For all of you, I'm gonna throw a killer song your way you should totally listen to when you see it;)
Enjoy!
Carol flicks on the lights to her bedroom, and Luna follows her inside. Like everything else on 0312 West Sanford Street, she has to gawk. She's not so spazzy this time though- but rather just coolly nodding at things. Like the debonair amethyst bedclothes, expensive skirts and shirts neatly hung in the closet, and pictures of Neil Degrasse Tyson and David Foster Wallace pinned to a corkboard.
It makes Carol feel even better than she already does to know that Luna approves of her amenities. Why, she doesn't know. But it's welcome.
It doesn't stop her heart from fluttering as she remembers just why they're here, though.
It's one thing to play for a stranger, or a teacher, or even the occasional audition.
But another teenage girl? Like, who wouldn't be nervous?
Nevertheless, she puts her big girl panties on, because if she can't do something as simple as play her violin for stinkin' Luna Loud, she may as well find a nice U-Haul box to live in for the rest of her life.
She skittishly smiles at Luna, who smiles back, and then she reaches under her bed for a black case.
"Uhh, that is your violin, right?" Luna jokingly asks.
Carol just chortles. She really wants to come up with a cute and quirky little comeback, something to make Luna laugh a little too, but she just can't. The best she could do is maybe stupidly blow a raspberry right now.
So she just sits down on her bed, opens her case, and takes out her violin and bow.
Then, she freezes. Her heart is really pounding now.
"Oh god… I'm not gonna be able to do this… If I try, I'll just keep messing up. Or worse…"
She glances back up to her partner, who's still just smiling this sweet, soft little smile. She wants it to feel reassuring, she really does. But it's more intimidating than anything.
"Maybe we can play together?" she recalls Luna saying. "We." "Together."
Lightbulb.
Very giddily, she raises her apparatuses up, and holds them out to Luna.
"Hey! Why don't you give it a go first!" she proposes. "You said you haven't practiced in a while!"
Luan puts on her thinking face, hesitantly accepting the bow and violin. "Are you sure? Like, it's cool?"
Carol plays it off like it is cool, internally feeling overwhelming relief come to her. "Sure! Show me what you've got, and maybe I can give you some pointers."
Luna smiles. "Alright, here goes nothin'…"
She resumes her thinking face as she eases into a simple little melody. It's like she's now really playing anything in particular, but more so just listening for things that sound alright.
It amuses Carol. "Aww… Look at her trying. Good for you, Luna."
Luna picks up the pace a bit, smoothly transitioning into an excerpt of a Bach partita. She hits all the right notes, and even gets away with looking away from the instrument some.
It impresses Carol. "Alright… I guess the girl's got some game."
Then, Luna kicks a foot up on the desk chair, and even sticks her tongue out as she focuses on playing the solo for The Devil Went Down To Georgia. Every slide and transition is flawless, and she's even able to improvise some wicked new notes halfway through, like she's too good to strictly follow the original composition.
It makes Carol's jaw drop.
"Dang."
Luna finishes, and shrugs. "Ehh, I know. Like, I said, I haven't practiced in a while."
She holds the instrument out to Carol, who just looks at her with disbelief.
"Let's see what you got," Luna invites with a playfully challenging tone.
Slowly, feeling great trepidation, Carol takes the violin, and forcefully shakes off the bewilderment. She just looks to it for a moment.
"How the heck do I follow THAT?"
"Uhm… Okay… Just… Heh heh…" she stammers as she tucks it under her chin, and presses her fingers on its strings. "You may have loosened her up a bit. So if I sound a little off-"
"Don't worry about it, dude. My main man Mick Swagger always says it's about having fun. I'm just glad to be here," Luna happily tells her.
"She's happy to be here?... With me?"
Luna's phone goes off again. She pulls it out of her pocket and looks at it with the same alertness as before, and before she can even say anything, Carol already knows.
She won't be here with her much longer.
"It's the old man," Luna says, and she answers it. While she talks with him, Carol lets herself sink, placing the violin to the side, and practically frowning.
"I should've told her to tell him no…"
Luna hangs up, and looks to Carol with a bit of a somber smile.
