soon overtakes me.