Adopted By Mean Girls Cast

Chapter 36

Today was Lex's funeral, and everyone in the Mean Girls cast, along with Catlynn and Blake, were coming with me. I'm not looking forward to this. I'm still in denial that Lex, my best friend since childhood, is actually gone. And Grey's so spooked by this that he won't even let me do derby anymore until I'm 18 and out of the house. Well, that's three more years from now, so not long to wait at all.

Until then, gotta find a new passion.

I was out of my usual T-shirt and sweatpants and changed into a black dress. My hair, which was usually in neat braids and naturally wavy, was straightened and my bangs were held back with a clip. The only thing about me that was the same was my glasses. Clear and round, I've had the same pair since eighth grade.

So here I was, sitting in a funeral home and waiting for the service to start. Cat smiled at me from over Barrett's head, and I smiled back at her, fiddling with the hem of my dress right after and letting my hair go into my face.

Grey smiled softly at Barrett and rubbed my back in slow circles. I leaned into my dad and he kissed my head.

"It's gonna be okay, Tilda. I'm proud of you." Grey whispered to me. I started sobbing a little, saying, "But...but...but-"

"Shh...calm down, Tilda. It'll be okay." Grey said.

I nodded slowly and laid my head on my dad's shoulder for the better part of two hours. 

And then Lex was buried, which turned me into a sobbing, screaming mess. I usually never cry, but losing my best friend did it for me.

"Matilda. Come on, let's go to the car. I think you need to get out of here." Grey whispered to me, taking my hand and leading me to his car. 

___________

"Tilda, I need to talk to you." Grey said from behind the door as I was one in the middle of my crying sessions.

"Go away." I said.

"I'm not going to go away unless you talk to me. I'm here to help you. Also, I have good news." Grey said.

Good news? This piqued my interest. 

"Yeah, sure, whatever. Come in." I said. I heard the door open and my dad came into my bedroom. 

"Hey, kiddo." Grey said, sitting on my bed as I re-did my braids in the mirror. This was my first time doing my signature braids on myself since Lex died. Lex would've usually did my braids for me before derby meets, but ever since my liver surgery, I've had to fend for myself.

"You're doing your braids again." Grey said. I nodded and finished off one of the braids. "I look pretty ridiculous with only one braid in right now, but I don't really care at this point. So, what's up?"

"You're acting pretty peppy right now." Grey said. "Everything okay? How you holding up?"

I shrugged and turned towards the mirror again. "Decently." My eyes picked out the trash bag shoved in my closet, the same bag I shoved all my derby things in when Lex died and Grey banned me from derby.

"What's in the bag?" Grey asked, looking at it and making his way towards it. I sighed and grabbed the bag from my closet. "Just some derby things. Well, all the derby things."

"All of them?" Grey asked, ripping the bag open. My skates tumbled out, along with my jersey and a bunch of derby posters. 

"Don't you think you need this stuff?" Grey said, holding up my sweatshirt. I shook my head sadly and said, "You banned me from derby anyway, so what's the point of having it out?"

"That's exactly what I wanted to talk to you about, Tilda. I did my research and thought it over for a few days. I'm letting you do derby again. I would be a horrible father if I took you away from your passion." Grey said.

I swear, the happy scream that came out of my mouth could've been heard from Canada, it was so loud.

"Jeez! Matilda! I get you're happy, but quiet down!" Grey said, covering his ears and laughing.

"THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU!" I screamed, hugging my dad. At that moment, an email notification came through.

"Anyway, I have a meet this weekend!" I said. "The first once without Lex..." I started crying a little, the mood lost. 

"Hey, I can't take you away from your grief right now, but I hate seeing you like this. Go outside and skate on the street like you always would way back when!" Grey said. I lit up and laced up my skates, heading outside to pursue my passion once again.

AN: Surprisingly, Matilda's story will have a happy ending! Well, all my books will probably have a happy ending. Let's hope. Hope you enjoyed and catch ya later!