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And it was settled. He would be the most un-problemy husband to my mother. And I swear, if I see him slip once, it was over. 

Mom came back at around 1:00pm last night, so I'm pretty sure she's unaware of anything. Tomorrow my senior year was finally starting. I was also suppose to have dinner with Daniel today. A friendly dinner, obviously. I really doubted what Lynn thought. It just didn't make sense to me.

I coughed realizing My throat was raw with thirst. I haven't drank since last night. I went down the stairs heading for the kitchen. It seems like nothing was going right in my life. 

A laugh came from the kitchen, "So sweet..." Mom. I went to the edge of the kitchen doorway and caught her reflection from a window. She was caressing a bouquet of red and pink roses, wrapped in gold tin foil. 

Seems like he was listening after all. Well at least something was going right. 

I shuffled into the kitchen, out of my hiding spot. And I smiled when I saw how genuinely happy she looked. The ends of her lips reached her cheeks and her eyes twinkled with joy and love. That was the mother I love.

"Whatcha got there?" I asked, pretending I didn't already know.

"Your father send me flowers! Smell them, lovely aren't they?" I nodded and smiled.

"You're a good girl Meredith. Go have some fun tonight! You deserve it. Senior year is going to be very pressurizing." Wow. She was in a really good mood. She didn't even scold me for using 'whatcha' earlier.

"I'm going to Daniel's house today for dinner, so I won't be here."

"Didn't you use to date Daniel? Are you too back together?" Oh heavens. Not again. 

"No mom. We aren't together. I'm just going to his house for a friendly dinner." I said, saying 'friendly' a bit bolder.

"You kids better not be–" 

"Okay! Bye, I'm leaving! Love you!" I said loudly, trying to cover up what she was going to say. I quickly rushed upstairs, grabbed the car keys and my purse. Then I hoped into my car, and started the engine.

I chose to wear something casual. I didn't want to overdress so I just threw on black ripped shorts, a tank-top, a blouse, and some sneakers. Besides, I wasn't trying to impress anybody. I was going to make sure that I would have nothing interesting to tell Carolyn.

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I remembered the street, but I totally forgot the house number. I think it was somewhere between 156-158. I mean I haven't been there for 2 years and a half. I stopped in front of house 157. This looked familiar. I walked up the front steps and rang the doorbell. I'm pretty sure this was him.

I gasped and the door opened revealing a shirtless overweight man. Also known as–

"Mr. Borris? Oh hi! Sorry I didn't mean to disturb you." Mr. Borris was probably the scariest man on this street. I remembered him from 2 summers ago. I'd accidentally knocked over his garbage cans, and that didn't end very well. 

"Meredith? Meredith Safford? Is that you?" He snarled. And well you know me. I pretty much ran Flash speed off his porch and onto the next house. House number 158. I rang the doorbell and prayed for this house to be Daniels.

Thank god. Thank god, when Daniel opened the door. Thank great god.

"Mer! You made it!" He blurted. A smile spreading onto his face. 

"Yeah I made it." I replied, leaving out the encounter with Mr. Borris. 

"Come inside! Great timing by the way, the sushi just came 5 minutes ago." He said. Wait... Sushi? He ordered sushi?

"Is your mom here?" I asked, praying for a yes.

"No. Sorry. She had to go run some errands. She would've loved to see you. If that's ok. I mean if you don't mind her not being here." Yes, I mind. I mind very much of her absence.

"No! I don't mind. Not at all." I said a bit too cheerfully. But either he didn't realize, or just bothered to ignore it.

"Well come inside! I don't bite." I nodded again and headed inside. I breathed in the air. It still smelled the same. I looked around. Still looked the same. 

"So uh, the dinning room's this way." I nodded the third time and followed him, even though I remembered where it was. The dinning room was lit with a dim light, and the sushi were placed on china plates with chopsticks by the side. I shuddered feeling uncomfortable.

"Wow! This is very impressive! Although don't you think it's a bit too much?" I furrowed by eyebrows when I saw rose petals sprinkled across the table. 

"Nope. Nothing is too much when it comes to you. You deserve the best." I chuckled nervously. Ok, this was weird. This was too weird. Ok just suck it up Mer. He wants to be friends. Maybe this is just his way of showing it. Yeah Mer. A totally normal way of showing friendship.

We took seats across from each other, "So, how have you been?" I asked, try to make simple conversation. 

"Oh you know. Here and there." He answered.

"Oh okay. Try the salmon sushi, it's good." I said. It was the fastest topic I could think of.

"Yeah, it's pretty good. You look really nice tonight." 

"Thanks...you do to." I replied cautiously.

"Sorry, it's just that you look really attractive tonight." Oh god...what was his point here? What's he trying to say?

