Wounded Bird Pt. 01

It was a hot day in June, and eighteen-year-old Amy Calvano stood out on her front lawn in a short-sleeve shirt and pair of shorts watching movers carry furniture from a large van into the house next door. The neighboring property had been on the market for several months before the SOLD sign finally went up.

Other than the parade of movers, Amy saw no sign of the new occupants. People had been looking at the property for months, but she had never given much attention to who the prospective buyers might be.

Eventually, Amy lost interest. "I hope they're friendly," she said aloud to herself as she made for her front door.

Before she'd taken a half dozen steps, she heard the sound of a vehicle and turned back to see a bronze Subaru wagon pull into the driveway. The back of the vehicle was packed with belongings.

Amy watched as a woman got out from behind the wheel. She wore dark sunglasses and a scarf about her head, looking as if she'd stepped straight out of a 1960's movie. At the same time, the passenger door on Amy's side opened, and a girl in a long-sleeved, maroon button-down shirt, and some tattered blue jeans hopped out. The jeans didn't quite reach her ankles, revealing a pair of white ankle socks. On her feet were a pair of light blue sneakers to finish the ensemble.

The girl looked about Amy's age. She was lean with slender legs, a thin waist and rather flattish chest. She had straight, light brown hair that was parted in the middle and hung to her shoulders. Her complexion was quite pale, a stark contrast to Amy's duskier skin tone, which was passed down via her Italian ancestry.

Amy was idly studying the girl when she became aware that she was making eye contact. She gave Any a single wave, almost a salute. "Hey there," she called out in a husky voice. "Name's Meredith. Addison."

Amy waved back. "I'm Amy," she replied. "Calvano," she added, keeping with the established form of including last names. "You moving in here?"

"What gave you that idea?" the girl asked, smiling at Amy's stating of the obvious.

Amy returned a fake smile. "Lucky guess."

The girl approached to within a few feet of Amy and stopped. She placed one hand on her hip and hooked the thumb of her other hand in the front of her belt, almost as if she were posing for an unseen camera.

"So, uh... you live in there?" Meredith asked, cocking her head toward Amy's house.

Amy roused herself from her trance, and looked back at her house. Feeling sassy, she replied, "No, I live in the next town over. I just like to watch people move into their homes."

Meredith eyed Amy suspiciously for a moment, then formed a wry smile. "Looks like my new neighbor has a sense of humor."

"And a razor wit, so watch out. Other than that, I'm pretty harmless," Amy joked, enjoying their clever parries.

"Oh. Too bad," Meredith replied with a frown.

Amy made careful study of the girl's face. She had thin lips and large eyes that seemed to pull Amy right in, like a tractor beam. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the girl's irises were a deep blue. And there was a wash of freckles across her cheeks.

The girl started to turn away. Amy stopped her. "Need any help unpacking?"

"No, I think we've got it. But thanks."

"Meredith!" The older woman with the sunglasses was calling from the front door. Meredith looked toward her house and then back to Amy. "Better see what she wants. Talk to you later."

Amy watched as Meredith made for her house, slightly hunched with hands stuffed in her back pockets. Just before reaching the porch, Meredith spun about and flashed a smile Amy's way. She then bounded up the wooden steps and into the house.

Amy stood there for a bit watching the men carrying in chairs, sofas, lamps and boxes, wondering if Meredith might reappear. After a minute or so, she gave up and went back inside her house.

Amy was quite pleased, and relieved. Of all the possible outcomes, she actually ended up with a potential female friend moving in next door. Having just graduated High School, Amy had her whole summer to plan before heading off to college. Maybe she and Meredith might become friends? Meredith seemed friendly enough, and about the same age, though looks can be deceiving. It was possible that she was of college age, or perhaps she would attend the High School come fall. The neighborhood was full of kids who attended Condon High.

Once back inside, Amy replayed the encounter, as if trying to get a better sense of who this new girl was. It had been so brief that it almost seemed as if she had been transported down from the sky and then beamed back up again. But there was the moving van, and the Subaru packed with belongings. Beyond that, there wasn't much to build on.

Amy did find it odd that Meredith chose to wear a long-sleeve, button-down red shirt on such a warm summer's day. Looked nice on her, though.

=============

"Anybody home?" There followed a loud knocking on the front door.

Amy poked her head out the second-story window and spied her new neighbor standing on her front porch.

"Wasn't sure if the doorbell worked," Meredith hollered up.

"It doesn't. The door's open, come on in," Amy called down.

Meredith entered Amy's house and listened to the pounding of feet as Amy appeared on the landing. "Come on up," she said, turning back around.

Meredith followed Amy upstairs, down the hall and into her bedroom. "Nice," Meredith stated approvingly, as she looked around. Amy's bedroom had a homey feel to it. Wooden floor with a colorful throw rug, cream walls with some sheer curtains to soften the sunlight, and surfaces littered with books and other stuff. On the bed was a brightly colored blanket.

As Meredith looked about, Amy noticed that her new neighbor had what appeared to be a large notepad tucked under her arm. And like before, she had on a long-sleeve shirt.

"What's with the large notepad?" Amy asked, pointing to the book under her arm.

"It's a sketchbook," Meredith answered while checking out the shelves of books and wall posters, as well as Amy's messy desk and clothes yet to be washed or hung up.

"So you're an artist?"

Meredith shrugged. "I try to be."

"What are you sketching?"

"Haven't decided yet. But you never know when inspiration will strike," she replied as she picked up and sniffed a scented candle. "Cinnamon," she noted approvingly as she set the candle down and moved about the room as if she were a prospective renter. "I get tired of vanilla scents, don't you?"

Meredith gazed out of Amy's bedroom window. "I think my bedroom is on this side of the house. That could be interesting." She turned to reveal a sly grin. "How long have you lived here?"

"Ever since I was little," Amy answered, plopping down on her bed. "What's with the long sleeve shirt? Aren't you hot?"

"You think I'm hot?" Meredith teased.

Amy rolled her eyes. "Right. You know what I meant."

Meredith shrugged. "I like long sleeved shirts. Who's this?" Meredith asked, tilting her head slightly as she examined a photograph hanging on the wall.

"That's my older brother Brendan on the left. And that's my dad with him. They were on a fishing trip back when he was a freshman at BU. He rents an apartment near campus, and I'm thinking about going there. I have a friend I might room with. What about you?"

"Still have to finish high school. One year to go. I'll be going to Condon this fall."

"You mean Condom," Amy corrected with a grin, surprised to learn that Meredith was a whole year behind her.

Meredith laughed. "I'll have to remember that one."

Amy watched as Meredith began riffling through the clothing in her closet. "So, you have any brothers or sisters? And was that your mom I saw the other day moving in with you? Where's your dad? Is he out of town?"

"What are you, a detective?" Meredith quipped.

"Oh, sorry. Just curious." Amy suddenly felt as if she'd crossed a line, though her questions seemed reasonable enough. After all, Meredith had been sniffing about her room the other day.

"It's okay," Meredith said in a kinder voice. "It's just me and my mom. I don't have any brothers or sisters, and my parents divorced about a year ago. My dad kept the old house, so my mom bought us this place. Instead of finishing out my senior year at Northfield, I've decided to move in with her and transfer to... 'Condom'." She gave Amy a knowing smile. "With any luck, I'll graduate this coming year. Can't wait to put on that sexy gown with the mortarboard."

