Saving Melanie Deen

Chapter 38

I hummed the random song that was blasting through the speakers, as I placed all the freshly washed shot glasses on the shelf. It's sure good to be back here at Meg's bar. I thought to myself, letting a smile spread across my face.

"I've missed you so much, Mel" Meg appeared in the corner of my eye. She raced towards me, arms spread wide. Surely, I was then embraced in a bone-crushing hug. I chuckled into her hair, hugging her back with just as much strength."Megs, I've missed you too" I whispered.

She stepped back, smiling in a way I've never seen her smile before."I was so scared" She admitted, her smile faltering at the thought of what had happened to me."I thought I'd lose you" She choked up, avoiding eye contact. It was something we both had in common. We didn't know how to express our emotions.

"Hey..." I shook my head, pulling her in for another hug. She wrapped her arms around me, taking a deep breath."I'm alright" I smiled.

"Finally!" Dylan cheered, fist-bumping me as soon as Meg and I pulled away from each other."I thought this wacko was going to burn me alive without you here to ground her!" He spoke to me, pretending that Meg couldn't hear him.

She smacked him across the head."Oh shut up, you. You're the one who had a fight with two shady dudes and someone nearly called the cops on you!" She snapped. I raised my eyebrows. Yikes. I knew how Meg felt about cops. Let's just say, she definitely didn't like them.

"Oh come on!" Dylan whined, throwing his head back."That was weeks ago! Are you going to throw it in my face until the day we're admitted to a retirement home together?"

"Oh, I might!" She shot back, crossing her hands across her chest in an intimidating stance."You know how I hate those fuckers! What if they took you in? They all know who my father was! You'd be a goner. They'd send you straight to-"

"Stop! I know all that...and I'm sorry, okay?" Dylan cut her off. She huffed, turning on her heel and disappearing into the storage room.

"Yikes..." I chuckled before getting back to work.

"Tell me about it..." Dylan sighed as he unpacked a box of beer."How are you doing, though? How was school?" He asked. I cringed, remembering the awkward moment I had to live through at lunch. Not to mention all the gossiping and strange looks I got from everyone.

"It was alright..." I nodded, deciding not to spill all my stupid teen problems on him.

"That 'alright' sounds like the complete opposite of 'alright', you know" He chuckled, stacking the beers. I shrugged, not really knowing what else to tell him."It'll take a while to die down, but in the end...it will. Trust me" He encouraged.

"I don't know..." I huffed, leaning against the counter."I think the news blew the whole thing up so much that it'll never really die down"

He shook his head, getting up off the floor and dumping the empty box of beer in the trash. "Trust me, it will. How do you think Meg got through the whole 'convicted gang leader's daughter' status at school? Louis' arrest was big news at the time...and everyone knew Meg was his daughter. She had a hard time at first, but it all died down after a while. The next big headline came along and everyone forgot all about Louis Reyes and the fact that his daughter goes to school with them" He patted me on the back. And they forgot all about Dominic Deen too.

I nodded, getting lost in thought as soon as I remembered my father. He always had that effect on me. I didn't even know him. I never met him. I just got a letter, that's it. Yet he still felt close. He felt more like a parent than my mother ever will. Speaking of my mother, I wouldn't be surprised if she knew all about me being kidnapped and just didn't give a shit.