Saturday brought in some colder air, but it didn't throw the paparazzi off their game in the slightest. When Meredith when to pick up Tabitha at her room, she got to see outside, where the paparazzi waited patiently, having their cameras at the ready. If it wasn't for a few books she wanted, Meredith wouldn't leave the building.
Going out to her car, Meredith only looked back once. The paparazzi hadn't moved from the spot, not realizing that Meredith had slipped out of the back of the building and walked in the parking lot. Getting into her car, she kept her hood pulled up from the strong gusts of wind that threatened to topple her over.
Crossing over a bridge, Meredith entered Duluth, Minnesota, and already she felt more at home. Sometimes it felt like Wisconsin was an alien state. Upon entering Minnesota, she just felt safer. The drive up to the mall was a steep hill, and Meredith always looked back, thinking they were being followed. They weren't.
Tabitha stood guard as Meredith perused the books of Barnes and Nobel, looking for some new books. In her free time, Meredith didn't exactly go out a lot, even more now that paparazzi followed her. After finding some acceptable books, Meredith and Tabitha slowly walked out of the store and into the larger mall, yet no one followed them.
"While since we're here and I'm still free," Meredith grabbed Tabitha and pulled her away, "we're going to Victoria's Secret."
Neither of the girls preferred to the store, but what Meredith wanted, she couldn't get at JC Penny's. Tabitha immediately looked ready to vomit, but her friend told her to go try on some bras for the hell of it. Meredith looked around slowly, unsure how this went about. What she liked, perhaps Harry didn't like.
Throughout the whole time Harry and Meredith had seen each other in Scotland, Meredith had no nice bras and panties. She just showed up to him with a black bra and some cotton underwear. Though Harry and her wouldn't see each other for another two months, Meredith wanted to find something she felt comfortable with.
Meredith called Tabitha over. "What about this?" She held up a pair of matching bra and panties.
"Try it on," Tabitha suggested.
Going into a fitting room at Victoria's Secret, it was the first time she was in the pink mush. Different shades with some black swallowed her whole. The brightly lit mirror in front of her turned her skin very pale. Meredith undressed and pulled the bra and panties on. It was tight, but that was the point. Everything was pushed up where it needed to be, and it fitted her well.
"Tabitha," Meredith called, sticking her head outside the door. She looked both ways, and no one was there. "Look."
Tabitha came over.
Meredith swung the door open wide for her friend to get a look. "Do you think he'll like it?"
"Excellent." Tabitha looked at her friend confusingly. "I didn't realize you had such big boobs."
"I don't. The bra does it because I need some help."
"I wouldn't know," Tabitha winked. "Get it if you want, but I think he'll like you either way."
"Well, I have a few more to try on, and I think I might get a few."
"Why?"
"I don't want him to get bored."
"He spent how much time with you? I don't think he's going to get bored."
Meredith blushed. "How do you know?"
"I haven't gotten bored of you yet."
"Thanks, Tabitha."
"Meredith, remember, it doesn't matter what he thinks. It's whatever you feel comfortable and beautiful and stunning in. Because if he doesn't like you for your normal self, then there's no point."
"I feel sexy in this," Meredith said, "and comfortable and beautiful."
"Then get it."
Meredith went inside the fitting room again and tried on the new few bunches. In the end at Victoria's Secret, for now, she got two pairs on nice, matching and sexy bras and underwear. The price did cost her some money, but it was well worth it. The bra alone made her have more confidence, and she wasn't even sure how. It just lifted her mood. She walked like no one could tear her down.
Walking back to the car, Meredith had been in her own little world, not realizing until all the bodies crashed down around her. Suddenly at least twenty people fell upon her, shoving cameras into her face and shouting things. The bright lights picked up again, leaving her vision and coming back, coming from all directions, making her dizzy. Meredith took a step forward, tripping on a pothole, almost taking down a paparazzi with her. His breath smelt like cigarettes, and his teeth agreed with the yellow tint. He shouted something at her face, but she was unable to know what he said with all the other male voices.
Panicking, Meredith looked around, searching Tabitha. However, with the many men around her, Tabitha was lost in the crowd. Meredith couldn't even take a step forward, unsure if she went in the direction of her car or back to the mall. Meredith moved to the balls of her feet, yet she couldn't see. Cameras followed her up, blocking her sight. She looked all the ways, spinning around, but there wasn't any Tabitha.