The comment made Amy laugh as Meredith continued, "Speaking of sexy, I knew this girl who went to her high school graduation ceremony without any clothes on underneath her gown."

Amy couldn't believe it. "No way!"

"Yeah, she was flashing people, too."

Amy shrugged. "Takes all kinds, I guess. If you like, I can show you about town, introduce you to some of the good places to eat. We should exchange phone numbers," Amy suggested, assuming that Meredith had a phone.

"Um, sure," Meredith replied. "But I don't have my phone on me."

"Later then. So, do you spend weekends with your dad?" Amy asked, aware that some kids ended up in complicated joint custody situations. Seemed like half her schoolmates had parents who weren't together.

"I'm nineteen, so I don't have to spend any time with him," she replied in a rather unfriendly tone.

Amy's question definitely struck a nerve, though hearing that Meredith was nineteen also begged some explaining. Meanwhile, Meredith went back to admiring Amy's clothing. "I like this top," she said, caressing the collar on one of Amy's blouses.

"Why?" Amy asked.

"It's soft and summery," Meredith replied cheerily.

"No," Amy groaned, "I mean, why don't you want to spend time with your dad? Do you and him not get along?" Amy sensed she was wading into muddy waters.

"Depends on what you mean by getting along," Meredith replied, her jaw firmly set, and her focus never wavering from Amy's blouse.

Meredith's energy belied the casual words she'd just uttered, and Amy lightly pressed for more information. "I get the feeling there's more to this story."

"Let's say, we have our issues," she answered in a bland tone of voice, now scanning Amy's books. "

Meredith clearly didn't want to discuss it, and Amy should have let it drop. But living under the same roof with a mother who was a professional therapist did tend to rub off on her, and sometimes, she liked to fancy herself as possessing some interrogatory skills of her own.

And so, she prodded further, asking in as respectful a tone as she could, "You sure you don't want to talk about it?"

"For real?" Meredith complained, turning to stare angrily at Amy. Her once blue eyes had gone smoky grey, and she now stood with her arms crossed protectively in front of her.

Amy felt terrible. "Meredith, I'm sorry, I... I shouldn't have pried," she apologized. Clearly, Meredith's relationship with her father was a sensitive issue.

After a dramatic exhale, Meredith walked over to where Amy sat on the bed. Her tone softened. "Look, I didn't mean to snap at you. I just don't want you getting the wrong idea. My dad's cool. He means well, he just sometimes..." She paused, on the verge of saying something important.

"What...?" Amy gently urged her.

"Look, I don't want to talk about it, okay?" That seemed to put an end to it. But after a moment, she continued, "And please don't go blabbing about this to your parents or anyone," she admonished, her expression more weary than angry. "I don't want any rumors starting that I have issues with my dad. I just moved in here, for fuck's sake!"

"Meredith, I'm sorry. I promise, I won't say anything," Amy emphatically assured her new friend, though she really wasn't sure what she was agreeing to conceal.

"Thanks," Meredith said, smiling warmly, the dark mood vanishing. She raised her hand for a signature high five, and Amy slapped her palm.

And so, the girls made their first pact. After the palm slap, Meredith sat on Amy's bed, and all was forgotten as she probed Amy for information about the high school.

"It's a good school. Small, so the senior class isn't that big. Teachers are good. You'll do okay."

Meredith chuckled. "You sound like my mother. I just want to get through the coming year," she explained.

"I'm with you, there," Amy agreed. "Actually, I enjoyed my graduation ceremony. Especially the sexy mortarboard. Though I didn't flash anyone."

"Missed opportunity," Meredith joked. "I don't plan on making many friends. It's just for one year, and then I can get the hell out of here."

Amy wanted to ask, "and go where?" but she held her tongue. "I've a couple of girlfriends I like to hang with," Amy continued. "Jessie and I are fairly close, but she's heading to Arizona State this fall. And then there's Ari. Her name is Ariadne--her family's Greek--but I call her Ari for short. She was in my math class this past year and is like scary smart. We became good friends and she agreed to tutor me. In exchange, I did things for her."

"Like what?"

"Oh, I helped her with an English paper, stitched up a few of her clothes, picked up food for one of her pool parties, lent her some of my makeup... things like that."

"You're kidding?" Meredith exclaimed, in a tone laced with disbelief.

"Hey, it was worth it. I don't think I would have passed that class without her help. I kind of suck at math."

Meredith forced a smile. "Hey, I suck at lots of things. Including math."

Amy's face brightened. "But the best thing is, we're now pretty tight, and that means I get to use her pool whenever I want. It even has a diving board. The party last summer was a total blast. I'm sure she'll have a swim party this summer. Her family usually throws a big one on the Fourth of July weekend. And since Ari and I have graduated, this year's party should be pretty wild. I know she'd be fine if I brought along a friend."

"Well, I'm counting on you to get me into all the best parties," Meredith informed her new friend. "What about the guys? You dating anybody? Don't worry, I don't hit on other girl's boyfriends. I don't do shit like that."

Amy smiled. "You're welcome to hit on my boyfriend, because I don't have one."

Meredith smiled. "Good for you. I was dating this college guy up until we moved, but we agreed to call it off. He was a bit pushy, kept asking me to come up to visit him on the weekends. To have sex, of course."

"Have you had sex with him?" Amy probed, hoping she hadn't crossed a line.

Meredith rolled her eyes. "Nope." She then smiled mischievously at Amy. "You thought I slept around, didn't you?"

"No, I didn't," Amy objected, upset that Meredith would think that of her.

"What about you?" Meredith asked, moving on.

"Definitely don't sleep around," Amy replied, proudly. "Truth is, I haven't gone all the way yet. I've been pressured to, but I've decided to wait."

"You mean, until you get to college, or until you get married?"

Amy shrugged. "I suppose when I get to college, though who knows."

Meredith continued, almost to herself, "I thought about having sex with James--that's his name--but I don't even like the guy. He's a total jock. He's on the football team, the basketball team, bikes on the weekends, works out all the time..." She laughed. "I know, what am I doing hanging out with a jock? I should be dating a musician or an art student. At least I'm not a cheerleader."

"I could see you as one," Amy noted. She meant it as a compliment, but the comment made Meredith wince.

"Why on earth would I want to be a cheerleader?"

"I wasn't suggesting you'd want to be one. I just meant you have the body for it, that's all."

Meredith gave Amy a sly look. "So, you like my body? Interesting."

For a moment, Amy felt as if she'd been caught out, and it upset her that Meredith would even go there. "Why do you keep doing that?"

"Doing what?"

"Putting a dirty spin on things. I'm just trying to be nice. I think you have a fit body, that's all I was saying!"

Meredith chuckled. "Hey, I'm just pulling your chain. I'll try not to do that anymore. However, it should be noted for the record that you think I'd make a good cheerleader. Even though my tits are too small."

Amy didn't think the girl's breasts were too small, but she thought it best not to say anything. "Okay, I now know you're not a cheerleader, and you now know that I suck at math. We're making progress."

Meredith smirked as she shook her head and again rolled her eyes.

