A Chapter - Be Gentle

OK - This is totally me going out on a limb here and being all "vulnerable" and "exposed" and those of you who know me well enough to be reading this blog know that I'm not good at that...

We had to write a chapter for class tomorrow. Didn't have to be the first chapter (which is great news) but it had to be a chapter. I'm at a loss because I know lots of stuff about my characters - but not a lot about my plot. Well - I'm sharing it here - and I need you to be gentle to me. I get feedback in class tomorrow, so I might make my updates here OR I might just pull it off my blog and cry (she says only half-jokingly).

So - here goes...

To Claire, it was a typical Friday night in September, translation, “Ugh, football season”. That meant a lot of things. First – Krista was going to be extra perky because she’d be in the spotlight at “the game”. Rumor was that she’d made it to the top of the pyramid, god help her. Second – the diner would be particularly crowded by about 10pm with people high on hot chocolate and football fever. Claire and her friends would have to listen to everyone talk about “the game” while they discussed politics and poetry and drank coffee. Third – and worst of all – she knew she’d dream about Charlie again tonight. Totally unfortunate since he was both her sister’s boyfriend and captain of the football team and those things should make him completely repulsive to her. What Claire had somehow forgotten was that tonight was doomed to be even worse than most as it wasn’t just any old football game, it was homecoming. And even more monumentally awful, Krista was favored to be the homecoming queen.

Claire was in her room, steadfastly ignoring the fact football season. She was lying on the feinting couch she’d inherited (a.k.a. begged mercilessly for) from her grandmother. Whenever she sat there reading books, she felt it gave her a vaguely romantic and despondent appearance that almost made up for the fact that she was cursed with rosy cheeks, sun-kissed blonde hair, and an affinity for a certain jock. Currently she was re-reading Twilight but she had her copy of Catcher in the Rye close by in case someone important happened by.

Without so much as a warning shot, in barged Krista barking, “I don’t know why grandma felt compelled to give you beautiful things. They’re totally lost on you and your sad self. It would’ve been more fitting for her to leave you that shrunken head she got in Borneo.” Krista headed straight towards Claire’s dresser and started rifling through the drawer where she kept all her most cherished possessions. As she tossed aside a silk Asian scarf, a worry stone, and Claire’s cherry condition copy of The Beatles, she triumphed, “I found it!” and turned to leave.

“Why in god’s name do you look like something a Barbie threw up? And where in the hell do you think you’re going with my stuff?!” bellowed Claire. “The typical cheerleader skirts are bad enough, but what’s up with all that hot pink crap you’re wearing? Did you lose a bet? You must’ve because your shoes are even dyed to match.”

“You know that I’m up for homecoming queen tonight,” responded Krista, “and it’s not my fault you don’t know a beautiful outfit when you see it. God, you can be such a troll. For your information, a dress just like this was in People just last week on Katie Holmes and you know people are always saying I look just like her.”

“Just like her ass…,” replied Claire. Krista was always claiming that people said she looked ‘just like’ someone famous. Interestingly enough, it was usually just another one of her shallow friends saying it in order to get a compliment in return. The only person that Krista even marginally resembled was that brainy girl from the original 90210 and she wasn’t even all that pretty.

“Whatever!” was the only reply that Krista could manage through her irritation. “I’m borrowing your beaded necklace. It’s the perfect finishing touch to my look, and it’s not like you need something this pretty to go with your green Doc Martens. So - just chill and go back to reading that vampire book that you like to pretend you’re too cool to actually own.” Claire was totally busted.

“You’re not talking about the necklace grandma gave me?” asked Claire. “She gave that to me. Not you. She knew that you would sully it by wearing it with Barbie puke dresses. She was smart not to trust you with it. She’d roll over in her grave if she knew what you have planned for it. Hand it here. Now! Don’t make me thump the crap out of you because a big purple knot would NOT go well with your heels.” Claire stood up, ready to attack, and noticed that she wasn’t even wearing her Doc Martens at the moment. Not that she didn’t wear them a lot – but Krista needed to get her facts straight if she was going to pick a fight. “And for your information – these are flats, not Doc Martens. Want to see how one feels when it’s kicking your ass? I asked you to give me back my necklace. At this point, I’m telling you.”

“You’re impossible,” answered Krista as she flung the object of the quarrel at Claire’s feet. “Here’s your precious damn necklace. Never mind that you never wear it. Never mind how great it will go with my tiara once I win. Never mind that she wasn’t even your freaking grandma anyway.” With that, Krista turned to leave.

“Wait! What’s that supposed to mean?” asked Claire. “She’s my grandma just as much as she was yours!”

“True,” smirked Krista, “but only if you ignore the fact that you’re adopted.” With that – she slammed the door and walked away.

Claire was shocked; she collapsed down on the couch in disbelief. A smile crept across her face. This might be the best news she’d heard in years. What if Krista was right? How awesome would that be? She was so busy contemplating the implications of the news; she failed to hear the horn honk when Chas showed up to pick up her sister for the big game. She didn’t even remember to roll her eyes at the cliché of the cheerleader going to homecoming with the captain of the football team. All she could think was, “maybe there is a god."