- - - - -
Cam ran his fingers through his dark hair as their professor signaled the end of class. It had been a busy class for him, full of admonishing and frantic note copying.
"Remember to bring your stationery and laptop, next time, Mr. Fisher. I'd hate to deduct your grade due to your unfortunate absentmindedness," his teacher, Mrs. Carter, had told him snidely when he had told her Derrick had stolen all his belongings from his JanSport.
Mrs. Carter, like all teachers, ignored Derrick's mention as it was common knowledge that his father was a generous alumnus and had donated a considerable sum to the Architectural Department.
Cam grimaced when his mismatched eyes wandered down the circular aisle, seeing Derrick waving furiously at him while grinning from ear-to-ear. "Yo, Cam! Wanna grab a bite to eat?" he shouted, ignoring the fact that the round, mostly-oak-and-mahogany room echoed everything that was loud to an even more impressive resonance.
As he got up and walked down the stairs to the bigger entrance, while shaking his head ruefully, Cam responded in the negative. "Nah, can't. Gotta unpack some more clothes; can't keep wearing the same jeans for two days…oh and yeah, I'd also like my crap back. You know, all the pens, the erasers, the rulers and my Mac!"
"Like what back?" Derrick asked vaguely, reaching the foot of the stairs, too, his mind – and eyes – already set on a certain blonde, along with a midget brunette, passing their lecture room. "Hey! You're Claire!"
Cam blanched and hid behind the nearest thick thing – this time it was a pretty, heavyset girl called Anile Merry. "Sorry, Ann, I'm just really, really scared," he whispered to her dark red angora sweater.
Anile shrugged and went back to her Sidekick. "Gotta to get to class, anyway, dude. Just don't pull any of the threads, okay? My Mom forced this on me and who knows what'd she say if a thread had gone missing…"
Seeing Claire's deer-trapped-in-headlights look, Derrick pointedly looked back at Cam, or rather Anile, who seemed to be talking to herself, and shouted, "HEY CAAAM! CLAIRE'S OUTSIDE! DON'T YOU WANNA SEE HER? OR SHOULD I TELL HER YOU'RE HIDING BEHIND ANILE? I THINK SHE KNOWS BY NOW, THOUGH! SHE'S RIGHT HERE!"
Cam slapped his face with his hand, palm side up, and ran to the other entrance. (Every lecture room had two doors located on the opposite side of each other – the school's brochure stated that it made it easy for fire escape. The unofficial school handbook – sold for ten dollars in the hallway – stated that it was for students to cut class more easily.)
He banged open the door and slammed into a brunette talking animatedly to her earphone-plugged iPhone. "Excuse you, asshole!" she snapped, when her hand jostled and almost dropped the technology.
Cam shrugged apologetically, refusing to look up at anyone, and set off again, fleeing for the hills. Anile and the rest of the class, including Mrs. Carter, laughed with embarrassed looks on their faces, as though Cam had committed a seriously embarrassing faux-pas. And, in a way, he had: he had banged into Massie Block, another one of the wealthy alumni's children. The Blocks' were famous for suing everything they felt like needed to be sued thanks to their connection with the Riveras'.
Claire watched Cam scamper and Massie swear furiously with a peculiarly blank look on her usually animated face. "Yes, Harrington?" she finally said to Derrick's I'm Not Gay, Just Seriously In Love with Feminine T-shirt when Cam's figure wasn't visible anymore. She inwardly gritted her teeth when she realized everyone was taller than her. Stupid, tall Californians…
"You gave me the wrong number, blondie. What gives?" Derrick informed her, his trademark smirk ghosting onto his face. Maybe she was playing hard-to-get with the ol' Derrick Harrington…
"Nothing, Harrington. Nothing 'gives'…and don't call me blondie!" She snapped, her apathetic mood quickly slipping into defensive anger.
He shrugged and let it pass. "So, what's your next class, what are you majoring in, did you watch the latest episode of School Sucks? Do you know the chick on TV? And just how old are you?"
Claire turned to her companion for backup but Layne had disappeared to the unknown – or rather Chris Pine and Star Trek, her latest obsessions. Shrugging it off, maybe she's talking to Star Trekkers again,Claire looked straight ahead and answered, "I have two hours 'til English Literature, I'm majoring in Journalism and yes, I watched the latest episode of School Sucks. No, I don't know the 'chick on TV' but she's in my dorm floor and I'm seventeen."
Derrick blinked. She actually understood him. He blinked again and cleared his throat, "…I'm seventeen, too. I'm majoring in Industrial Design, I love 12629 and I have two hours until Design class. Wanna grab a bite to eat? I'll pay."