"Hey, we have to start somewhere. Are you on social media?" Amy asked.

"For a while, I was on Instagram. I used to upload images of my work, but I found that I was spending too much time on the computer and not enough time on my art. These days, I'm usually too busy to waste time posting shit. I'd rather hone my craft, so I can get a show at one of the legitimate galleries."

"You sound pretty serious about it..." Amy was impressed.

"I'm trying to be."

"I'd love to see some of your artwork, I mean, if it's okay..."

"Sure. But you're right, we should exchange phone numbers. It's always good to have someone watching your back."

Amy found that last comment odd. So many questions she wanted to ask, but she needed to be careful how she framed them. "Earlier, you said that you were nineteen. Many seniors haven't even turned eighteen. Did you miss a year?"

"Late bloomer," Meredith replied, an edge to her voice. After a pause, she stared over at Amy. Taking a deep breath, she spoke in a flat tone. "When I was sixteen, I missed a whole year of school. Eleventh grade. I got pretty sick. Ended up repeating the year. I should be going to college this fall, but instead, I'm finishing my last year of high school."

At that moment, a car pulled into the drive. Shortly after, the front door opened. "That's my mom getting home from work," Amy explained.

"Do I need to leave?" Meredith asked, sitting up.

"No, you're welcome to stay. My mom is really easy going. So's my dad."

"Lucky you. I'll stay for a bit," Meredith said, falling back onto Amy's bed. "So, tell me, Amy Calvano, if you could be anything in the world, what would it be?"

Amy thought for a few moments. Her answer was one she'd considered before. "I'd like to be an astronaut, and work on a space station. That's why I need to be better at math. And science. I think it would be incredible to stand on the moon and look back at the earth, and see it all lit up by the sun. All that blue water..."

"Sounds dangerous. Don't astronauts get killed all the time? You keep hearing about their spacecrafts exploding."

The grim comment made Amy cringe. "Yeah, sometimes. But lots of jobs are dangerous. I think traveling through space would be an incredible thing to do."

Amy locked eyes with Meredith. She found her new friend smiling, her unblinking stare alive with wonder, or excitement, Amy wasn't sure. But she definitely noticed the same rich blue in Meredith's eyes that she imagined the earth might be if you got to see it from somewhere out in space.

The thing is, Meredith wasn't looking at Amy as much as looking through Amy. It was as if she had x-ray vision or some super power. "I'd like to draw that," Meredith said to nobody, nodding ever so slightly.

"Draw what? An exploding spaceship?" Amy asked, trying to follow her friend's thread.

"What you just said about being out in space, standing on the moon and looking back at the earth..."

"You could draw that?"

Meredith nodded. "I enjoy doing fantasy stuff, and sometimes abstract compositions that don't mean anything." Meredith's focus now seemed to be somewhere else. "I love creating imaginary worlds from out of nothing. Just pull the images out of my head." After tugging at the bed cover, she lay back on Amy's bed and stared up at the ceiling. "I don't think I'd want to go on living if I couldn't make art."

There was a touch of pathos in her voice, so subtle it could easily have been missed, but Amy was paying close attention and picked up on it. She quickly surmised that with Meredith, it was important to pay attention.

"So, what would you do if becoming an astronaut doesn't work out for you?"

Amy chuckled. "Well, I'd definitely want to go on living."

Meredith's face grew serious. "You didn't have to joke about that."

Amy compressed her lips and clenched her jaw. "I'm sorry." It sure didn't take much to set Meredith off. "I didn't mean to make light of what you said... I guess if I can't be an astronaut, I'd like to be a therapist, like my mom. Or a teacher. I'm not sure yet."

"There's time to figure it out," Meredith replied, stretching out her arms. "Time's a construct anyway."

Whether time existed or not, Amy didn't think she could afford to be nonchalant about her future. "Have you thought about what college you want to go to?"

Meredith's eyes narrowed. "I think after I graduate, I'm going to travel for a while. Maybe, take a gap year. Go study in Europe."

Now Amy was impressed. "I wish I had the confidence to take a year off and travel. I'll probably look for a job here in town and save up some money."

"You working this summer?" Meredith asked.

Amy perked up. "My parents let me take the summer off, sort of as a reward for doing well in school. It's definitely my last free ride," she noted, with a wistful sigh. "What about you?"

Meredith laughed. "I tried working, but I'm not a very good employee. I tend to miss shifts. No, I'll either become a successful artist or starve to death..."

Amy resisted the temptation to make a sarcastic comment. "You could find someone to support you," she offered.

"Yeah, a patron," Meredith agreed. "The key thing is to not give up on your dreams," Meredith proclaimed, a sense of longing in her voice.

Suddenly, there was the sound of a car pulling into Meredith's drive. Meredith got up off the bed and went to the window to check. "Shit!"

"What's wrong?" Amy asked.

"It's my dad! What the hell's he doing here?"

The girls watched as Meredith's mom came out onto the front step and talked with Meredith's father. Amy found him to be a rather rugged looking guy, muscled with thin dark hair graying at the temples. There was some dark stubble on his face.

He towered over Meredith's mom who shook her head in response to something he said. She then looked over at Amy's house and started to walk over.

"I can't believe this. I don't want him to know I'm here," Meredith said, looking desperate.

"Nobody knows you're up here," Amy reminded her.

"I told my mom I might pay you a visit," Meredith explained, clearly unhappy.

The girls heard a knock on the front door, footsteps and then women's voices. To their disbelief, they then heard footsteps coming up the stairs. Meredith looked panicked, so Amy gestured for Meredith to get inside her closet. Meredith slipped behind the rows of outfits just as there was a light knocking on the door.

"Amy?" It was her mother.

"Come on in."

The door opened and Alison Calvano poked her head into the room. "Oh, I thought Meredith was here."

"Uh no..." Amy lied.

"Oh, well her mom is looking for her."

"She did stop by earlier, but then took off. She didn't tell me where she was going."

"Okay, I'll let her mother know."

"Guess what? She's going to be a senior at Condon this fall," she added as an upbeat change of subject.

"Oh, that's nice," her mother replied. "If she needs a ride, I'm happy to drop her off at school in the mornings, since I go right by there."

"Sure, I'll let her know," Amy replied, doing her best to appear relaxed, inhaling slowly to calm herself. As a person who believed in telling the truth, Amy was sure her deception was plastered all over her face. And her mom being a therapist was very good at reading people. But she didn't seem to notice anything amiss.

"I'm thinking of making spaghetti for dinner. You okay with that?"

"Sounds great. You want any help?"

"No, I've got it. Plan to eat around six."

Her mother shut the door and Amy listened as she went back downstairs. The voices resumed at the front door and then ceased.

"All clear!" Amy said softly to the closet.

Meredith cautiously emerged from between the clothes, and went to the bedroom window. Amy followed. Both girls peeked out and watched as Meredith's father spoke with her mother for a moment or two, then got back in his silver sports car and departed.

A relieved Meredith turned and gave Amy a hug. "Thanks! That was smooth."

Amy was pleased that her efforts were appreciated. "Well, as I said, my mom is a therapist so you have to be on your toes if you want to slip anything by her."

"Good to know," Meredith replied, making a mental note.

