Status: [updated 12/07/14]
The Brat Pack
Maybe You'll Learn A Little Something About Yourself
Claire isn't sure what she's looking for when she gets to the library. She knew as soon as the lunch bell rang, though, that this is where she wanted to come. She's had a rough day, and a headache since second period on top of that, and she figured a room full of loud kids wouldn't help anything. So, to the library she went.
Claire signs in on the clipboard laying at the librarian's desk, pressing her French book to her chest as she looks around. It's relatively empty right now; Mrs. TeAll is putting some books back on the shelves, a smaller Freshman class is learning at the wooden desks, and Claire spots some of the nerds - uh, Brian's friends in the back. Quietly, Claire heads for the second floor and breathes a sigh of relief when she finds it empty.
She looks for a good bench and sits down with every intention of studying her French notes...and doesn't make it past five minutes. Claire groans as French words swim in her vision, one definition getting lost into the next, and she shuts her textbook, throwing it down on the bench next to her and resting her chin in her hands. One of the bookshelves a few feet away catches her eye and she stands, smoothing the wrinkles in her skirt before going to see what's there.
It turns out to be one of the shelves filled with yearbooks, blue spines staring at Claire as she runs her hand gently down them. Her hand stops on one and she smiles, pulling the yearbook out and going back to her seat.
She runs her finger over the date, memories flooding back – 1980, the last year Claire had to wear braces. She flips open the book and thumbs through the pages, smiling when she lands on the Freshmen. She searches through to S, finding her last name and then her picture. She can't help but cringe and laugh all at the same time, all thanks to her appearance; short red hair a mess around her head and braces clearly visible from her wide smile. She hadn't meant to smile like that, but Ella told her a joke in line for the photographer that left her in stitches the entire time. Claire's smile fades at the thought of Ella and she puts her finger over the picture, not sure now if she'd rather go back to that time or erase it completely.
Someone clearing their throat makes Claire jump and she looks up to find Ella, staring over her shoulder and down at the yearbook in her lap.
"I miss her," Ella says, rounding one of the bookshelves the bench is placed between and gently moving Claire's things to the floor, sitting and crossing her legs. "The girl in that photo."
Claire flips back a few pages and points to an equally geeky photo of Ella, long brown hair in pigtails with a hideous sweater on. "And I miss her," Claire says, finger on Ella's photo. "The girl in the picture who wouldn't squeal to my parents. Ya know, my best friend. Tell me, is there any chance of me getting her back?"
Ella scoffs and pulls a nail file from her purse, working it over one of her nails. "Please, Claire, I did you a favor," she says, glancing up to find Claire staring at her incredulously. "Oh honestly," Ella snaps. "Don't act like I'm a bad friend when you're the one sneaking around with some drug addict. Did you ever even stop to think I wouldn't be so mad if you had just told me?"
"Told you?!" Claire cries. "Why would I do that? I know you, Ella. I know you would have ripped me down for liking someone like John, and then torn me up behind my back with everyone else."
"Don't forget I know you, too," Ella scowls. "And I know if our positions were changed, you'd have done the exact same thing. And I know because you did it for years to everyone else. And now? Now I don't even know you anymore, Claire. Why do I feel like I've always had your back and I'm just now finding out you've never had mine?"
"You know that's not true, Ella," Claire says, tears stinging her eyes.
"Is that why you didn't even give me a chance?" Ella asks with a disbelieving laugh, sliding her purse up to the crook of her elbow and standing. "I may be a lot of things, Claire, but don't forget that so are you." Ella studies her for another minute and huffs, then walks away.
Claire signs in on the clipboard laying at the librarian's desk, pressing her French book to her chest as she looks around. It's relatively empty right now; Mrs. TeAll is putting some books back on the shelves, a smaller Freshman class is learning at the wooden desks, and Claire spots some of the nerds - uh, Brian's friends in the back. Quietly, Claire heads for the second floor and breathes a sigh of relief when she finds it empty.
She looks for a good bench and sits down with every intention of studying her French notes...and doesn't make it past five minutes. Claire groans as French words swim in her vision, one definition getting lost into the next, and she shuts her textbook, throwing it down on the bench next to her and resting her chin in her hands. One of the bookshelves a few feet away catches her eye and she stands, smoothing the wrinkles in her skirt before going to see what's there.
It turns out to be one of the shelves filled with yearbooks, blue spines staring at Claire as she runs her hand gently down them. Her hand stops on one and she smiles, pulling the yearbook out and going back to her seat.
She runs her finger over the date, memories flooding back – 1980, the last year Claire had to wear braces. She flips open the book and thumbs through the pages, smiling when she lands on the Freshmen. She searches through to S, finding her last name and then her picture. She can't help but cringe and laugh all at the same time, all thanks to her appearance; short red hair a mess around her head and braces clearly visible from her wide smile. She hadn't meant to smile like that, but Ella told her a joke in line for the photographer that left her in stitches the entire time. Claire's smile fades at the thought of Ella and she puts her finger over the picture, not sure now if she'd rather go back to that time or erase it completely.
Someone clearing their throat makes Claire jump and she looks up to find Ella, staring over her shoulder and down at the yearbook in her lap.
"I miss her," Ella says, rounding one of the bookshelves the bench is placed between and gently moving Claire's things to the floor, sitting and crossing her legs. "The girl in that photo."
Claire flips back a few pages and points to an equally geeky photo of Ella, long brown hair in pigtails with a hideous sweater on. "And I miss her," Claire says, finger on Ella's photo. "The girl in the picture who wouldn't squeal to my parents. Ya know, my best friend. Tell me, is there any chance of me getting her back?"
Ella scoffs and pulls a nail file from her purse, working it over one of her nails. "Please, Claire, I did you a favor," she says, glancing up to find Claire staring at her incredulously. "Oh honestly," Ella snaps. "Don't act like I'm a bad friend when you're the one sneaking around with some drug addict. Did you ever even stop to think I wouldn't be so mad if you had just told me?"
"Told you?!" Claire cries. "Why would I do that? I know you, Ella. I know you would have ripped me down for liking someone like John, and then torn me up behind my back with everyone else."
"Don't forget I know you, too," Ella scowls. "And I know if our positions were changed, you'd have done the exact same thing. And I know because you did it for years to everyone else. And now? Now I don't even know you anymore, Claire. Why do I feel like I've always had your back and I'm just now finding out you've never had mine?"
"You know that's not true, Ella," Claire says, tears stinging her eyes.
"Is that why you didn't even give me a chance?" Ella asks with a disbelieving laugh, sliding her purse up to the crook of her elbow and standing. "I may be a lot of things, Claire, but don't forget that so are you." Ella studies her for another minute and huffs, then walks away.
♠ ♠ ♠
Hey guys. So basically NaNo was a dud - I gave up after about a week. I am trying to get myself to write more chapters this month, so here's two new ones for you all. I know updates come a few weeks between each other a lot lately, and I want you guys to know that no matter what, I am not giving up on this story. There will always be updates until it is finished, so to those who haven't abandoned me yet - thank you :)