"Well, he's here."
Carol looks up to her, not even realizing she's conveying so much disappointment. "Oh… Okay."
For a moment, Luna just stands there, nervously rubbing her arm. But soon enough, she speaks up.
"This was pretty fun, Carol. I liked hanging out," she says, letting another smile come to her lips.
It doesn't change how she has to be going, or how Carol's Saturday night will likely be a total bummer…
But knowing she had fun, and that she liked hanging out… It brings a warm feeling to her chest, and she smiles too.
"We should... do it again some time?" Carol suggests.
And Luna keeps smiling. "Yeah, totally dude."
Slowly, she begins to make her way out into the hall.
"Uh, I'll walk you out!" Carol blurts out, pretty much jumping up to be beside her.
"Alright," Luna gladly agrees, and she's escorted down by her partner.
It's the super awkward silence that accompanies them on their way, but there's no fighting it. There really isn't much to say, and even if there was, it would be… hard.
These past forty-eight plus hours have been a roller coaster ride. It'd be hard for Carol to imagine on Thursday morning that she'd actually be sad to see Luna leaving her home, let alone coming here in the first place. But here they are, walking quietly side by side, and Carol really wants to ask her to stay. She'd bear the embarrassment of being outshined on the violin. She'd gladly listen to more stories about her tenteen siblings. Heck, she'd even listen to some ghastly rock n' roll music if it just meant they could spend just a little more together.
They get to the front door, and just sort of stop. Luna looks to Carol, and Carol looks back to her. They both exchange somber smiles.
"Well, I guess I'll see ya later, Carol. I'll text you later?" Luna says a little skittishly.
"I'd like that," Carol simply says.
And they still smile.
Luna hesitantly opens the door, and waves goodbye. "Au revoir."
While watching her go makes her want to just curl up into a pouty little ball and mope, it melts her heart to hear her say those familiar departing words.
"Bye," she softly says with a little wave of her own.
And Luna looks away. She walks her way down to the driveway and to her father's cooky old van, never looking back, and putting on another happy face as she greets the balding man who is to drive her home.
But Carol can't look away. She's almost afraid that if she does, it could be the last time she'll ever see her. So she watches her making her way into the passenger side of the van, pressing her hand to the glass of the pane, as if to reach out for her.
"Don't go…"
But, she does. The van starts up, and before long, it's heading off into the distance, and disappearing from her sight.
She lets out a heavy sigh, letting her hand slide down the glass, letting herself just deflate.
"Au revoir…"
In an effort to make her empty house a little less… depressing… Carol turns on the radio, settling for the 70s and 80s hits station. "Hello" by Lionel Richie starts playing.
*I've been alone with you inside my mind…*
She goes through the motions…
*And in my dreams I've kissed your lips… A thousand times…*
The attempt at some homework…
*Sometimes I see you pass outside my door…*
A hot bath…
*Hello… Is it me you're looking for?*
Lethargic violin practice…
*I can see it in your eyes… I can see it in your smile…*
But it's all pointless. She just feels… sad.
*You're all I've ever wanted… And my arms are open wide…*
So she just lies in bed, moping…
*Cause you know just what to say… And you know just what to do…*
Thinking about Luna…
*And I want to tell you so much…*
But it eventually gets old, and she attempts to play on her phone a bit. Her rabbit hole leads her to Bookface, where she sees posts from all her so-called "friends" having fun together at a coffee shop.
"Jerks…"
It doesn't help much, so she's about to just toss the phone and return to sulking.
But… She sees something.
The newest selfie from Lori Loud.
She's sitting in what is likely the same van Carol just watched her younger sister drive off in, sweetly smiling while resting her finger against one of her dimples.
Just, for reasons, Carol begins scrolling through the rest of her photo album. Lots of selfies, pictures with some wenches who shall not be named, foodie pics…
And a BFF selfie with Carol Pingrey in the crafts store at Royal Woods mall.
"Admit it, Carol… You miss her. Just like you miss-"
She sighs. "Are you really going to spend the rest of your Saturday just brooding around?" she thinks aloud.