Amy had enjoyed the hug. The affection from Meredith was a welcome change from her usually prickly and evasive remarks. Amy also realized that this was now the second time she had agreed to lie on behalf of her new friend. It was not a role she was comfortable with and yet, she instinctively knew that Meredith was in need of someone she could trust. Whatever issues she had with her father it was important that Amy supported her. And it couldn't be easy having to finish high school when she should be heading off to college.

After they parted, Amy said, "I don't want my mom finding you up here. It will lead to all sorts of questions. Let me go first. I'll keep her occupied in the kitchen so you can sneak out the front door," Amy suggested.

"Brilliant. Hey, thanks for covering for me. I really appreciate it. Okay, I'm going to skedaddle."

Amy and Meredith crept down the stairs, and while Amy kept her mother engaged in the kitchen, Meredith snuck out the front door and made her way home.

At dinner, Amy's mother and father caught up on their respective work days, and then talked about the new neighbors. Amy would have loved to have shared with her parents some of the conversations she'd had with Meredith, and how interesting she found her to be. But she pretended not to know much about the girl, other than to say she looked forward to getting to know the family.

That night, as Amy got ready for bed, she thought about her fascinating new friend. On the whole, she liked her. There definitely was an edge to her, but a soft side as well. Clearly, there were issues at home, and then her missing a year of school was no small deal. Just a few pieces she hadn't yet fit into the puzzle.

"Whatever. I'll be patient, and maybe after we're better acquainted, she'll tell me more about herself. Right now, I just need to be a good friend," Amy reasoned.

===========

Later that week, Amy went shopping at the mall with her mother, and they talked about their new neighbors. Turns out, Jane Addison was in Real Estate, and knew in advance that the house was going on the market. Amy's mother, Alison, mentioned that she learned a little about the Addison's divorce and how it had been a difficult period for Meredith. That caused Amy to recount Meredith's attitude toward her father, and then Amy's promise to keep that information secret.

Of course, since Meredith's parents were divorced, it was unlikely Amy's dad would get to be friends with Meredith's father. Too bad, as he was always looking for another golf partner. Amy knew that her father would be out playing golf most of the summer. He'd attempted to get Amy interested in the sport, but she found it difficult and tedious. Generally, she preferred curling up with a good book rather than participating in outdoor activities. Though she did love splashing about in Ariadne's pool.

Thinking of Ariadne inspired Amy to fire off a text, asking if there were any pool parties on the horizon.

'Yassou! Save the date. Sat, July 4 weekend. Graduation Bash!' - came Ariadne's reply. 'Can you make it, fili mou?'

Amy smiled. Ariadne was always including Greek phrases in her texts. By now, she knew that 'fili mou' meant 'my friend.'

'Wouldn't miss it!' Amy replied, adding a heart at the end.

'Can't wait to CU.'

Amy really liked Ariadne. She was smart and generous and lots of fun to be with. They loved the same books and movies, listened to the same music, felt similarly about a whole range of subjects, and their birthdays were both in April, only one week apart.

From the moment they began working together in math class, they'd become good friends. Ariadne had been over to Amy's house many times and got along well with her parents. Since Ariadne was considering a career in psychology, she and Amy's mom loved to talk about the subject.

Amy had been over to Ariadne's house for dinner on several occasions, too, and enjoyed visiting the Petrakis household. They were quite religious and a bit strict, but Amy took it in stride. Ariadne's grandparents had immigrated from Greece, and the family spoke both Greek and English in the home. And it was never dull over there.

In addition to her two parents and a grandmother that lived with them, Ariadne also had two younger brothers, John and Chris. The Petrakis family were an outgoing bunch, always talking with their hands and laughing and arguing about pretty much everything. And to them, Amy was just one of the family. Ariadne's mother even taught Amy how to make a few simple Greek dishes. One of Amy's favorites was the 'village salad', or 'horiátiki,' which Amy liked to make for her own family.

Like Amy, Ariadne had a dusky Mediterranean complexion. But that's where the similarities ended. While Amy was of medium height, with a soft, roundish figure, Ariadne was tall and statuesque. She had classic Greek features, that included lush black hair, full, dark eyebrows and long eyelashes to adorn her dark almond eyes. Her mouth was graced with a full lower lip, and her face with high cheekbones, and a cute nose, which was the one facial feature that she hadn't seemed to have inherited from her parents.

And her body was shapely, though not overly so. She had well developed breasts and a sexy butt, long legs and a waist that curved elegantly to her hips. It was no surprise that Ariadne Petrakis turned heads. That, and being smart and kind, made her one of the most popular girls in school. Amy considered herself exceptionally lucky to have her as a friend. To Amy's surprise, it was Ariadne who had made the overture of friendship at the start of their senior year. Learning that Ariadne was a wiz at math was an unforeseen bonus.

The Fourth of July pool party made Amy think of Meredith. She hadn't mentioned in her text to Ariadne about bringing a friend, though she was pretty sure Ariadne would be okay with it. Either way, she would make sure to ask in advance.

Amy got up from her bed, and decided to have a look out her window to see if there was any action over at Meredith's place. The room directly across from her was, according to Meredith, her bedroom. The curtains were drawn, and Amy couldn't see in. But when she looked toward the back, she could see Meredith sitting out in her yard drawing on a large sketch pad. Amy decided to pay a house call.

She hustled downstairs, made her way around the side of the Addison's house and entered through the back gate. "Hi," she said as friendly as she could, while walking up to where Meredith sat on a garden chair. "Up for some company?"

"Sure," Meredith answered without looking up. Amy watched as Meredith reached for a cigarette, took a puff, and then stubbed it out in the ashtray. Amy thought it an awful habit, but she held back from saying so. She also noticed that despite the heat, Meredith once again had on a long-sleeved shirt.

After Meredith returned her attention to what she was drawing, Amy noticed the box of colored pencils on the table next to where Meredith was sitting.

"What are you drawing?" Amy asked, wondering if she should sit down. After coughing, Meredith handed Amy her sketchbook. Amy stared in awe at the paper.

In the center of the drawing was a finely rendered planet earth, mostly blue, with hints of green land and clouds traveling over its surface. It was a view of the earth as you might see it from space. In the foreground and off to the side of the drawing was a girl sitting with her back to the viewer. Beneath her feet was a grayish, pock marked ground that Amy took to be the moon's dusty surface. From the right side of the drawing, sunlight was streaming in to brighten one side of the earth.

"Did you make this up?" Amy exclaimed, overwhelmed by the artistry.

"Sure. I didn't copy it, if that's what you mean. You can have it, if you want."

"I can't take this, Meredith. You've put so much work into it," Amy insisted, holding the precious work out for Meredith to take back. Amy was no art afficionado, but she'd seen enough artwork by other kids her age to know that Meredith was seriously gifted. This was easily as good, if not better than most of what she'd seen in school art shows.

Meredith took the book back, carefully tore the page out and handed it back to Amy. "Amy, I did it for you. That's you sitting on the moon and gazing back at the earth. It's how I imagined it when you described it to me."

Amy remembered their conversation. It was as if Meredith had gone into Amy's head and extracted the image from her private thoughts.

"And now, every time you look at it, you'll remember that you're supposed to be an astronaut and travel to other planets."

