“Why me?” I ask. Wouldn’t it make more sense for someone who actually likes Claire to go ask her?
“Because, she’d probably think the rest of us are inviting her out of pity, you’re the no bullshit guy. She’d believe it more if it came from you.”
Why do I get the feeling that my best friend is trying to set me up right now?
With a sigh, I get up from my seat and walk towards the stairs. I’d rather just get this over with than have to deal with Blair and his disappointment for the rest of the night.
I look up the staircase, debating on whether Steph will kick my ass the moment I step foot into Claire’s room or not. I gather there’s about a ten percent chance that I’ll make it out alive.
There’s a small sound coming from her room, which causes me to stop before I knock. It sounds like someone’s crying, and the first thing that comes to mind is that she’s upset we didn’t invite her. I mean come on, we’re all adults here… we don’t need to be acting like children.
“Steph, I just can’t deal with them anymore, they’re driving me insane. My parents fucking hate me and I don’t know what to do about it” Claire sobs.
Never mind then, I’mwayoff.
“I know babe, but you have enough saved up right? You can cut them off now?”
I crack the door slightly, looking inside to see Claire and Steph sitting on the floor. The two of them look so sad, like they’re stuck, like they’re trying to figure out a way to escape.
“You know it’s not that simple, I can’t just cut them off… they’re my parents. Besides, what would that do to Chris” Claire says as she shakes her head.
I lean forward, trying to get a better view when I accidentally bang my elbow on the door frame and both of them snap their heads in my direction.
No going back now.
“Sorry” I half smile, “I didn’t mean to interrupt. I just came up to see if you two were thinking of joining us?”
Steph glares at me, clearly seeing through my little act, and Claire turns her face away from me to wipe whatever tears were sitting on her cheeks. She turns back and gives me a smile, “I’m not feeling up to it, but I’m sure Steph would love to hangout.”
I stand in the doorway, feeling kind of awkward.
“Are you sure?” Steph asks wryly.
Claire nods her head, urging her best friend to go have fun even though she’s clearly in a rough spot.
They’re a lot like Blair and I, both of us would sacrifice our own feelings to help the other, to make sure the other has fun.
Steph hesitates but gets up anyway, and as she walks past me I get the dirtiest look known to man.
When she’s finally far enough down the hall, I turn back to Claire, “are you okay?” I ask.
“Nope” she sniffles, “but I will be.”
There’s that fucking wall, that wall that she always puts up and forces between her and everything that could ever hurt her. This girl really doesn't like being vulnerable.
I kick at nothing, staring down at my feet, “I know I’m not the person you want to confide in or whatever, but you can talk to me if you need to.”
A startled laugh comes from her side of the room, “I don’t think I’ll ever confide in you. You’d probably go telling everyone my darkest secrets the first chance you get.”
What the fuck?Does she actually think that low of me?
“Fine then, I was just trying to be nice, you didn’t have to be such a bitch about it” I snap.
“Thelastthing I think of you as… is nice.” Her tone is cold, rough, the completely opposite of the kind and caring girl I’ve known this past week.
“Fine.”
“Fine.”
