When the Sun Comes Up

Ryland opened his present and smiled wide, “Spongebob!” He held up the pajama bottoms, “Thanks These are great”

She smiled, “I’m sorry it’s not much. Money’s been a bit tight lately,” she paused as if she had just realized she’d said something wrong and turned her attention unto Gabe instead. “C’mon then open yours up.”

Gabe tried to meet her eye but she was an expert at avoiding conversations she didn’t want to have. He tore the red paper and unfolded a white t-shirt and smiled at the design. He held it up so Ryland could see it. “Thanks Claud, I love it. It’s taking every ounce of self-control I have, to not start rapping the theme song.”

She smiled, “I hoped you’d like it. Remember that long weekend when we watched Fresh Prince and ate like ten boxes of pizza?”

He laughed “yeah and when our parents got home the house was a mess. And uh Ricky was staying with us, no no he came to do laundry and totally freaked when that lint fire in the laundry room broke out.”

She laughed, “oh god yeah I forgot how the fire started I just remember we freaked out called 911 ran outside you and I looked disgusting because we hadn’t moved from the couch in like three days, Ricky was in his underwear and we were all shouting at each other for some stupid reason and the neighbors were staring.”

Gabe’s bark of laughter cut her off. He nodded, “yeah an the best part was that we had ordered another pizza and he showed up during all of this and I swear the dude looked like he was going to faint.”
Claudia’s face turned pink, “that was so bad. It was his first day on the job. He also thought we were insane and he was really really cute.”

Ryland was listening with a look of awe on his face, “when did this all happen?”

Gabe looked at Claudia, “Labor day weekend right?”

She nodded, “yeah junior year.”

Ryland smiled, “I can’t believe I didn’t know this happened.”

“We said we’d never speak of it again, You broke the rule Claud.”

She shrugged, “I guess I did. Are you guys hungry?”

Ryland nodded, “yeah should we go out or?”

“We could always order, and watch TV here?”

Gabe nodded, “sounds good, right Ry?”

He nodded, “Yeah well if we’re staying here I’m changing into these” He said waving the pajama bottoms in the air.

“I’ll order the food oop hold on” She pulled her phone out of her pocket, “Pete’s calling. Can you order something?”

Gabe nodded and pointed at the door, then headed out into the hallway. He called his favorite Thai restaurant and placed his usual order and asked them to deliver it to the room. He then called Kaitlin. The phone rang six times before she answered.

“Hello?”

“Hi, Sorry to bother you it’s just Claudia seems really weird. Also she mentioned something about being a bit stressed about money lately?”

The line was quiet.

“Kait?”

“Yeah I just. I was going to say I can’t believe she didn’t tell you, but that would be a lie. It’s just like her to not tell anyone anything.”

“So there is a problem?”

“Yeah well I don’t know if I should tell you. But seeing as she won’t tell anyone and someone should probably know. She and I had a fight a really big one. I mean it was a dumb fight but it escalated and she said something that hurt me so I said something worse which basically was the worst thing I could have ever said to her. So then things were tense for a few days then I just decided well if she’s not gonna talk to me I should just leave right?”

She paused as if waiting for a reply. Gabe was going to say something but she continued.

“anyway since I left she had to pay all the bills. Also according to Ryan, she quit or something so she’d probably going through her savings as we speak.”

“oh.” He thought it would be something small he didn’t realize this much had happened since he’d been gone. “How are you doing?”

“I’m okay. I stayed in Vicky’s apartment for a while. I’ve actually found my own place now. I get the keys next on the third. I just, is she okay?”

Gabe felt bad. He knew what it was like to run your mouth and be too proud to take it back. “yeah. I bet she misses you.”

She scoffed, “yeah right. I bet she was glad I left. I’ve been weighing her down with my emotional crap for years. I mean we were supposed to be best friends and she never told me anything. I didn’t even know you existed until earlier this year. Either she never trusted me in the way I trusted her, or I’ve been so self-absorbed that I never felt the need to ask her any of these things myself?”

“Hey, don’t say that. She loves you. You’re like the kid sister she always wanted. If anything the fact that she didn’t mention me, shows what she thinks about me more than what she thinks about you. And I’m not even worried about that because I know she cares about me she just hates admitting things like that. She’s a weird person. She hates talking about her feelings or even letting people see she’s capable of having any feelings. It’s more a defense mechanism than anything else. As for the argument I bet shes over it now. She obviously misses you because she came out here to spend time with me and is willingly alone in a room with Ryland why else would she be over here if not to fill some void.”

“Really? I thought she’d never do that again since the “pee-pee” incident.”

“exactly! She obviously misses you if she’s willing to go through that awkwardness. Hey so if you can get some time off and a plane ticket, I think you should come for New Year’s Eve. You two can talk.”

“You think she’ll talk to me?”

“I guarantee it. Lemme know what you decide. But uh I gotta go can’t leave the two of them alone for too long. Bye Kait.”

“Bye. Merry Christmas- oh you’re Jewish sorry.”

“No it’s fine merry Christmas Kait.”

He put the phone back in his pocket and walked back to the door. He smiled noticing that it had been held open by one of Claudia’s shoes. He placed his hand on the door to push it open enough for him to slip in but paused to listen to the conversation.

“I don’t understand though”

“I’m sorry it’s just really really weird for me. Like I can’t look at you without feeling like you’re judging me or wondering if you think I did it on purpose.”

“Well I don’t. I mean it is a bit strange that you’ve seen it but I’m willing to look past it. It’s not like you haven’t seen worse things. Remember that haircut I had in eight grade?”

“I know but I still feel creepy though.”

“well I know one way to make it so that we’re even.”

“how?”

“Show me your tits” his voice was serious.

Gabe pushed open the door he was going to tell Ryland off but then he saw Claudia's body shaking with laughter, her face red. Ryland laughed and covered his eyes with his hand, the way he did when he tells a joke he thinks is really funny.

“Oh god I almost thought you were serious!” she cried.

He grinned, “See now I seem creepy too! So can we just pretend none of it happened? I mean not that I care if you’re around or anything but I sort of miss hanging out with you.”

She smiled, “quite the sentimentalist aren’t ya. Oh Hey Gabe, did it really take that long to order food?”
Gabe rolled his eyes, “obviously not. I just uh got a phone call so. What are we watching?” He asked sitting on the bed.

“The Flintstone’s Christmas special.”