Amy didn't know what to say. Meredith's ability to give life to Amy's dream of being an astronaut, and then gift it to her, made Amy want to give Meredith a huge hug. But instead, she simply agreed to keep the drawing.

"You should have it framed, so nothing happens to it," Meredith advised. "You'll also want a special UV glass to keep the colors from fading."

Meredith then invited Amy up to her bedroom to show her more of her drawings. The house was still littered with boxes, but it now looked lived in. Amy noticed lots of art on the walls, and some of it was simply amazing. There were portraits and landscapes, but some of the works were totally abstract. Nothing seemed traditional or ordinary, either in the way it was rendered or in the use of color. Her works seemed alive with jagged and complex shapes and lines. Even the portraits.

One particular painting was quite surrealistic, the subject unsettling. It was a landscape of trees, and yet in the center of the sky was a dark oval shape. It could have been a cloud. Amy wasn't sure. But out of that central space there were several arms reaching out to the surrounding landscape, as if there were people inside trying to get out of the cloud. On the wrist of each arm was a colorful wrist band that seemed to symbolize something, though Amy had no idea what it might be.

"You did all these?" Amy asked in amazement.

"Uh, huh," Meredith replied as if it were no big deal. Meanwhile, she had pulled out a whole stack of paper. On each sheet of paper were scenes of an action novel.

Suddenly, Meredith's eyes lit up and she became quite animated. "I'm working on this graphic novel that features a girl with superpowers. I know, it's a bit cliché, but I'm hoping she'll be different from other superheroes. Instead of saving the world and defeating villains, she comes to the rescue of kids who are in real bad situations. You know, living in places they want to get away from. Nice twist, huh?"

Meredith handed the booklet to Amy. She studied the cover page, listing Meredith as the author.

"Meredith Caufield?"

"Yeah, that's the name I use as an artist. It was my mother's maiden name before she married Dad."

Amy liked that little touch. Making friends was never easy for Amy. Boys made her nervous, and girls always seemed to be immersed in cliques, replete with complex power dynamics that made her head swim. Amy tended to be one of the quieter ones at school. However, in those classes she really liked, she wasn't averse to expressing her opinions on a subject. But generally, she was shy. She envied those kids who weren't afraid to put themselves out there, especially those boys and girls who could be openly affectionate in public.

Amy should have been overjoyed with the prospect of this new friend, and yet something about Meredith made her feel uneasy. The girl intimidated her. She also made Amy's emotions bubble to the surface. It was confusing.

Generally, Amy avoided talking too much for fear of saying things she'd regret or come off sounding uninformed. She'd already said a few things that had upset her friend. But instead of bailing, she felt this was an opportunity for her to work against those inclinations.

Naturally, Amy made the obligatory physical comparisons. As is often the case with teenagers, there's an abundance of insecurity amplified by the need to compare and contrast one's self to others. She thought Meredith was very attractive, though when she compared her own breasts to those of Meredith's, she had to admit that hers held the day. In just the past couple of years, Amy's body had matured dramatically, and was now filling out nicely.

These bodily changes had inspired Amy to go for a more daring look, choosing to shear off her long straight hair that hung down to the middle of her back. She also ditched the bangs and spiced up her look with a strategically placed streak of magenta trailing off the left side of her head. Amy hadn't yet gotten any tattoos or piercings, but she was considering a single ring through her nostril, and maybe a tattoo. Problem was, she really couldn't decide what she'd want, or where to put it. A string of hearts perhaps? Ariadne had a classic Greek frieze pattern around one of her wrists. Her parents threw a fit, but Amy liked it.

As for Meredith being more worldly than Amy, well, there was no evidence for that. She just came across more confident. The thing is, Amy wasn't a shrinking violet. Not only was she a good public speaker, she was well-read and more sophisticated than she gave herself credit for.

Meredith was extremely talented, and there was a quality about her that belied her age. Her art was as good as anything Amy had seen at school or in any of the illustrated books she'd read. Amy was grateful to have her as a neighbor, and as someone she could be friends with.

Amy had learned from her mother the importance of introspection. "Many lessons can be learned from examining our own feelings and actions," her mother had counseled.

"Maybe Meredith is my chance to expand some horizons," Amy thought, borrowing a page from her mother's playbook.

===========

The next day, Amy dropped by Meredith's and rang the front door bell. Her mother, Jane Addison answered the door. "Hello?"

"Hello, Mrs. Addison. Is Meredith home? I'm Amy, I live next door."

"Yes, Amy, it's nice to finally meet you. I'm sorry, but Meredith isn't here right now. She's spending a few days with her father."

At the news, Amy became worried. After they'd exchanged phone numbers, Amy had texted Meredith a couple of times without receiving any reply. That bothered her, though Meredith had admitted she wasn't a fan of texting.

"Is there a problem?" Jane asked, with a touch of concern.

"Uh, no... I was just hoping to catch her at home."

"Well, I'm afraid she won't be back until Sunday. Meredith tells me the two of you have become quite good friends."

That news raised Amy's spirit. "I hope so. There's a good chance I'll be living at home this fall, so maybe we can hang out together. I used to go to Condon High, so I can probably help her out there too."

"That's very kind of you. I'm sorry you missed her. I'll be sure to let her know you stopped by."

"Thanks," Amy replied. She said goodbye to Jane and made for home.

She decided her best strategy for the time being was to put her energies elsewhere. "I wonder if Ariadne is up for a visit?" She fired off a text.

- Hey girl, up for some company?

- I'm going shopping for a new bathing suit. Care to join me? - A

- Pick me up?

- On my way. - :)

============

"Amy!" Ariadne called out from her car. Amy zipped around to the passenger side and hopped in. "I wanted to get a new swimsuit. You game?"

"Sure," Amy replied with glee. "I should buy one too."

"Now you're talking." Ariadne backed out of Amy's drive and sped off for their favorite clothing store. "I haven't heard much from you lately," Ariadne began. "What have you been up to?"

"Well," Amy began, being careful as to what she said. "I've been getting to know my new neighbors. The house next to us finally sold, and this girl moved in who's attending Condon this fall. She'll be a senior."

"Good for her," Ariadne replied. "So, what's she like?"

Amy ran her tongue along the inside of her lower lip. She wanted to tell Ari all about Meredith, but made a point to keep her enthusiasm in check. "Well, she has a quirky sense of humor and she's definitely a trip to talk to. I get the feeling she has a lot of interesting stories to tell, but I've only just met her. It's just she and her mother living there. Her parents are divorced."

"What else is new," Ariadne said, in response to the divorced parents. "I look forward to meeting her," Ariadne said, rather coolly.

"Well, I'm hoping that I might invite her to your pool party, if that's okay?" Amy finally asked. "She's new to the area and doesn't know anybody, so it would be a great way for her to meet some people and feel like she's fitting in."

"Sure, you can bring her," Ariadne agreed. Part of her wasn't thrilled to have a new girl infiltrate her world of friends. But if Amy liked her, then it was in Ariadne's best interest to get to know her.