Claire bit her lip. Wasn't he the guy who thought everyone, including old women and straight men, was in love with his 'awesomeness'? Wasn't he the guy who lived with flaky Cam? Wasn't he the guy who hit on her a week ago?
Yes, yes, yes, he was all that but she was bored, not to mention kinda broke, until she found a job, and he was kinda funny under all the stupidity so she agreed.
He nodded eagerly, "I know a great place near here – it's called the Pink Elephant. Perfect place for Goth chicks – I mean, bread sticks. Yes, perfect place for bread sticks…"
"Hilarious, Harrington…" Claire mumbled, starting to second-guess her hasty decision.
"What do you think of Josh? That dude on School Sucks?" Derrick started walking straight ahead.
"Oh he's awesome – really funny!" Claire said animatedly, almost skipping every step as she tried to match his long-legged stride.
"Thanks," Josh said modestly, suddenly appearing from behind Claire. She shrieked and dropped all her books onto jock-like guys. ("Ouch! Shit! Blondie's got weapons!")
She apologized quickly and stooped down to gather all the books.
Grinning, Derrick slapped high-fives with Josh, "'Sup, dude!", and dropped down to help her pick up all her heavy textbooks.
Josh chuckled and patted Claire's head. "I am a genius, aren't I?"
"Get away from me, you freak! You nearly gave me a heart attack!" she yelped when someone trod on her open notebook. "Hey!"
Claire glared at him from her position on the floor. Ignoring the "Hey! Move out of the way, midget!" shouts she was getting from behind her, she said angrily to him, "Can't you see where you're going, you idiot?! You just stepped on my Eng Lit notebook!"
The brunet ignored her and continued kissing his girlfriend while walking. Derrick applauded him silently – he didn't know anyone else who could do it apart from himself.
Josh, for Claire's benefit, gave the seriously-making-out couple 'the finger' and helped Claire get up, Derrick suddenly lumbered with all her books.
"Heading to lunch?" he asked conversationally to Claire.
Derrick stepped in smoothly, "Yeah, what's it to ya?"
"I'm really hunger."
"I'm really Derrick."
"Shaddup and start walking; I've only got an hour 'til the next broadcast…and I'm starved."
"Go to hell, Joshie; I've got two hours and I intend to waste it with a girl! I mean, style!"
Claire rolled her eyes at the bickering 'young adults' – please! Like they could even pass as children! – while taking out her Motorola. Texting with one hand and using the other to lug all the books round,
WHERE R U? U VANISHED! :O
As they stepped out of the massive building and onto the campus, she got a reply:
CLAIRE-BEAR! HEY! W/ RIGHT NOW. SO SORRY BUT THIS ONE GUY HAS COMPLETE FIRST SEASON ON DVD. YAY!
Claire shook her head wonderingly, what was it with Layne's obsessions, and SMS-ed a smiley-face back. She looked up at the arguing 'young adults' but they still ignored the world and continued verbal abuse.
But, when hearing a "Josh, Derrick! Over here!" Josh and Derrick finally stopped their incessant bickering and quickly waved to a brunette and redhead standing nearby.
Massie and Dylan, wearing skimpy secretary-like outfits, made their way over to them with the saunter of professional models and the knowledge that every guy on campus grass was staring at them. Whispering/giggling, "Good luck, may the best bitch win," to each other, they quickly reached the threesome.
"Hey, Derrick, long time no see," Massie cooed sultry in his left ear.
"Uh…hey, Massie…" Derrick smiled bewilderedly. Didn't she break up with him in high school? Didn't she say that he should have gone to hell? Maybe. But judging by the way she was stroking his arm, maybe he had imagined the whole affair she had.
Claire blinked at this and waved half-heartedly at Dylan. "What's up with her?" she mouthed to Dylan but Dylan, too, was flirting with Josh, running her hands up and down his tanned arms. "I loved you on 12629, today, Josh. By the way, are you still together with Alicia?"
"Um…no…" Josh barely gave his answer a second thought as Dylan giggled and tossed her recently-straightened hair back, positively pressing her body against his arm.
Claire blinked again. Wasn't Massie dating that Greek heir dude? Didn't Dylan realize she was flirting with Alicia's ex? No, she realized as her best friends started taking each guy by the arm and dragging them in opposite directions with a "It'll take only a minute!"
She sighed despondently. Lunch-mates gone with best friends. Great. Just bloody great. Just like old times, she mused.