"I'll going to go to the washroom. I'll be right back." He nodded and I smiled tightly. I went to the bathroom and quickly locked the door. This was getting really awkward... What if Lynn's assumptions were–just don't think about it Mer. When you get out, you'll tell him and settle any wrong ideas. 

I flushed the toilet and turned on the sink, so he would think I actually went. I unlocked the door  and started back to the dinning room. Halfway there, I pumped into a hard chest. Daniel's chest.

"Oh! Hey, I'm–" Then he kissed me. My ex-boyfriend frickin' kissed me. On the frickin' lips. Oh that little twit. I pushed him away causing him to tumble backwards.

"What the hell are you doing?" I shouted angrily.

"What is wrong with you Daniel? You can't just go around kissing your exes!" I snarled, flinging my arms everywhere. I backed away when he stood up.

"Mer, I thought you knew." He said, rubbing his back.

"Knew what?" I snapped.

"Wasn't it obvious? No one invites their exes over to dinner, just to damn talk! I wanted to hook up with you. And you agreed–"

I interrupted, "I never agreed to any of this bullshit! I just thought you wanted to be friends!" I shouted. Hook-up with me? God, I wanted to kill him.

"Innocent, innocent Mer. God you're so dumb." He muttered. Dumb? I  was dumb? Who did this bastard think he was? Carolyn was so right.

"Okay, you know what? I'm leaving. There is nothing between us. Oh god! How did I ever date you?" I stomped to the door and angrily slipped on my shoes. Bastard.

"Come on Mer! Just this once. Stay with me, it'll be fun!" I gagged. What happened to him? That sweet understanding guy I knew was now this. A man-whore A-hole.

"Do you really think someone's going to sleep with you? The only way you'll get laid is if you crawl up a chickens ass and wait." I snapped back. Not bad Mer. That wasn't half bad. I angrily slipped on my shoes. How dare he. I thought.

I reached for the door knob, but I froze when I felt a hand claps onto my arm. Daniel. It was Daniel. 

"Don't be so scared Mer. It's all for good fun." He whispered in my ear. I felt the hairs on my body stand up. Be strong Mer. You can do this.

I turned to him, "Let. Me. Go." I said through gritted teeth. But I could not cover the tremor in my voice.

"You're scared. I just want you to stay. Nothing else." He said stroking my hair. I was scared. God, I was so terrified. 

Mer you can can hold it in. Do NOT let him get to you. Hold it in. 

"You have such a nice figure–Ouch! God damn it! What the hell!" I slapped him. I slapped him right across the face. And it felt so good. 

"I swear. If you make one more move, I will call the police. Don't you dare move!" I shouted, tremor still there. Then I flung open the door, ran into my car, and drove away. And then I cried. I felt it coming. It was coming. No, no, no, no.

Focus on the slap, Mer. Focus on how you slapped him right across his face. You slapped him. And he got what he deserved. You're okay now. He's not here. I'm safe. I'm safe. I'm safe. I was completely safe. I thought to myself. Then it disappeared.

I flung open the car and stumbled out. I groaned.

"OhmygodMeredithwhatthehellhappenedtoyou! Ohmygod! Ohmygod!" It was Lynn's voice for sure...but what was she saying?

I groaned. "Lynn, get me to the bathroom!" I slurred. My stomach was dying. 

"What? I can't hear you! Mer?" Uh oh. And a vomit showered right on Carolyn's shoes. Her new Sport Tech, running shoes...

Oh god.

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I was lying on my bed with a hot water bag on my stomach. The feeling of a million needles stabbing one by one was still there. But I was better. Kinda.

"Meredith Safford. Sick or not–I want you to tell me what happened. And you tell me right now! Or I'm gonna...I'm going to through you out the window!" She tried. I'll give it to her, she tried.

"Besides, you owe me new shoes!" I wheezed out a laugh. Then grimaced from the pain.

"Okay, relax! I'll spill." And I told her everything. From the dim lifted room to me storming out. Her face was shocked. I was about to ask her if she was okay when she embraced me.

"I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Mer. I'm so sorry." Then we both started crying. I mean that's what best friends are for.

"Will you be able to go to school tomorrow?" She asked. But he was going to be there. The guy who–suck it up Mer. After all, remember your new start, your new life. The stupid guy isn't worth it. Your not going to let him ruin your senior year.

"Of course I'm going. I'll be fine by tomorrow." I said, attempted at a smile.

"Okay, great! I'll come at 6:00am tomorrow. I cannot let you go to school looking like Dumbledore. See you then?" She asked, getting up from her chair.

"See you then."

This Chapter is slightly shorter than usual but the next one will be much longer. Happy Reading!