Someone grabbed her, and Meredith twirled around. Hope pricked with in her, but it wasn't Tabitha. A paparazzi was trying to get her attention. Meredith ripped her arm out of his hand, pushing him back slightly. Heart pounding, their voices were drowned out as the lights blinded her. Black dots clouded her vision. Her name was called everywhere, and Meredith hesitantly took a step forward. The paparazzi pushed in on her more. Meredith took another step forward, just wanting to get away. Sidestepping a paparazzi, Meredith took another step and another.
Two steps later, Meredith fell to the ground, feeling as if the world just tilted on its side. Her ankle felt bruised, and her head immediately shot back, looking at the paparazzi that tripped her. Another camera was shoved into her face. Meredith kept her hand back so that she didn't push it away. But all she wanted to was throw it to the ground. Paparazzi surrounded her again.
On her hands and knees, Meredith looked straight forward, through the legs of the paparazzi. Thankfully she had been going the right direction toward her car, where Tabitha waited, waiting the crowd in anger. Meredith grabbed her keys out of her purse and unlocked the car. Swallowing, she pushed herself off the ground, shoving all the paparazzi and the cameras out of the way.
Adrenaline pumped through her, burning through her veins. Her heart thundered, taking over her head now. Close behind her, paparazzi followed her, closing in with footsteps on the uneven pavement. It was a mad rush for Meredith as she watched as her car became closer and closer. All she needed to do was be in it, and hopefully some safety might return. Voices were around her, all echoing.
Almost ripping the door off its hinges, Meredith climbed into the car and slammed the door shut behind her. Meredith turned the car on and tried to put it in drive, but she had nowhere to go. Paparazzi surrounded the car, not allowing it to move. If it moved, she would hit one of the paparazzi, and they would get what they wanted.
Meredith put the car into park and stared at the paparazzi. "Move," she muttered.
Paparazzi pushed the small car, making it rock from side to side. Their bodies hit with such force she was sure that her windows would break. From every angle, cameras flashed, catching every fraction of Meredith breaking apart. She knew they were getting what they wanted, and she couldn't do anything to stop it.
"Move," Meredith said.
The car rocked more. Tabitha sat beside her, saying something, but there wasn't a way for Meredith to hear her. She heard nothing now. Everything shifted around her. Meredith put on her seat belt, securing it, hoping that she might feel safe within the car. She doubled-checked the locked doors, but it wasn't enough. Meredith began to shake.
"Move!" Meredith screamed, slamming her hands against the steering wheel.
The paparazzi only took more pictures, more and more flashes. Meredith revved her engine, and they didn't move. No hesitation showed on any of their faces. If anything, they just pushed harder against the car.
"Meredith," Tabitha said beside her.
"Shut up," Meredith growled.
Meredith couldn't breathe. Her whole body shook the car, threatening the car to tip over fully. The bodies of dark clothing pushed against her car, pushing Meredith further into herself. Slipping on sunglasses, Meredith tried to hide the tears that burned her eyes now. Everything crashed down around her, feeling like a war zone. She couldn't breathe as the car narrowed, threatening to squeeze her thin. Meredith touched her neck, feeling how hot her skin was. She wanted to scream for help; she wanted to get out, but there was nowhere to go.
Reaching into her purse, Meredith pulled out phone and dialed nine-one-one. It felt too familiar as the operator answered and Meredith gave all the information she could. "Please help me. I'm scared. I'm trapped. They're going to get me."
"Ma'am, help is on the way," the operator responded.
Staring forward, help wasn't fast enough. The paparazzi would eat her alive, devour her from where she sat. With their judgmental eyes and open mouths, they were like vultures, ready to feast. Meredith gripped the steering wheel, trying to calm herself, but the car only teetered. Humming to herself, Meredith tried to get their voices out of her head. She sang a little louder, almost there.
From inside her body, she felt herself screaming at the top of the lungs, wanting to escape. There was nowhere to go. Though fear, anger, sadness spread through her, Meredith tried to keep her face even. It wasn't too good, but it was the best she could do at a time like this. The sirens were heard, over the loud voices and her humming. She was almost safe, for now.
A paparazzi was pulled off her car. An uniformed police officer came into view. Another and another paparazzi were pulled away from the car. A paparazzi tried to come back, but was thankfully stopped by the police officer. Another paparazzi was thrown away. Another police officer stood guard.
It didn't help. It was a lie. There was some safety; Meredith would be able to go soon. But the paparazzi would follow her again. There wasn't safety. A single tear escaped her eyes.