“So, making moves on the punk now?” Claire’s voice came from behind, startling me. I turned and saw her all by herself.

“What?” I responded. “You saw me at lunch? Where were you? And where have you been the past couple of days?” 

“Yeah, I mean who didn’t see you and him? You guys stick out like a sore thumb,” she shrugged and looked at her painted nails. I rolled my eyes, not really understanding her problem. I was confused, we used to hang out and have fun together, but why now? Why does she have to have an issue? 

I hadn’t seen Claire since homecoming, and I didn’t expect to catch her outside before heading home. To my surprise, she was alone. I didn’t see Jake at all and typically he’s always by her side. 

“Why does it matter to you, anyways,” I started. Freedom of speech, I reminded myself. Something Parker always said whenever he voiced his own opinion whether he was asked to or not. I guess he was rubbing off on me.

“You had better taste when you went after girls,” Claire snapped back with a vicious tone.

“Claire, what the hell is your deal?”

“What? You don’t like it when things don’t go your way?” She began bitching, her voice slowly growing louder and faster with each word. “Because Kim gets everything she wants and when she wants.”

“No, I really don’t,” I huffed and crossed my arms over my chest. She was picking a fight with me, but why? “Since when do I get what I want?”

“Homecoming, you dress up with your dress. You hung out with some drug addict kid that has such a shitty influence on you, my boyfriend dumps my ass after homecoming! I then go home and find out my parents want a divorce!” Claire is now screaming at me, and I feel my heart drop to everything she says. Truly, her world has fallen apart. “Senior year was supposed to be our year, and now it’s nothing but a shit show!” Her eyes were tearing up and I stepped forward to give her a hug, but she backed away. “I don’t even get my dream college.”

“They rejected you?” I said suddenly.

“Yeah, Kim, they fucking rejected me! But hey, happy you, you get everything you want,” she growled and then turned on her heels. She stormed off to a car I didn’t recognize and I stood there baffled. 

“What the actual fuck?” I muttered to myself as I felt my insides twist and turn. “I get everything I want? Fuck that,” I sighed and rubbed my eyes. I felt the tears I welded up for Claire, but they weren’t worth shedding for her. 

I barely missed my local bus for a ride home. It took about twenty minutes for me to get home since the other riders had their own personal destinations. When I was dropped off, I headed inside and went straight to my room. I jumped onto my bed and growled as my own world was falling apart too. Claire lost a lot, but so did I, right?

I guess I didn’t have a boyfriend for so many years break up with me like she did. My parents may be arguing and having issues, but they aren’t divorcing one another. Why would her parents divorce each other? I haven’t committed myself to a dream college, but I would be absolutely crushed if I was rejected from my dreams too… 

Dammit Claire… I began to cry for my friend. She didn’t deserve it. No one does…