She sits up on the edge of her bed. "No. No I'm not! Luna was right. I- I have a stick up my butt! And… It's about time I got it out of there…"
She gets her cell, and apprehensively looks to it.
There's many ways this could go, and most of the scenarios don't end well. Some of them could even lead to violence…
But, there is the chance that maybe Lori misses her too, and maybe she'll be willing to forgive her.
It's a chance she's willing to take to save her Saturday night.
"I will NOT end up watching Princess Pony again."
Big girl panties... on.
She unlocks the phone, and works up the nerve to call Lori Loud.
RIIIIIIIIIIIIING… RIIIIIIIIIIIIING… RIIIIIIIIIIIIING… RIIIIIIIIIIIIING… RIIIIIIIIIIIIING… RIIIIIIIIIIIIING…
Her racing heart begins to grow heavy. "She's not going to answer…"
But just as she's about to hang up…
"Hello?"
Upon hearing Lori's voice, Carol's breath nearly escapes her. "This is gonna be tough."
She's able to muster some more gumption though, and proceeds.
"Uh, hey Lori. What's up?" she casually asks. "Keep it cool."
Belatedly, Lori answers. "Uhm, I'm actually kind of in the middle of something…" she indifferently says.
"Oh… Okay…" Carol bemoans.
Then, there's a palpable silence. The kind of silence that means: conversation over.
Friendship over…
"Uhm… I guess I'll talk to you later…" she adds, hanging her head low.
But Lori doesn't hang up. She doesn't say anything right away, but after some thought, she sighs.
"Carol… Is everything alright?"
It's the billion dollar question she didn't even realize she needed to hear; because, frankly, she's not alright. Everything she thought was okay isn't okay. Things she didn't want anything to do with make her happy… just to make her sad.
And she could really use a friend now.
She heavily sighs. "Lori… I'm sorry…" she remorsefully begins. "I said some nasty things to you, and... I really wish I didn't. You deserve better than that…"
As she hangs her head low again, Lori is silent, and it's only a matter of waiting to hear just what this apology will mean to her, if anything at all.
Another sigh on Lori's part. "Carol, I'm sorry too. I was really... immature. You had every right to be mad at me."
Carol slightly perks up. "No, I didn't. I was immature… I just…"
She very carefully considers just how to say this in the most Carol Pingrey of ways possible. She could just say she forgives her, and maybe ask her "What's up?" or even "How have you been?" in the most overly done, let's forgive and forget way imaginable.
Or she could be diplomatic, and maybe revisit the day that the great cargo shorts debate began, and try to just work things out now that they've had a couple weeks to cool off.
But… She realizes that, in this moment, she doesn't have anything to prove sitting all alone in her sad, empty house. Even if she did, it's just too much to bear this weight any longer.
If Lori Loud was woman enough to say "You win," then she's willing to return the favor.
It's just what friends do.
"…I miss you," she finishes.
"I miss you too," Lori softly admits, and Carol imagines she's cracking a little smile, just like the way she is right now.
And it gets quiet. A good quiet. Like, calm after the storm.
"So, how have you been?" Lori asks.
It's not so bad the way she says it.
Carol silently sighs to herself. She wants to be able to fake it for her friend's sake, but she's not going to be able to pretend she's okay.
As nice as it is to have this exchange of forgiveness, it unfortunately isn't enough to make her forget about this sadness.
"Well… I've been okay. Uhm… I just finished working on my project with Luna. She just left my house," she answers, laying back on her cozy amethyst bed sheets.
"What? My sister?" Lori dubiously responds.
"Oh… I guess she didn't tell you…" Carol says back. It hurts a little to know.
"Well… I guess she thought it would best, heh heh," Lori coyly quips. "So… How'd that go? You guys didn't badmouth me too much, did you?" she adds with a slightly more confident joking tone.
Normally, it'd be fun. It'd be nice to just wisecrack back until they start laughing and get off on sharing the latest, juiciest new gossip. There's plenty to catch up on, after all.
But the sadness just won't go away… Not until she talks this out… Not until she accepts the truth.
She doesn't say anything back.
"Carol?..."
"Lori..." she finally says. "I think I like her."
