4.
429 Jack Pine Drive; Big Lake, Illinois
February 1st
7:45 AM
Bring. Brrring. Brrrrrring. Brrring. Bring.
Brrrrrrrrring.
Beep. Beeeeeeeep. Beep.
Brrriiiiiiiiiiiing.
"Ugghhh." Claire reached for her alarm clock, stretching her arm out into thin air. She reached out in the direction of her old-fashioned yellow alarm clock, sliding her body further and further until- thump. Her body flipped over the side, sliding out of the slippery silk sheets and onto the threaded cashm- threaded cashmere rug? What? Claire shook her head. She glanced up at her side table, finding the worn pine gone, and replaced by a modern mahogany and marble alternative, topped by a silver and white iHome, which was emitting the gawd-awful noise.
It took Claire a good five minutes to shut off the noise, having trouble seeing in the nearly dark room. The long curtains that draped across her new picture windows (she suddenly remembered where she was), proved to –yes- be truly blackout coverings. She crossed the room cautiously, half-blind, and yanked one silvery-blue velvet curtain back. A thick sparkling beam of sunlight flew across Claire's face, leaving her blind for yet another ten seconds. When her eyes adjusted, she crept closer to the window, narrowing her cerulean eyes. What was before almost undecipherable, her new estate shown in perfect view. Dusted in a thick glitter of fallen snow, the redbrick buildings to the right and the left showed perfect turn of the century architecture and beautiful black accents. Too excited to breathe, Claire raced down the sundry of hallways and the wide back lacquered stairs into the kitchen. The look at her house filled her with such joy! She was finally one of them, Massie and Dylan; even Alicia! Judi was there, along with Jay. Todd was nowhere to be seen.
"Emagawd! It's beautiful!" Claire slid into a padded chair next to her father. "I just saw it!"
"Saw what, dear?" Judy chuckled, whilst attempting to use a fancy black china teacup correctly, the way she had seen Kendra do millions of times. The problem was: Judy, born and raised in Kissimmee, Florida; hadn't had the access to finishing schools (or china, in that matter) that Kendra Block had experienced daily throughout her childhood. So, unfortunately, she had never learned this silly habit of sticking your pinkie finger out, or even how many of her fingers through the lithe hole.
"The house?" Claire oozed duh. "I'm so lucky I don't gain calories!" She bragged, as she reached for a stack of chocolate-chip pancakes. The surge of sudden clarity had heightened her appetite and rapidly enlarged her ego. And who wouldn't like either of those?
"Be careful sweetie, you know…" Judi sighed, and gave up. "I'm having a fitness instructor over starting today. I'm going to start working out two times a day."
Claire ignored her, too focused on Frieda, who was dishing out pieces of uber-crispy bacon.
"Anyway, school starts in an hour. You better go up in a few." Judi finished, finally realizing that her daughter was not listening. "Claire."
"Hmmm?" Claire was so immersed in her newfound wealth that she hardly bothered to respond. "Shi-shoot!" She muttered, as a particularly greasy piece of bacon left an angry grease mark on her new silk Equipment pajamas. It was shaped like a heart.
"That's a good omen." She muttered to herself, and couldn't help herself from beaming. It was written in the stars! The bacon gods had deemed that Claire Lyons was going to have a great first day at Preston-Tatum Secondary Day School.
"Language…" Judi sighed. "As I was saying, Phillip, will be waiting at eight forty-five to drive you to PTSD. My, that's a strange acronym for a school…" Judi trailed off, realizing Claire was once again zoned out, tapping an iMessage on her phone to Massie.
Claire: School starts TODAY for me! Oh my god! U still have like two weeks right?
The reply took a minute.
Massie: Yeah… lol GTG shopping w/ girls
Claire sat back, feeling a little shunned. She checked the clock. Shopping at eight, wait, time difference; nine o'clock? Maybe they were going to NYC, but still, it seemed a little odd. Even with her newfound glee, Claire suddenly longed for the familiar faces of the Pretty Committee.
"Where's Todd?" Claire probed, snatching another pancake of the gilded tray, noticing her little brother's absence. "Sleeping in." Judi replied, "He'll be riding to school with you, however."
"Moooom." Claire moaned. "Puh-lease, just buy another car or something! Don't make me ride with HIM."
"Claire." A look of distress crossed her mothers face, crisscrossing from one eye to one cheek. Claire parted her lips, thinking about suggesting a cc or two of Botox, and then thought better of it and clamped them shut.
"We will not be purchasing another car for Todd to ride in. Unless we suddenly gain three more children, the new car will be more than enough for both of you." Jay yawned. "Now, giddy up. You now have forty-two minutes to get ready."
Claire's cheeks flamed crimson, and she shot to her feet, murmuring a quick, "sorry." As she reversed her original trajectory, she took her time padding up the stairs, even peeking into a few of the many doors in the hallway. At a glance she spotted a ten-seat movie theater with a slide-down screen, a second kitchen, two luxurious basic guestrooms and a room with nothing but wall-to-wall bookcases. Her new home filled her with pride. Sure, it may not have been as "homey" as the guesthouse, or as "cute," but it was bigger and probably was worth like a billion more. And after all, in a material town like so, those were the only things that mattered… right?
Exactly forty-one minutes later, Claire was sitting in the Lyons's new car. Trying (and failing) not to repeat the events of her first trip in the Range Rover, she sat on her hands. Exactly thirty-two seconds later, those hands were roaming the roomy interior of the BMW x5, discovering treats such as candy-coated gourmet coconut chunks, and controls that shut off her compartment from Derrick Harrington's (the driver, not the ah-dorable seventh grader). Derrington had explained how the Lyon's had custom bought the x5, choosing to have the second row of seats in the back placed back to back with the driver compartment. This gave Claire Lyons the perfect view of Todd Lyons.
"Can you stop that?" She deadpanned; referring to the incessant sound of Rice Krispy's being deposited in his mouth. The crinkle was distracting her for her search of a house better than the Lyons estate, a search that still proved to be futile.
"No." Todd retorted, sticking a slimy hand through his red hair.
"Miss Claire and Mister Todd. Where would you wish to be dropped off?" Derrington's voice floated backwards, and Claire instinctively hit the 'down' button on the barrier. Her jaw dropped. In only fifteen minutes, it seemed like the BMW had traveled to another world.
Preston-Tatum Secondary school stood in front of her.
Ahhh! I'm sorry, please advert your eyes from this un beta-d distaster! Too late ;)
I don't even know why I'm posting this! But, enjoy :)
Yes, Claire is growing into a you-know-what... but who can blame her? Don't hesitate to re-read the previous chapters, placing your name in leu of Claire's... see? You would be like that too!
Leave me lots of reviews, I PROMISE to respond :) If I don't, remind me with a friendly follow up :)
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