Fifteen|Grey's Anatomy

The New Girl

"And just where have you been, dad?" Beth Shepherd asked her father as he attempted to creep into their new home.

"Beth? What are you still doing home?" Derek demanded, startled.
"School doesn't start until tomorrow, genius. Now answer my question." Beth replied.

"I was...out." Derek didn't know how else to respond.

"Oh, please tell me you weren't out drinking sleep and hooking up like some horny Frat boy." Beth winced.

"Beth, why would you ask something like that?" Derek demanded.

"Because you said you were going to the bar. And I just caught you sneaking back into our house. I'm capable of putting two and two together." Beth rolled her eyes.

Derek frowned, feeling embarrassed and slightly dirty. "I have to get ready for work." He told her sleepily.

"You should. You're already late." Beth smirked.

"Shit!" Derek cursed, running upstairs to get dressed.

The phone rang, drawing Beth's attention elsewhere. "Hello?" She spoke into the phone.

"Hi! Is this Elizabeth Shepard?" An unfamiliar, chirpy voice asked.
"I go by Beth. Who is this?" She replied.

"My name is Darla Young. The school gave me your house phone number. I just wanted to call and welcome you to Seattle. I'll be your peer mentor starting tomorrow." Darla said perkily.

"Oh, well it's nice that you called." Beth smiled.

"Do you have any plans today?" Darla asked.

"No actually, I don't. What did you have in mind?"

"My friend Maya and I are going to go to the mall. Wanna come with?" Darla offered.

"Sure! What time should I be there?" Beth inquired.

"Just tell me your address. We'll pick you up in about an hour." Darla told her.

Beth gave Darla her new address, said goodbye, and hung up the phone. Derek rushed down the stairs.

"Dad, I'm going to the mall with two girls from school in an hour." Beth told Derek.

"I thought school hadn't started yet?" Derek said, totally perplexed.

"It hasn't. But the girl who called me is my peer mentor, I guess. The school gave her the house phone number." Beth informed him.

"Alright. I've got to go to work. You have fun. I love you." He gave his daughter a kiss on the head.

"I love you too." She waved as he walked out the door, closing it behind him.

Beth could not wait for Darla to show up. She hated being alone, as she was always alone in New York. Even when her parents were home and not at work, she was alone. For the last year they had been completely unhappy. Always fighting, treating Beth like she was second to their marriage. But the straw that broke the camel's back was her mother's affair with her dad's best friend, Mark.

Beth knew that her dad wasn't perfect, and that he made a lot of mistakes. But she was on his side unequivocally. Her mother had betrayed him in the worst way possible, and so had Mark. Beth had not spoken to her mother since the day she left New York with her dad.

Sometimes she missed Addison. She missed the way she could talk to her and confide in her. She missed going out to dinner at her favorite restaurant once a month. But  it had to be this way. Addison had made a mistake, and she would pay for it.