"Thanks, Ari, I'm sure you'll like her. Oh, and she's an amazing artist! I saw some of her artwork and it's incredible. She's working on this graphic novel of a female superhero, and it's so good! And you should see the drawing she did of me! I'm standing on the--"

"She did a drawing of you?" Ariadne interrupted, clearly not pleased. "I thought you only just met her? How long have you two been hanging out together?"

Amy was surprised by Ariadne's reaction. She was about to chastise her friend when it dawned on her that she had been going on about Meredith maybe a bit too much. Sometimes Ari could be rather possessive. And it was only natural that her closest and best friend would feel slighted. She quickly tried to put Ariadne at ease.

"Ari, she lives next door to me, so of course, I'm going to get to know her. And the drawing is no big deal. She's always drawing, even when you're talking to her. Besides, I'm here with you now, aren't I?" Amy countered.

Ari cast a glance at Amy and smiled. "Yes."

"Ari, you're my best friend and you always will be. I just think you'll really like her. Maybe the three of us can become friends."

Ariadne pulled into the small lot and parked outside the women's clothing boutique. She breathed a sigh. "Fine. Bring her to the pool party. She sounds great. Now I need you to help me pick out a sexy bathing suit," she said, locking arms with Amy.

"Planning on turning some heads, are we?"

"Maybe," Ariadne answered coyly.

The store policy prohibited trying on suits, but the girls knew their sizes well enough to determine which ones would look best.

"What about this one?" Ariadne asked, holding up a skimpy black bikini panty and bra set, and grinning wickedly.

"Oh, that would look amazing on you," Amy enthused. "But I thought your parents had outlawed bikinis?" Ariadne's parents didn't approve of girls flaunting their sexuality, which meant Ariadne had to wear one-piece swim suits.

Ariadne made a face. "It doesn't mean I can't save it for a special occasion."

"Oh? And what occasion might that be?" Amy asked, intrigued and interested to see her well-endowed friend in that two-piece marvel.

"Maybe a night swim when the parents are out."

"Will I be invited?" Amy asked.

"Wouldn't be special if you weren't. But you'll have to wear a two-piece as well. I can't be the only one showing off her wares." Ariadne then leaned in and whispered in Amy's ear. "Or.... we could swim naked."

Amy laughed. She'd never gone skinny dipping and certainly had never seen Ariadne in the buff. The girl was sexy enough when fully clothed. Getting to see her fully naked seemed almost too much. Suddenly, she felt a little strange. "What's got into you?" she asked her friend. "You seem..."

"Ready to cut loose and have some fun?" Ariadne answered, finishing the sentence.

"Well, yeah, I guess that's it." Amy replied, unsurely. "Is there someone you're trying to impress?"

"Maybe..." came her vague reply.

Amy's eyes shot open. "Who is it?" she asked.

Ariadne shook her head in disbelief. Amy Calvano still wasn't picking up on any of her signals. She'd been telegraphing them for months now, and got nothing in return. What did she have to do, spell it out for her?

"I haven't decided if I should tell you yet," she answered haughtily, with an upward tilt of her chin, causing Amy to stare at her in wonder.

Ariadne had come to realize she was gay about a year ago, though she had an inkling going further back than that. Maybe her first awareness was in middle school. But last year, she met and fell for Amy, and there was no longer denying which team she wished to play for. Now she wanted to make something happen, and yet she was terrified of being rejected, or worse, having her family get wind of it. Coming out was not an option for her at this point in her life. Her parents were quite conservative, steeped in old world European patriarchy. Women married men and had babies. Her brothers were kings. She, the princess.

"Well, I think you'll look very hot in that swim suit," Amy noted, giving her friend's forearm a squeeze.

"I'm glad you think so," Ariadne shyly replied to Amy. "Sometimes, I get the feeling you don't notice me."

Amy was stunned. "I can't believe you just said that. Of course, I notice you. You're my best friend, Ari."

Ariadne winced. She wanted more than Amy's friendship. "Maybe I'm just being overly sensitive. It's just that, I like you a lot, Amy. It matters what you think of me."

"Well, I think you're fantastic, and the best friend I could ever hope to have. Now, let's buy ourselves some smoking hot bikinis and set up that night swim."

And so, spurred on by Ariadne, Amy bought herself a pair of hipster bikini bottoms and a bikini top with a scoop line.

Ariadne also decided to buy a short, pleated skirt. "Could you zip this up for me?" she called out to Amy from inside the changing room.

Amy opened the door and joined her friend. "You know, you could just put the skirt on backwards and zip it up yourself," Amy advised, as she zipped up the back of the skirt to finally cover up Ariadne's powder blue panties.

"Yeah, I know, just zip it," she retorted saucily, causing the two of them to break into snorts of laughter.

The girls then splurged for lunch. Amy had so much fun with Ariadne that day that she didn't once think of Meredith. It was only after being dropped off and waving goodbye that she checked her phone for any texts from her new friend.

There weren't any.

==========

Two more days passed. It was Friday, and despite having sent two more texts, Amy still hadn't heard from Meredith. It was difficult not to feel slighted, and yet she really couldn't judge Meredith harshly. She had no idea what her time with her father was like. From what she'd gathered, Meredith wasn't that keen on spending time with him. But maybe Amy was reading too much into that.

"Why doesn't she text me?" Amy groused. "I want to tell her the date for the pool party, and just make sure she's okay..."

Despite obsessing about Meredith, she had enjoyed the week. The outing with Ariadne had been loads of fun, and Ariadne had been especially warm and friendly toward her, which always made Amy feel good. She also read several chapters in her latest Dickens novel, and even watched a couple of movies with her parents to pass the time. And of course, Ariadne's pool party was only two weeks away, so that was something to look forward to. And yet, she couldn't help thinking about Meredith and wondering what she was up to.

"They might have taken a trip somewhere. But still, she could have texted me. Unless she's out of cell range." At least once or twice a day Amy would run one of these internal dialogues. She kept telling herself to chill, and not send any more texts! But something about Meredith's absence nagged at her.

===========

Late Friday night, Amy was startled awake by a loud, clacking sound. She sat up with a fright, relieved to find no one lurking in her room. She then stared at her bedside clock to see that it was a little after midnight. Suddenly, there was another loud clack. Something had just hit the window pane. She got up and slid the window open. Peering down into the darkness, she saw a figure looking up at her.

"Can I come up?" Meredith whispered to her.

"I'll be right down," came Amy's hushed reply. She put on a robe and tiptoed downstairs to the front door. 'What was Meredith doing here at this hour?' she wondered. Her heart was pounding as she unlocked the door and let Meredith into the house.

As soon as Meredith stepped through the door, Amy could tell from the look on her face that she was not doing well. Over her shoulder was slung an overnight bag, and without saying a word, Amy led her midnight visitor up to her room.

"Thanks," Meredith mumbled, as she slumped onto Amy's desk chair.

Amy resisted her natural urge to pummel her friend with questions. She could see that Meredith needed some time. She turned on her desk lamp, sat on the side of the bed and waited.

"We need to be quiet, so we don't wake my parents," Amy cautioned in a whisper. Meredith simply nodded, as she sat there looking deep in thought.

Suddenly, Meredith turned to Amy. "Is it alright if I stay here with you tonight?"

Amy was not prepared for this. Why didn't Meredith simply head home? But before she could even answer, Meredith abruptly stood. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have asked that. I'll go home."

