Down For The Count

Meredith

Paisley's POV

Things were going perfectly.

We were nearing the end of June, and everything was nice and peaceful. I could definitely get used to the summer life of waking up late and hanging out with my friends all the time.

Things were going perfectly.

So naturally it made sense that it would all go very downhill.

"I'll be back later!" I called to Lin and Vanessa, pulling my shoes on.

"Okay! Where are you headed again?" Vanessa asked. I smiled, thinking of what today's events would entail.

"Going to the diner with the friends, and Meredith."

Meredith used to live in New York, and I was very excited to find out that she comes and lives down here every summer with her parents. Right in Manhattan, actually, not far from the apartment at all.

It will be a bit weird to see my New York friends interact with my California friend, almost like two completely different worlds colliding.

But I was excited, nonetheless, and I knew my friends would make her feel very welcome.

I think I'm most excited for Meredith to meet Alex. I've said it before, but they're quite literally the same person. Same personality, same energy level, the same person.

And, not to brag, but I think I might be creating the beginning of a very beautiful friendship.

"Ooh, the California girl! Can we meet her?" Lin asked excitedly.

"Sure. But she's meeting my friends first. And I'm already late." I sighed, looking down at my phone, making my way out the front door and saying my goodbyes to Lin and Vanessa.

I walked happily along the pavement, taking in the summer breeze. It was so nice out, and the warm weather seems to have every New Yorker in a good mood.

I walked for a few minutes, grinning when I spotted Meredith waiting on a bench outside of the flower shop on 153rd where we said we would meet up.

It had been two long months since I'd seen her. She was the only thing that kept me sane in those horrid four months with Dad, the only good thing to come out of that whole experience.

Meredith looked up as I approached, immediately beaming and tackling me in a hug.

"Oh my god, I've missed you. It's been awful without you." Meredith rambled. I couldn't stop smiling, expressing the same and hugging her tighter before pulling away.

"We're very late, we should make our way to the diner." I pointed out. Meredith nodded, immediately looking a bit nervous as we began to walk.

"Do you think they'll like me?"

"Oh, definitely. They're very nice, don't worry." I smiled, watching as Meredith put on a smile too, but she still looked a little uneasy.

I tried to give her an idea of what everyone was like, hoping that would ease her nerves.

"-and Alex is very witty, you'll like her a lot. Winter can be a little quiet sometimes around new people, so don't think she doesn't like you. Um...oh! And Violet! She's basically a puppy. She's got this one-liner about not confusing her name with the color violet or the billionaire, it gets very old but-"

"Gates?" Meredith guessed, and I looked over at her.

"Yeah, Bill Gates. How'd you know that? You could've picked Vanderbilt or-"

"Violet Gates?" Meredith said again, and it was very evident she was stuck on Violet's name and not stuck on the billionaire part like I had thought. "Oh my god...Violet and Winter and...Alex? I...I shouldn't be here, Paisley."