Please Clair-Bear

Chapter Five �" Please Clair-Bear

 

            I rolled the trash bin to the curb off to the side of the driveway just as dad was rounding the corner of our street. I pulled my jacket sleeves over my hands and shoved them into my pockets. It was still warm out for the most part, but the nights kept getting chillier. So I now had to close my window during the night to keep from freezing.

            Dad pulled into the driveway as I took stance at the door, waiting for him to get out of the car, grabbing his suitcase, and lugging it up the drive.

            “Hey, hun, how’s your weekend?” He asked me as he set his suitcase on the floor by the stairs. I closed the door and locked it.

            “Uneventful,” I lied, “How was your trip?”

            “Uninteresting,” He chuckled throatily. I smiled at him, and gave him a hug. He gave me a kiss on my forehead, before pulling away and lifting his suitcase.

            “I’m going to unpack and catch a wink of sleep.” He said yawning widely, as he started to ascend the stairs.

            “Are you sure you don’t want anything to eat? I made spaghetti.” I shouted up the stairs, already knowing his answer.

            “No, I’m good, but thank you, sweetie.” He shouted back. I slipped my shoes off by the door and shrugged out of my jacket, hanging it on the hangers in the hall closet.

            Dad was supposed to be out of town for most of the week, but I started school tomorrow, and he felt it was necessary for him to be home for this important event. Well, that’s what he called it anyway.

            I’m just glad he didn’t come home when Josh had stayed over. That would have been royally painful; for both me and Josh. My dad may seem friendly and warm, but he has quite the temper. He’s not violent, but he can be pretty intimidating.

            I put the spaghetti away and washed what little dishes were left in the sink before heading to my room.

~*~

            “You want me to carpool with them?” I asked my dad incredulously. I sat on the sofa and pulled my knees up, wrapping my arms around them.

            “Yes, is that a problem?” He askeds, uninterestedly as he picked at the spaghetti I prepared earlier.

            “Well, why can’t I drive myself? I am perfectly capable of driving myself to work.” I countered. Leaning my chin on my knees, I stared at the TV, but didn’t really watch it. Some documentary about the world ending was on and for some reason dad finds it completely amazing. Although I don’t like them personally, they can be pretty interesting sometimes.

            “Gas,” He said, prying his eyes of the TV and glancing at me, “The price of gas is way too much. Plus, Erin offered. Clair, just bear with me, okay?” He asked, taking another bite of spaghetti.

            “Eric, dad, his name is Eric.” I said, standing up and walking into my room. I closed my door with more force than I intended. Great, just great, now I have to suffer a ride with not only a random kid I barely know, but also with Josh.

            I turned the lights out, slipped into bed, and fret about tomorrow morning.

~*~

            “Cheer up, Clair; it’s not going to kill you to have to ride to school with me. I know you secretly love it anyway.” Josh muttered cockily from the backseat. I rolled my eyes and looked out the passenger seat window.

            After waking up late and rushing to get dressed, I met Eric outside at promptly six-fifty. I managed to tell him thanks for the ride, and then the rest of the car ride to Josh’s house was silent.

            We pulled up in front of Josh’s place after about fifteen minutes, and he was waiting by the curb with a sleepy expression, his eyes were barely open. I thought, well, hoped actually, that maybe it would be a quiet car ride, since he was so sleepy, but it turns out he’s a morning person.

            “Are you ignoring me, or has my awesomeness just left you speechless?” He asked popping his head up between mine and Eric’s seats. I faught the urge to elbow him in the face.

            “Shut up, Josh, or I won’t pick you up tomorrow.” Eric said grouchily. I learned that while Josh may be hyper in the morning, Eric certainly is not a morning person at all, and is quite cranky.

            “Grouch,” Josh muttered, leaning back in his seat. He’s quiet for the rest of the ride until we pull up to the school.

There’s a sign in front of the school that says ‘Welcome back’. Personally I think it should read something along the lines of ‘Welcome to hell’. But what does it matter what I think? I thought I could drive myself to school: that didn’t happen. I thought I could have a peaceful job at the gas station: didn’t happen either. I continued on like this until I realized that I’m not a morning person either.

 School passes by slowly. All of my classes are boring and just like the one’s I had back home. I got plenty of stares from all of my classmates. New students are always fascinating in small towns like this, or so it seems.

I learned that Burgundy’s name is Chelsea. Her blonde friend, who isn’t really her friend, is named Karla. This was evident after she whispered “she’s a b***h” after we passed Chelsea in the hallway on our way to lunch. So either they’re not friends, or Karla is a terrible friend, but I think it’s the former considering the way Chelsea treated Karla.

Karla took it upon herself to show me around the school, which I was actually grateful for because I was pretty lost, given my inability to interpret a school map. But then again, she carries a lot of high school drama on her shoulders, hanging out with Chelsea and all, which made me unsure of her newfound attachment to me.

Overall, she wasn’t nearly as bad as I thought she was, only now, I’m pretty sure she thinks we’re best friends: a fact that I still have mixed feelings for.

Honestly, this school is like a polar opposite of my school back home, other than the courses. Everyone behaves so differently. No one is straight up mean to another person, except for Chelsea of course, so instead they prefer talking behind each others backs, which is even worse.

The worst part of my day was when I realized that I had more than half of my classes with both Eric and Josh. I don’t know if it was just fate, or simply because this is such a small school, but it’s definitely irritating.

I found myself holding my breath while waiting for the last bell to ring as Josh pestered me about how I should let him copy our first History homework assignment. This was a survey. How the hell are you too lazy to complete a twenty question survey?

And now I was sitting the backseat of Eric’s car, which, now that I was more awake, I could see was a complete mess.

“Please, Clair-bear, I’ll love you forever.” Josh pleaded. No matter how many times he asked me, I am not going to Eric’s cousin’s graduation party with them.

“If you call me that one more time I am going to hit you upside the head with this English textbook,” I told him, he glanced back at me, taking in the four-inch-thick textbook on my lap, and smiled sheepishly at me, “and no, I refuse to pretend to be Eric’s date to your cousin’s grad party.” Apparently Josh and Eric’s cousin (whose name is Sammy, I think) made a bet on whether Eric would have a girlfriend by the time she graduated. I think it was fairly rude of them to do that. I mean how asinine can you get?

“Come on Clair, please. She’s evil and you’d totally be helping me out, and Josh will give you half of the money.” Eric offered, pleading with his eyes through the rearview mirror. I sighed, and shook my head at my pathetic kindness, as Josh playfully slugged him in the shoulder at his offering half of the money. Thank god we’re at a red-light or that could have caused an accident, I thought to myself.

“How much is the bet?” I asked, pretending to consider it, but already knowing was going to say yes.

“Fifty bucks,” Josh said, smirking at me, he knew I’d say yes too. That b*****d.

“Fine, but we’re going to have to make this look real, I don’t do things half-assed, like Josh and other ‘Americans’ do.” I said, remembering Josh’s Simpson’s quote. Josh laughed and pumped his fist with Eric’s.

“Thanks a bunch, Clair-bear.” Josh said, grinning at me from the side mirror. I rolled my eyes at him.