Meg’s Transformation Scene 10

Entering her house was like stepping into a den of scorpions during mating season. Her parents had forbidden Carrie to go to the movies because they didn’t trust her friends.
“There is nothing wrong with them,” she protested. “Besides, I’m old enough….”
“You’re 15!” Drew thundered. “And that’s the end of it.”
“You let Megan go when she was my age. You let Jess go.”
Nancy frowned at the mention of her ‘unfaithful’ daughter. “That’s quite enough,” she reprimanded. “Unless you’d like to be grounded as well.”
Carrie reluctantly dropped the contention and retreated to her room, mumbling something about how unfair they were both being.
“Hello Megan,” Drew greeted. “Better day today?”
She nodded. “What was that all about?”
“Don’t ask.”
“Also,” Nancy interjected. “Stay away from your brother.”
“Why? What’d Steve do?”
“Let’s just say the Gunderson’s cat is very lucky.”
“Oh,” Megan replied and then shuddered.
Dinner that night was a quiet, tense affair. Children and parents eyed each other distrustfully and Megan felt like a rag doll caught in the middle being pulled on by both sides. She managed to lighten the mood by rehashing some of the stories Josh told her about his uncle, but otherwise no one was feeling very amiable.
Carrie again tried to broach the topic of the movies, but was quickly rebuffed.
“It’s not like I’m dating any of these guys,” she said. “We’re friends. We’ll be going as a group.”
“What kind of a boy wears black lipstick?” Nancy remarked. “I don’t like it one bit.”
“Now if they were a bit more like Ted,” Drew began.
Megan’s face wrenched and tears nearly came to her eyes. Her father had always liked Ted and probably still did. Why couldn’t the world let her forget about him?
“What?” Drew asked, his brow furrowed in worrisome embarrassment. “What did I say?”
Carrie rolled her eyes and Nancy whispered something into his ear.
“Oh…”