Adopted By Mean Girls Cast

Chapter 8

"Knock knock!" Grey said softly. I rolled over in my bed and looked at my phone.

It was Monday. The day of my surgery.

"Hey, Tilda, I know this is so hard, and I cannot even begin to imagine what you're going through. Barrett and I will be there the whole time with you, I promise. We won't leave. Just remember how strong you are, Tilda. I love you." Grey said. He kissed the top of my head and said, "Now, are you all packed up? Got everything you need?"

I nodded, and pointed to my backpack in the corner. I wouldn't be home until Thursday.

Home. It felt weird to consider Grey's apartment home, but that's what it was to me. I sighed, and Grey hugged me. "It'll be okay, Tilda. It'll be okay." Grey said, rubbing my back. "Now, you have everything you need? We need to leave in around 15 minutes."

"I have a change of clothes, some books, my phone, my earbuds, and my charger. Do I need anything else?" I asked.

"No, I think you're good. Let's go." Grey said. He took my hand and we went outside to where Barrett was waiting.

"Hi." I said quietly, getting in the car.

"Hey Tilda. You doing okay?" Barrett asked. Grey sighed, and said, "She's really scared." He lowered his voice and said, "I think she's worried she's not going to make it."

Barrett turned around and said, "Listen, Tilda, I know this is scary. It's hard for us too. But you'll make it through. I know how strong you are. You're a fighter. You have to be to be a derby girl." I giggled, and I got a text from my friend Cat.

Cat: Heard what was happening today. Good luck.

Matilda: Thanks! See you Thursday, at the earliest.

Cat: Yep!

I put away my phone and sighed as Grey pulled into a big parking lot.

We're here.

I got out of the car and started clinging to Barrett, who squeezed my hand. Grey handed me my backpack, and we started walking in the hospital. We stopped at a reception desk and Grey said, "Hi, we're here to check in Matilda Price." The receptionist typed on her computer and put a ID bracelet on my wrist.

Grey smiled at me and we sat down in the waiting room until the nurse called me back.

"Matilda Price?" I heard, and I took Grey's hand and walked back to the Pre-Operative Hold area. I was weighed and had my blood pressure and temperature taken.

Then, the surgeon came in and talked to me and Grey about the procedure. Then, she talked about the anesthesia. What I was worried about. I have a severe fear of needles, and almost nobody knows this. But I'm supposed to be tough, I'm a derby girl.

Gotta keep that toughness up.

Grey and I went back to the main waiting room, and Barrett smiled at us. I sat there quietly for a few minutes until the nurse called me back. She handed me a hospital gown and I changed out of my T-shirt and sweatpants.

"So, there's your bed here." the nurse said. I smiled sadly at Grey and he lifted me into the bed, I was surprisingly short and light for a 15-year-old. Once I was in the bed, the nurse handed me a little cup with medicine.

"It'll help you relax, baby." Grey said. "Don't worry." I took the medicine and sighed. Barrett came in right after the nurses left, and said, "Hey, Tilda. How you holding up?"

"I'm nervous!" I said, about to cry. "I'm literally terrified I'm going to die."

"Listen, Matilda. You're not going to die. And it's perfectly okay to be nervous. Remember what I said. You're getting your badge of courage today." Barrett said, and I smiled.

"Okay, Tilda. It's time. You ready?" Grey said, and I reluctantly nodded. The nurse came back in and wheeled me down to the operating room. Grey took my hand and so did Barrett.

"Alright. Look at me...focus on my voice...good girl...okay, deep breath..." Grey said. I felt a prick and looked down at my arm. The IV was already there.

"You did it." Barrett said.

"I did, didn't I?" I asked. Grey smiled at me, and said, "Ready to go to sleep?" I shook my head and started to panic. Grey looked at Barrett, and Grey squeezed my hand.

"I got an idea." Barrett said. She knelt down next to me and stroked my forehead. "Hey, sweet girl. It's me. You got this."

I started to cry, and Grey said, "It'll be over before you know it, baby."

Barrett took a deep breath and started to sing. I quickly recognized the song as Solla Sollew from Seussical, and wondered how Barrett knew it. Then I realized.

Cat was in Seussical. Barrett must've learned it from her.

"There's a faraway land, so the stories all tell, somewhere beyond the horizon. If we can find it then all will be well. Troubles there are few, someday we'll go to Solla Sollew, Solla Sollew. Solla Sollew, Solla Sollew..." Barrett sung.

It was working. My eyes started to get heavy.

"Solla Sollew..."

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Grey's POV

"You did it. She's asleep." I whispered to Barrett once Matilda closed her eyes.

"No, you mean we did it." Barrett said. "This is going to take a while." she said, walking out of the OR.

"I'm getting kind of scared that she won't make it." I said. "Her fear rubbed off on me."

"She'll make it. We just have to have hope. She looks up to us, she's not all tough. She's got a vulnerable side, too, and that side showed. She's worried we won't think she's tough, Grey. She thinks she has to be all tough and brave and shoving people over. She doesn't have to be that derby girl outside of derby. We have to show her that." Barrett said.

"She's used to being a derby girl." I said. "We can't change that, derby is her passion."

"I know that. And I won't change that about her. But...even though I hate to see her cry, I hate to see her fight back tears even more. Cat had the same problem, holding in her emotions. I don't want that to happen to Tilda." Barrett said.

"We won't. I promise. I promised to protect her." I said.

"Come on. We have a lot of time to kill." Barrett said.

AN: I love Matilda. So much. Matilda and Cat are my precious children and I will protect them both at all costs. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!