Amy quickly approached Meredith and took hold of her by the arms. Meredith tried to shake free, but Amy wouldn't let go.

"You can stay here if you want to," Amy assured her in a soft voice. Meredith didn't respond, and Amy rubbed the back of her neck.

Meredith mumbled "thanks" as she dropped her head onto Amy's shoulder. Amy wanted to question Meredith, but decided not to pressure her. If Meredith didn't want to offer up any explanations, Amy would accept that. Right now, the girl just needed a friendly shoulder.

"I've got a toothbrush you can borrow and some fresh clothes if you need them," Amy offered.

"That's okay, I've got everything I need in here," Meredith explained, patting her bag. "Can I use the bathroom?"

"Sure, it's right across the hall. Just try and be quiet."

When Meredith emerged from the bathroom, she looked much better. She'd washed up and combed her hair out. And she'd changed into a short-sleeve t-shirt and some sweat pants. On each wrist, she wore a woven wrist band with native American designs. They were quite trendy.

"Feel better?"

"Yeah, thanks," Meredith grinned. She then yawned.

"There's room on my bed, if you need to sleep," Amy offered.

"I can't sleep right now. I'm too wound up. What I really need is a cigarette."

"You know, that's not good for you," Amy pointed out to her friend.

Meredith growled under her breath.

"Well, if you have to smoke, you need to go outside, and I really don't think you should."

"Never mind. It's not like I'm addicted or anything." She started pacing.

As for being wound up, Amy felt tense too. For now, Meredith could stay the night. Her parents would both be leaving early for work, and they rarely checked in on her. It would be awkward to explain why Meredith was in her bed.

"Here, you can have this side," Amy said, as she pulled back the covers. The two girls slipped into bed, and sat side by side, propped up by their pillows. The desk lamp remained on, and Amy studied Meredith's face. Her lids were closed but she could see her eyes twitching. So were the muscles in her face. Meredith must have put on some lotion, for she was now close enough that Amy picked up the subtle scent of almond.

Amy recalled Meredith teasing her for thinking she'd make a good cheerleader, implying that Amy liked her body. She didn't think that was kind. Or accurate. And yet, she had this urge to put her arms around her, not because she was attracted to Meredith, but to comfort her. She thought it would be pleasant to snuggle, but Meredith was in a tightly wound state.

Amy had so many questions, but she didn't want to put Meredith on the defensive. After some silence, she tested the waters. "You want to talk about it?"

Meredith sighed impatiently, causing Amy to back off. However, after a minute or so, she started to talk. "I was at my dad's place. We don't exactly get along, but I hadn't seen him since he and mom divorced, and he keeps pestering me to spend time with him. Anyway, he's been seeing this woman Chloe, who's been staying over so I figured it would be okay for me to visit..."

"What do you mean 'okay'?" Amy interrupted.

But Meredith ignored her, and continued with her tale. "She's actually pretty nice, and the three of us had a good time together. We went to a ballgame and had dinner out. But then, today, Chloe, left for some reason, and that's when he started getting weird on me. He wanted to take me out to a music club, but I told him I was tired and wanted to stay home. While he was in the shower, I called for a cab and had it bring me home."

Amy's eyes were wide open. The tale sounded straight out of some thriller. "You just left?"

"Yep."

"Is this why your parents divorced? Because of your relationship with your father?" Amy asked, placing a hand on her friend's leg.

Meredith gave a weak laugh. "No, she left him because he was cheating on her. And not with Chloe, either. I just don't like being alone with him."

More alarm bells, louder, this time. "Does your mother know about this?"

"About what?"

"Well... he was hitting on you, right?"

Meredith didn't respond right away, and seemed to draw her thoughts inward. She chewed on her pinky a bit. Then, after some silence, she started to talk. "Back when I was in a bad place, my mom got concerned about me and took me to see this therapist. She asked me lots of questions about my father, and I could see that she thought he might be the reason I went off the deep end..."

"Wait! What do you mean, 'off the deep end'?"

Again, Meredith ignored the interruption. "... She kept on me about it, but I didn't want him getting blamed for what I did to myself..."

Amy sat up in bed and stared at Meredith, wondering if she'd understood correctly. "Did you hurt yourself?"

Meredith turned and looked hard at Amy. Her eyes had this stormy quality about them. It made Amy feel uncomfortable.

"Look, if you'd rather not tell me, then..."

"No, I want to tell you," Meredith quickly replied. There was urgency in her voice.

"But this stays between you and me."

Amy's throat had gone dry. Here she was again, being asked to guard another secret for Meredith Addison. Only this one seemed not so easy. And yet, her loyalty had to be, first and foremost, to her friend. "I promise, I won't ever say a word to anyone. I mean that." And she did mean it.

After a moment, Meredith took Amy's hand and squeezed it. Amy breathed a sigh of relief. She remained sitting up, facing Meredith who was staring into the far corner of the room, as if peering into some distant past, After a few tense moments, Meredith started to speak.

"A few years ago, my parents started fighting all the time. They even complained to me about each other, which sucked. Anyway, Dad finally moved into an apartment. After a bit, he started calling me to set up times when we could visit. I thought it was great to get alone time with him, and at first, it was nice. He'd take me out to dinner or to a movie, and it was fun. It felt like being an adult going out with him. It was great..."

Amy reached up and idly stroked a lock of Meredith's hair. Meredith turned her head to Amy and smiled. There was gratitude in the look. After a beat, she continued with her story.

"He finally got my mother to agree to let me stay over at his apartment. His place wasn't big, but I had my own bedroom, it was nice. Then, one night he walked into my room without knocking. I'd just got back from taking a shower and I didn't have any clothes on. I hollered at him to get out, and he apologized, and said he was sorry, but he just kept standing there. I could see him checking me out while I covered myself up. It was creepy."

Meredith shook her head and chuckled. "He didn't call me for a long while after that, and I kind of forgot about it. Then one day, he called to invite me out to a jazz club. He'd been turning me on to jazz for a while, and I really liked the music. I was underage, but he somehow got me in. It was a great concert, but it went really late. So, I stayed over at his place again..."

Amy could see that Meredith was breathing a bit faster. "You want some water?" Amy asked.

Meredith shook her head. "No, thanks. Anyway, this time I was in the bathroom and he walked in on me. I had a robe on, but he... he wasn't wearing anything. He said he didn't know I was in there, but I knew that wasn't true. I have no idea how long he stood there, but he finally made this big show of being embarrassed and left."

All through the telling, Meredith's demeanor was so tense and focused that Amy hadn't dared move a muscle for fear of disrupting the girl's concentration. When Meredith stopped speaking, Amy used her hand to massage her friend's neck to help her relax.

After a bit, Meredith continued. "I stayed awake all night, but he never tried anything. After that, I didn't know what to do," she began, breathing a bit deeper. "I thought about saying something to my mother, but I never did. I just couldn't rat on him. Instead, I started coming up with excuses not to see him. He kept pressuring me to see him, and I started getting depressed. I was failing in my classes, and not talking to any of my friends. My mom could tell I wasn't doing well, but when she asked me about it, I'd just make up stuff like school was hard, or I just wasn't feeling well..."