Having nothing better to do but eat, she texted to Kristen and Alicia if they wanted to eat. Kristen replied:
CANT. AM ON DIET FOR SOCCER PRACTICE. SALAD W/NO DRESSING EVERYDAY :(
SRY, CANT. NEED 2 LOSE WEIGHT; AM TOO FAT!!!
Claire sighed at Kristen's dedication to soccer and Alicia's new obsession with her weight.
OKAY. JUST ASKING. THX ANYWAY!
Having no one familiar to eat with, she would not resort to asking Cam, not after how he acted, Claire texted to Chris and Harris:
I ASKED AL, KRIS & LAY TO HAVE LUNCH WITH ME. MASS & DYL R BUSY W/ JOSH&DERRICK. WANNA EAT AT MY PLACE? I'M 2 BORED 2 B ALONE.
She kept using short form as her boredom overpowered her. College was great until you were lonely. Then, it was like school all over again.
Chris replied first:
CAN'T, MA HOMIE. HAVING CLASS :P SENIOR YEAR SUCKS. CALL YOU AND LAYNE LATER.
Next was Harris:
YEA, SURE! YOUR PLACE? NAH. SICK OF DORMS AT THE MO. SOMEWHERE ELSE? I'LL PICK YOU UP :D
Claire smiled brightly, at least he was available. She quickly sent another smiley-face along with THX! I'M AT THE MAIN BUILDING.
Five minutes later, Harris and his BMW convertible with the hood down rolled in smoothly. "Hop in!" he shouted over the blaring of 'I Don't Care' by Fall Out Boy.
Claire grinned and opened the passenger seat door. "Hey, Harr – oh. Cam. Hi."
Cam was sitting in the back with a shocked expression on his once-handsome-to-Claire face. "Uh…"
She shook her head, mouthed "Not now," and sat down quickly.
Harris chuckled, a glint in his eye. Phase One complete. "We're eating at Pizza Hut," he declared and put the sleek car in gear.
Claire shrugged. She was still getting over the fact that Cam was right behind her, still saying nothing about his behavior in the past few days. Not even apologizing! She knew she was going to break up with him and everything, Cam was too much of a coward to do it, but still! Who knew he was so rude!
She grumbled throughout the entire ten-minute ride, Harris grinning fondly at her and Cam staring out the window with a hopeless expression plastered on his face.
When they arrived, Harris decided to show Claire some legendary Fisher-charm. (He doubted Cam showed her much, clothes on or off.) Quickly turning off the engine, leaving the car and running to her seat, he opened it with the grace of Princess Diana. "After you, madam. And might I say, you do look beautiful today"
Claire giggled and stepped out, silently thanking Massie for forcing her yesterday to wear lime-green sandals, knee-length off-white shorts, an emerald green tank and a loose white bolero on top that kept slipping off her shoulder. Perfect casual outfit, Claire gushed in her mind.
Cam's eyes narrowed at this charming display; he knew Harris. Knew seventeen tortured years of him.
Harris only charmed girls when he wanted to make out, have sex or go in a hot tub with. And it was common knowledge that the girls didn't mind when he used them for the night.
Get off my girlfriend, he wanted to say but remembered that Claire was mad as hell at him and that he was supposed to be waiting for her to break up with him. He swore under his breath and got out of the car.
They quickly found an empty table, ordered a seafood combo with three Dr. Peppers' and settled down to chat. Or, at least, Harris did.
Claire was muttering at the fact that she was sitting opposite Cam and had a direct view of his once-perfect eyes. Cam was grumbling at the fact that he was sitting opposite Claire and that she was looking pretty today.
"So," Harris started, "Since Cam is a pansy. Claire. How old are you?"
Claire smiled; at least Cam was looking disgruntled, and answered, "Seventeen. You?"
"Twenty-one," he smiled. "Legal age to date you, huh?"
Claire and Cam's eyes widened at this and Harris received a kick to his shin, thanks to Cam's Nikes.
Claire heard Harris's muted yelp and flirted back, "Yup. Legal age. Even sex is fine by the law, huh? By the way, do you work out? You have really nice muscles,"
Harris's eyes widened but he grinned; one, he realized that Claire could look at his face without drooling and that was a first, he also realized that they were both seriously distressing Cam with their topic on bodies. He flexed his right arm, with black Tee easily displayed his well-defined physique (that's why he wore it).
"Thanks, Claire. Et tu? Do you work out? Your arms look very…smooth," Harris dropped his voice lower, making it much huskier and much hotter. (Or at least, that's what the waitress thought when she came to deliver their food. She spilt a bit of coke on Cam's shirt but he didn't even realize it. He was too busy alternately glaring at and kicking Harris.)
