CLAIRE'S BEDROOM

APRIL 14TH

4:00 PM

CLAIRE: COME OVER ASAP. WE NEED TO TALK.

Claire hit send on that final message to Alicia, Dylan, Kristen, Massie, Cam, Derrington, Eli, and Layne. However, everyone thought that the message had been sent to ONLY them.

Her phone instantly vibrated 8 times

CAM: UH… OKAY.

DERRINGTON: ONLY BECAUSE I WANT MY SOCCER JERSEY BACK.

MASSIE: FINE. BUT YOU BETTER MAKE THIS QUICK

ALICIA: K. WHATEVS.

KRISTEN: OK, BUT DON'T TELL MASSIE.

DYLAN: OK. WILL THERE BE SNACKS?

ELI: OKIE DOKIE.

LAYNE: YEAH. YOU HAVE SOME EXPLAINING TO DO.

She took a deep breath. Clearly, Eli was the only one not mad at her.

This was the moment where she would explain everything. Lay everything on the table. Come clean with everything. Speaking of clean, she probably had a few minutes to shower and pretty herself up a bit before everyone got there.

DING DONG.

Uh… or not.

She bolted down the stairs, her sunflower yellow sundress billowing our behind her.

She stuck her baby blue eye to the peephole, and saw an amber one staring back, looking very angry.

She took a shaky breath, and opened the door. Massie bashed past her, and made herself welcome on the periwinkle cloth couch in the living room.

Seconds later, Alicia was in the room. Then followed Dylan, then Kristen. They all seemed shocked to see each other.

"Ehmagawd! What is this, an intervention?" Dylan screetched.

"I am so suing." Alicia stated, making clear that she did not approve of Claire's trickery.

"Are you kidding? I'm glad you guys are here. The last thing I wanted was alone time with Kuh-laire." Massie smirked.

"Wait, does that mean you're ok with this?" Kristen asked in a so-I'm-not-in-trouble? kind of way.

"More than." Massie rolled her eyes like it should have been obvious.

"I feel comfortable in a crowd." Alicia smiled proudly like a queen.

"Well, than you're about to get extremely comfortable. Because there are more people coming," Claire countered, then she turned to Massie, "And YOU are about to have to face the lies you have created."

Massie chuckled.

"No, she's right." Derrington entered the room, hands stuffed in the pockets of his red and white gym shorts.

Claire smiled up at him.

He glared back, "Just because I'm here doesn't mean that what you did is ok."

Claire instantly averted her gaze.

"Woah, I didn't know this was a party." Cam stopped in the still open doorway, and looked like he was about to turn around and walk out again as soon as he saw everyone.

"Cam wait, stop!" Massie lept up, and smoothed her sparkly midnight blue miniskirt.

"Um, excuse me. Cam is MY guest." Claire pushed past her.

"And you are in MY guest HOUSE." Massie counter-pushed.

"Alright, alright, calm down. I'll stay." Cam scooched past them and sat down awkwardly next to Derrington. They punched each other.

"Well who else are we waiting for."

"Us." Two voices called from the door.

Layne and Eli were standing side by side but not together.

Layne was wearing a neon yellow and lime green striped jumper with peacock feather covered knee socks.

Eli as usual was adorned with morbid skull and crossbones apparel.

Once everyone was seated, Claire began.

"So, I've called you all here because I have some explaining to do."

Some people snickered, some rolled their eyes, others shuffled awkwardly in their seats.

"I understand that most of you are mad at me."

"Keen observation, Captain Obvious." Alicia fired off and touched up her cheek stain in her gold Chanel conpact.

Some giggled.

Claire moved on.

"Derrington. You are mad at me, because you think I kissed Eli. WHICH I DIDN'T." Claire glared at Massie.

"Massie. You are mad at me, because I flirted with Derrington. BUT, that was only because YOU kissed CAM. Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan? You are only mad at me because Massie is. Layne, you are mad at me because you thought I kissed Eli, which, again, I DIDN'T! Eli, you seem to be the only person not mad at me. But can't you guys see that I didn't do anything wrong? I don't know why you believe everything Massie says, just because she says it! NONE of you even ASKED for my side of the story. And you never have. Kristen, you are always preaching the importance of fairness and equality. Cam, you argued with the ref over a bad call for an HOUR out of fairness. Now, if only you guys would just give me the same chance! God!"

The room was silent.

Claire couldn't help herself, but the tears started coming. She put her face in her hands, and sniffled.

All of a sudden, she felt arms wrap around her trembling body in a warm hug. Then, she felt a second pair of arms. And a third. Four, five, six, seven, eight pairs of arms held her close in a loving embrace.

"I'm sorry." Massie whispered in her ear.

"Me too." Alicia, Kristen, Dylan, Derrington, Cam, Layne, and Eli agreed.

Claire looked up, as Cam wiped the tears from her cheeks and softly kissed her forehead.

"Friends?" Massie asked.

"Friends Claire said."

"Friends." Layne said.

"Friends" Eli agreed.

"Friends." Alicia, Kristen, and Dylan agreed.

"More than friends." Cam agreed, as he kissed her again.

This time, she knew it was forever.