"So, you were keeping this all bottled up inside," Amy observed. She kind of understood, though not really. The whole experience wasn't like anything she could ever imagine happening to her.

Meredith flashed Amy an impatient look. "I wasn't going to betray him, Amy! He was my dad," Meredith was clearly wracked by her difficult choice. "He hadn't ever touched me. And I didn't think he had the nerve to do anything...."

"But Meredith--" Amy started to object.

"Look, Amy, I don't need you judging me right now!" Meredith hissed at her.

"I'm not judging you," Amy said, before backing off. "It's just hard to hear this."

"You want me to stop?"

Amy shook her head. "No, I want to hear the rest. I promise not to interrupt anymore."

After a few tense moments, Meredith continued. "A few months later he offered to take me to southern California. He had this business trip to LA, and said we could visit Disneyland together. I'd never been there, and I really wanted to go. But I couldn't trust him. So, I told him no. I told my parents that I had too much homework, which was true because by now I was way behind at school. I'd even stopped painting. And I love painting more than anything. Anyway, he took the trip without me. But when he got back, he wouldn't talk to me, and that really hurt. I started reaching out to him, and trying to make it up to him. Suddenly, I'm apologizing to him, as if it's my fault," she noted, with an ironic laugh.

"Then one night, while Mom was out on a date, he came by the house to visit me. And there I am again, alone with him."

Amy closed her eyes, tightly. Meredith winced. "You're squeezing my arm too tight." Amy hadn't realized it, but she was gripping Meredith's arm very hard. She released her grip. "Sorry!"

"We were relaxing on the sofa when he started massaging my shoulders. I told him to stop, and he said that he loved me and would never hurt me. But I just wanted out of there." The pain on Meredith's face was almost too much to handle.

"Meredith, he didn't do anything, did he?" Amy asked, fearing the worst. Meredith looked at Amy and shook her head.

"No, I outfoxed him." Her lips curled up ever so slightly. It was the smile of a schemer.

"I went into the bathroom, got a razor and cut myself," she said, tugging up her wrist bands to reveal her scars.

Amy stared in horror at the scar on each wrist, running up her arm a couple of inches. Amy felt light headed and her body went cold.

"They're not that bad," Meredith assured her friend, staring down at them. "I didn't cut that deep. I just wanted to freak him out. You can't cozy up to someone who's bleeding all over the place," she joked.

"Did he know why you did it?" Amy asked.

"I don't know or care. It sure scared him shitless, though." She laughed at this point. "What can I say, it worked."

"I know, but jeez, I can't believe you did that!" Amy covered her eyes with both hands, feeling queasy.

"I can't either," Meredith noted with hardly any emotion. "I just remember seeing blood and realizing I'd done something stupid. And then I passed out. I'm definitely not cut out to be a doctor," she joked.

Amy's mind was in a fog as Meredith commenced with the following monologue.

"I can remember being taken to the hospital. But not much else. I hadn't cut too deep or any veins so I wasn't in serious danger. They bandaged me and sent me home to heal up. Of course, Mom was out of her mind, completely confused as to why I'd do something like that. She really tore into my dad for allowing it to happen, and he defended himself by saying that it was a good thing he'd been there. He sure is slick..."

Meredith paused to take a sip of water before continuing. "I knew Mom suspected something might be up for she kept asking me if there were issues. But I never said a word about him coming on to me. I just couldn't do it. Anyway, it was definitely over between my parents. After the divorce, he pretty much disappeared. That's when Mom suggested I talk to a therapist. I didn't want to at first, but I ended up going. I talked about my aspirations to be an artist, and how attending a new school had been difficult. She suspected I wasn't telling the full story, and really pressed me on it, but I just kept saying that their constant fighting was the reason I was so upset. Anyway, I went back to school for a while, but I could barely function. So, I took off the rest of the year. The great thing is, Mom helped me set up an art studio in the spare room, and I spent the whole year drawing and painting. I learned more that year than I ever could have in school. It was the best therapy ever...."

"So, have you ever told anyone what really happened?"

"You're the first person I've ever told."

Amy sucked in a deep breath. "How could your dad ever look you in the face again, knowing what he made you do to yourself," Amy fumed, not really expecting an answer to that question.

"Well, I haven't seen him for a long while. I mean, not until recently."

If there was one thing Amy's mother had taught her, it was that it is never healthy to bottle up pain, or carry around secrets. It had to be wrenching for Meredith to shoulder the full burden of her father's advances. It was good that she finally told someone. Amy abandoned those thoughts in time to see Meredith looking at her with affection.

"Thanks, Amy. It really helped to talk to you about this."

"I'm glad you trusted me. I just hate knowing you went through all that."

Meredith continued to stare at Amy, and Amy felt as if she were teetering on the edge of a precipice. And then, Meredith leaned in and kissed her on the mouth. Amy's eyes opened wide and she even drew back slightly, expecting Meredith to keep it brief. But Meredith increased the pressure of her lips against Amy's mouth, kissing her with feeling. Amy gave in to the moment and pulled Meredith to her.

The two girls continued to kiss each other until Meredith finally ended it. Leaning back, she flashed a wide, toothy smile. "Thanks, I really needed that." And with that, she yawned and rolled over to fall into a deep sleep.

Amy sat there in shock. Her thoughts were all over the place. She looked down at Meredith already fast asleep, facing away with her back to her. Who was this girl? Was she even real, or was this the culmination of some intensely vivid dream?

In what world did Amy Calvano kiss girls? She had kissed guys before, and a couple of those kisses had been nice. But Meredith's kiss was sizzling on her lips. And her stomach was in knots. She started to replay the moment, hoping to ingrain it into her memory, but within a minute or two her lids drooped and, she too, drifted off to sleep.

=============

The next morning, Amy's parents were off to work early, so by the time the girls awoke, they were alone in the house. Being summer, Amy's mom didn't usually pester Amy in the mornings, so she was pretty sure Meredith's presence had gone undetected. If her mother had found Meredith in her bed, there definitely would have been some explaining to do.

The girls took turns showering, then staggered down to the kitchen to rustle up some breakfast. Amy was still attempting to process all that had taken place during the middle of the night, from Meredith's unexpected arrival to her disturbing tale and goodnight kiss. Meredith, however, seemed calm and collected, as if she'd just woken up from a gentle night's sleep.

"Do you think your father called home last night looking for you?" Amy asked as she poured out some juice.

"I don't think he'd risk that," Meredith noted with a wry laugh. "He'd have to admit to Mom he screwed up again. Besides, I left him note saying I caught a cab home."

"Are you sure you're okay?" Amy asked, looking for signs of lingering distress.

Meredith returned a cheerful smile. "Totally. You are a true friend, Amy. Thank you for letting me stay the night with you. It felt good to talk about it, and I know you won't say anything to anybody."

"Of course, I won't. You have my word on that," Amy assured her friend, tracing a cross over her heart.

As Meredith gathered her stuff and Amy walked her to the front door, she considered bringing up the kiss. Would Meredith even remember it? It could have just been a friendly thing, and yet, part of her wanted to believe there was some other reason for it.

In the end, she said nothing, worried that if she did bring it up, it might become an issue with them. And so, Amy leaned against the door jam and watched Meredith wend her way home.

End of Part 1