"I hate working out. Too much sweat…although Cam and I used to go out on walks a lot; there was sweat involved but I didn't mind it then," Claire said pointedly at Cam's direction.
"I like walks, too. So much to do when pesky parents aren't around fretting over you…" Harris winked suggestively at her while Cam's jaw dropped at the both of them. It was one thing to for Claire to talk about their now-non-existent private lives but it was another for Harris to insinuate what he did when he went on 'walks'. Especially to naive Claire.
"And do you? Go on walks a lot?" Claire blinked her blue eyes at him, looking as innocent as she did at twelve.
"That's enough!" Cam stood up abruptly, his anger finally getting the best of him. "C'mon, Claire! We're leaving."
Harris ignored him and leaned closer to her, "Wanna go on one now?"
She appeared dazed and, with her voice dropping lower as well, murmured to Cam, "No, hon, that's okay. You go on ahead and chase Massie…"
Cam shook his head disgustedly, were all girls stupid when it came to Harris, and when did he chase Massie?, sure she was pretty and everything but…argh! He grabbed his messenger bag and not bothering to say "'Bye," left.
"That was brilliant, Lyons!" Harris burst out when Cam's dramatic departure was immortalized by the swinging exit door.
"You weren't too bad yourself! Smooth arms! That was hilarious but the 'wanna go on a walk with me?'" She laughed. He really was a pro at this. "That, now that, was pure brilliance!"
"I wasn't lying, Claire." He unleashed the power of his green eyes at her, forcing her to stare at them. Haha, no one can resist this!
"Oh…um…uh…let's eat!" Claire was resorted to saying. Walks…pfft. Later, she would feel bad for treating Cam the way she had, she knew even Massie wouldn't – no wait. Massie would. So if Massie did the same thing, it was okay, right? Right?!
Harris grinned and reached for his can of coke, "Itekidamesu!"
"Um…bless you?"
"No," Harris chuckled. "I wasn't sneezing, Lyons. I was trying to say 'Cheers' in Japanese. Don't think it sounded good, huh?"
Claire laughed and reached for a large slice of pizza. He was really fun to hang out with. Once you got over his supermodel-worthy looks, his blatant flirting and that he had to ruin Cam's life every once in a while, he could really make you laugh.
As they chatted and occasionally flirted, she got and ignored four texts:
Layne:
CLAIRE! WHERE R U? U WERE SUPPOSED 2 MEET ME AT 2:00!
Chris:
HEY CLAIRE. SEEN HARRIS? HE WAS SUPPOSED TO MEET ME AN HOUR AGO.
Alicia:
DO U KNOW WHAT DYLAN DID?! SHE MADE OUT WITH JOSH! MADE OUT WITH HIM! I HATE HER!!!!! 2NITE MEET ME IN YOUR ROOM. I'M GONNA TELL MASSIE THAT DYLAN AND HER CAN SLEEP IN THEIR SHITTY ROOM!
Kristen:
OMG. AL'S GONNA NUKE DYLAN & MASSIE (LIKE THAT'S POSSIBLE). APPARENTLY DYLAN & MASSIE MADE OUT WITH DERRICK AND JOSH ON CAMPUS GROUND FOR TEN MINUTES. IN FRONT OF THE PRESS!!! REMEMBER HOW AL WAS SUPPOSED TO GO OUT WITH DERRICK YESTERDAY? BUT MASS DIDN'T LET HER? SHE WAS SO PLANNING THIS! WTF, RIGHT? TEXT ME LATER. I HAPPENED TO SAW YOU, CAM AND HARRIS IN A CAR TOGETHER! ;D
When her watch beeped, signaling that it was three thirty, Claire sighed. "I gotta go, Harris. I have a job appointment."
"Oh. Okay, I'll drop you, then." Harris smiled quickly, not letting his disappointment show. Claire was really fun to hang out with, once you got over her random mood swings, that is. And the fact that she was a slight closet pervert, too.
"Thanks," she smiled genuinely back. Now all I've gotta do is apologize to Cam.
- - - - -
I seriously recommend you all to read Michael Gerber's Freshman. He's the dude who wrote the Harry Parodies, by the way. I'm basing my writing style on that particular book and him; he's a bloody genius.
I also would like to say HAPPY LATE BIRTHDAY MEGS. Dr. Pepper's for you!
Feedback, please. I don't think it's going in a ClaireDerrick direction and, frankly, I don't want it to. DO YOU?! HUH?! YEAH?! NO?! AAAAA?!
I also abhor swearing; I just want to make it seem a tiny bit more realistic than the book. And that there will be more mentions of 'mature crap', so if you don't like it, sorry. I am 15, after all.
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