Chapter Two: Claudia
"Hello?" Claudia Lynn Kishi said once she had her cellular phone to her ear. "Oh, hi Stacey." She listened to her best friend's voice. "No, I'm not busy. Just talk, hun." Claudia took the opportunity to examine her nails. "Are you sure? Well, all right then. I'll get myself a flight tonight, and we'll drive out together. Bye." She hung up the phone. She would be in Stoneybrook tomorrow. She could not believe it. She had loved her years in Stoneybrook. She had had a lot of boyfriends and a lot of friends. She might have had a hard time in school, but she had had a good social life. That is what mattered to her, after all. Claudia had never really concerned herself with academics. She had strived to be an artist, and she would be. "Soon enough."
Claudia pulled her silky black hair into a ponytail, remembering her fun times in Stoneybrook and her best friend, Stacey. When Claudia met Stacey, Claudia had met her long lost sister, her twin. She loved Stacey with all her heart. When the BSC had turned away from Stacey, Claudia was the only one who remained friends with her. Claudia knew that they would be best friends forever. They had gotten into their share of fights, mostly over men, but they had gotten over them.
They had gone to SHS, full of dreams. Stacey had become a math scholar, all the while maintaining her style and popularity. Claudia had blown off school, and managed to get by by cheating on her tests. She knew that it was not the right thing to do, but she was never good at studying or any of that stuff. The cheating had made her a B+ student, which had made her parents proud. Claudia could have cared less about her parents' feelings. She knew that she would never live up to her genius sister, Janine.
In senior year, Claudia had fallen in love with the most unlikely person- Alan Gray. No one believed it when they started dating, after all, Alan was a prankster and Claudia was an artist. Claudia did not care about what her peers thought. Alan was a beautiful person inside and out. He was the first person who really loved Claudia, and she was the first person who really loved him and appreciated him for who he was. Deep down, Claudia knew that he had settled for her, because the woman he really wanted was Kristy. Claudia snickered. "But that would never have worked out because of Kristy's.preferences."
Claudia really had not been shocked when it was revealed that Kristy was a lesbian. Kristy had never really been into guys. The two boys she were interested in were Bart and Michel. They were the only two boys Kristy had ever kissed. Claudia had suspected since the eighth grade that Kristy was not straight, but did not want to mention anything. It could have ruined the club.
Claudia frowned once she thought of the Baby-Sitters Club. She had had good times, sure, but she had always loved just hanging out with the members of the group, and not the clients. She loved those half-hour meetings with Kristy, Stacey, and Mary Anne. Then it had become the four of them and Dawn. Then it was the five of them and Mallory and Jessi. Then Dawn had left and it was the six of them and Abby. Then Mallory had gone to Riverbend and had to leave the lcub. Sometimes Logan and Shannon would attend, as well. It was a crazy and very different group of people. She had loved her fellow members with all her heart. But it had all fallen apart when Abby, Kristy, Stacey, Logan, Mary Anne and herself had gone to high school. Soon, she was only friends with Abby, Stacey, and Mary Anne. She had pretty much dropped Kristy after the first month of school. Kristy was a loser anyway.
Mary Anne had been next on her drop list. Claudia just could not stand to hang out with a baby anymore. She was not a child, and Mary Anne was. They talked sometimes, but she did not want to really associate with her. When Mary Anne and Logan broke up, she had hit on Logan and they had gotten together. "My first time," Claudia whispered. Mary Anne did not have sex with Logan, but he did with Claudia. A lot. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was based on only that one thing. Sex. They "broke up" but remained friends.friends with serious, serious benefits. Sometimes Logan would even come up from Kentucky, now that they were in college, to have fun.
Abby and Stacey were the only people she remained in contact with. Stacey was definitely her twin, and Abby was close with her. She picked up the phone to dial Abby's number, and see if she wanted to visit Stoneybrook as well.
"Hello?" Claudia Lynn Kishi said once she had her cellular phone to her ear. "Oh, hi Stacey." She listened to her best friend's voice. "No, I'm not busy. Just talk, hun." Claudia took the opportunity to examine her nails. "Are you sure? Well, all right then. I'll get myself a flight tonight, and we'll drive out together. Bye." She hung up the phone. She would be in Stoneybrook tomorrow. She could not believe it. She had loved her years in Stoneybrook. She had had a lot of boyfriends and a lot of friends. She might have had a hard time in school, but she had had a good social life. That is what mattered to her, after all. Claudia had never really concerned herself with academics. She had strived to be an artist, and she would be. "Soon enough."
Claudia pulled her silky black hair into a ponytail, remembering her fun times in Stoneybrook and her best friend, Stacey. When Claudia met Stacey, Claudia had met her long lost sister, her twin. She loved Stacey with all her heart. When the BSC had turned away from Stacey, Claudia was the only one who remained friends with her. Claudia knew that they would be best friends forever. They had gotten into their share of fights, mostly over men, but they had gotten over them.
They had gone to SHS, full of dreams. Stacey had become a math scholar, all the while maintaining her style and popularity. Claudia had blown off school, and managed to get by by cheating on her tests. She knew that it was not the right thing to do, but she was never good at studying or any of that stuff. The cheating had made her a B+ student, which had made her parents proud. Claudia could have cared less about her parents' feelings. She knew that she would never live up to her genius sister, Janine.
In senior year, Claudia had fallen in love with the most unlikely person- Alan Gray. No one believed it when they started dating, after all, Alan was a prankster and Claudia was an artist. Claudia did not care about what her peers thought. Alan was a beautiful person inside and out. He was the first person who really loved Claudia, and she was the first person who really loved him and appreciated him for who he was. Deep down, Claudia knew that he had settled for her, because the woman he really wanted was Kristy. Claudia snickered. "But that would never have worked out because of Kristy's.preferences."
Claudia really had not been shocked when it was revealed that Kristy was a lesbian. Kristy had never really been into guys. The two boys she were interested in were Bart and Michel. They were the only two boys Kristy had ever kissed. Claudia had suspected since the eighth grade that Kristy was not straight, but did not want to mention anything. It could have ruined the club.
Claudia frowned once she thought of the Baby-Sitters Club. She had had good times, sure, but she had always loved just hanging out with the members of the group, and not the clients. She loved those half-hour meetings with Kristy, Stacey, and Mary Anne. Then it had become the four of them and Dawn. Then it was the five of them and Mallory and Jessi. Then Dawn had left and it was the six of them and Abby. Then Mallory had gone to Riverbend and had to leave the lcub. Sometimes Logan and Shannon would attend, as well. It was a crazy and very different group of people. She had loved her fellow members with all her heart. But it had all fallen apart when Abby, Kristy, Stacey, Logan, Mary Anne and herself had gone to high school. Soon, she was only friends with Abby, Stacey, and Mary Anne. She had pretty much dropped Kristy after the first month of school. Kristy was a loser anyway.
Mary Anne had been next on her drop list. Claudia just could not stand to hang out with a baby anymore. She was not a child, and Mary Anne was. They talked sometimes, but she did not want to really associate with her. When Mary Anne and Logan broke up, she had hit on Logan and they had gotten together. "My first time," Claudia whispered. Mary Anne did not have sex with Logan, but he did with Claudia. A lot. Their relationship, if you could call it that, was based on only that one thing. Sex. They "broke up" but remained friends.friends with serious, serious benefits. Sometimes Logan would even come up from Kentucky, now that they were in college, to have fun.
Abby and Stacey were the only people she remained in contact with. Stacey was definitely her twin, and Abby was close with her. She picked up the phone to dial Abby's number, and see if she wanted to visit Stoneybrook as well.