Howdy. Muah-ha-ha! Tis done! After weeks of toiling, I have COMPLETED this chapter. And started the next. Yes yes I know, no autographs please. :)
On another note, I'm so very sorry that it took so long to update...Things happen. Heh. Anyways, I'm really excited about this story now, and I hope this chapter makes up for the lost time! I couldn't help slipping a little Jared/Kim fluff in there, so...be prepared. Oh, and if the picture description seems tedious...it is. But there IS a reason, so fear not dear readers.
Oh... AND I'd like to thank all of you that reviewed last chapter! You made my day...er...week. (s) I really do appreciate it, and I hope you will repeat the favor.
The sun rose slowly into a cloudless sky and I watched it break over the treetops with a smile on my face.
What a way to start a birthday week!
I got dressed for school based on the fact that we had a sunny day in Washington. My mood was rare – as was the weather – and could only be described with one word: ecstatic.
I managed sanity with only one cup of coffee, my makeup cooperated with me, and my hair relented from its usual curly mess and actually straightened into a more socially-acceptable monstrosity. I went the entire morning without fighting with my loser-reject brother Daniel. I dodged my father's daily homework inquiry, (Had I finished all of it? How did I think I'd done? Had I checked my math in the back of the book?) My mother's personal survey, (How was I feeling? Was I having a good morning? How did that make me feel?) And my sister's wardrobe check. (Did those shoes really go with that shirt? Really?)
Today was a good day.
I skipped down our narrow flight of stairs humming something that sounded strangely like "You are my sunshine."
"Good morning Jim." I announced and pecked my father on his stubbly cheek. It had been a habit – for as long as I could remember – to call my father by his first name. I just couldn't work my mind around "Dad."
"Someone's chipper." He laughed and ruffled the morning paper loudly.
"Mhmm." My mouth was full of granola bar when he asked his next question.
"Is Jared giving you a ride to school today?"
I rolled my eyes and swallowed. Jared and Kim Burns had been giving me a ride to school since my first day at QTS High school. You'd think he'd be able to remember two years worth of free child-transportation.
"Yeah Jim, it's taken care of." I patted his balding – not bald – head on my way back up the stairs to grab my book bag.
"When will they be – "A loud honk interrupted him mid-question.
"Now I guess." I bounded up the stairs and almost bowled over Daniel. "Sorry Danny!" I squeaked and stumbled the way into my bedroom. A million band posters from the 80's glory days greeted me; all bright colors and bolded titles. Led Zeppelin and their shiny stairwell couldn't distract me today though. Jared wasn't one for patience, and he would leave without me.
I tripped over my empty clothes hamper, - most of my wardrobe doubled as carpet – stumbled to my desk, and clumsily tugged my canvas messenger bag into my arms. In my hurry, I knocked the picture frame off of my night stand. Since I didn't have time to reminisce I righted the photo and then hauled butt out the door.
I knew that picture inside and out without looking at it anyways. It had been a birthday present from my best friend, two years before.
As most of my good pictures were, this snapshot had been absolutely spontaneous and un-expected. In it, I was perched on his shoulders, laughing wildly while he reached up to tickle me. A fire burned in the background and gave the whole thing a very surreal feeling.
It was my favorite of millions, merely because of the memories that night held, and what I had realized there.
That night, sitting on my best friends shoulders at the family bon-fire, I'd realized that I was in love with him.
Quil. My best friend.
xXx
"What's the hold up?" Jared barked the second I dove into the backseat, panting.
"Pretty sunrise," I gasped and he rolled his eyes before starting the car and pulling out of the driveway.
"Of course." I heard him mutter. A dainty hand snaked out of the passenger seat to pat his shoulder. Tiny Kim was almost impossible to spot. She was killer at hide and go seek.
"That's the artist in you." She explained in her soft voice. Kim was the resident art teacher at QTS, and was always trying to bring out my "inner artist."
She always glared at me when I told her my inner artist had retired at age eight.
"Bad morning Airhead?" I asked Jared and kicked the back of his seat. He growled.
The nickname'd had the effect I'd been hoping for.
Sometime during my "Jefferson Airplane" phase, Jared, Kim and I had come up with nicknames for one another.
The aptly named "airhead" was all my doing, because if you said it fast enough, it kind of sounded like Jared. He'd been in a foul mood that day too, and quickly dubbed Kim – who was laughing hysterically – "Dim." This left poor innocent Kimberly to name me, and since she'd never been one for cruelty, I became "Clay." (An art medium…go figure.)
It was often brought up – by me – that mine was the only nickname that didn't hint at an IQ of 5.
"Long night." Jared's voice dragged me off of memory lane. The sympathy that Kim felt for her exhausted-chaperone-husband was almost tangible.
"I told you to stay home. I can drive you know." She whispered sweetly, probably forgetting that I was there. She reached up and massaged his hair lovingly, pity screaming from her round eyes.
"I'm fine Kimmy." He was the only one aloud to call her that. Well, the rest of us could I guess. If we wanted our eyes clawed out. With pebbles.
She let it drop when he used the pet name, but didn't take her hand out of his hair. I was going to ask if it was glued there, but we were at school and I wasn't feeling spiteful.
"Thanks Airhead," I said. He shot me a playful glare and I smiled.
"See you second period Dim."
I leaned down on the door handle and almost screamed when it didn't open. I always forgot that the left door was locked from the inside.
"Are you sure your name shouldn't be Airhead Claire?" Jared laughed as I scooted to the other side.
"Oh, but you fit the part so well." Kim erupted into a fit of giggles and I escaped before Jared could mess up my hair or something equally as evil.
I inhaled deeply once outside, savoring the sweet scent of sunlight. I shook my hair out of my eyes.
"Claire!" A familiar voice shouted and I sauntered over to a group of my friends that had gathered by the flagpole.
"How is it that all of your little pals are hot older men?" Ashley – the shouter – asked me and jerked her head in the direction of Jared and Kim.
I shrugged. "Fate I guess."
Heh. Fate. Funny stuff. Read, review, be merry. I love you, and please please please let me know what you think!
Arriverdirci.
