“Kuh-Laire, what if you...” Massie sauntered over to the bonfire, an Aperol spritz in each hand, “broke up with him and had a sexy summer fling to make him jealous?”
The tears that Claire had been holding back all day came fast and hot, leaving streaks of brown Maybelline mascara in their wake.
“Mass!” Kristen put a protective arm over Claire’s shoulder, “Just because you broke up with your bf doesn’t mean everyone should,” the mini-rainbows of refracted firelight from Kristen’s emerald-cut engagement ring danced across Claire’s cheek. Kristen hastily flipped the diamond around on the band when she caught Claire staring. Had she picked up that habit from Massie’s mom?
“I j-just thought,” Claire hiccupped, “that we would be farther along by now,” Claire felt her Aperol-induced haze lift as soon as she admitted the feeling that had been festering ever since she told Cam her lease was ending and he did not even suggest moving in together, “We’ve been dating forever. I just feel so behind in life.”
“You and me both,” Alicia blurted out as she accepted a fresh spritz from Massie.
All four girls stared.
“Alicia, are you Anne Hathaway’s Met look?” Massie said.
Alicia furrowed her recently-waxed brows.
“Because you are making no sense.”
“Yeah, Leesh,” Dylan rolled her eyes, “If you post one more perfectly curated photo dump I’m going to have to mute you.”
“I’m serious,” Alicia said, “You all moved on with your lives two years ago after undergrad and have these great jobs, and I’m still in school.”
“Dyl, you’re in LA. Mass, London. Kristin, the burbs. Claire... New Jersey,” everyone except for Claire tried to contain a giggle, “and I’m still stuck in New York.”
“I wish I was still here!” Dylan shot back, “It’s so much harder to make friends in LA when all everyone wants to do is go to Erewhon and Pilates. God forbid a girl want a burger.”
“Wait,” Claire wiped her nose, “I thought you were out to dinner with friends all the time? You’re always posting restaurants on your stories.”
“Hinge dates,” Dylan swirled her drink, “A bunch of bad ones.”
“Is it bad that I sometimes miss the dating phase?” Kristen piped up, “The wedding is over a year away and every time I see my mom she reminds me that she was already pregnant with me at our age. Life was so much simpler when I wasn’t being asked about grandkids all the time. Talk about being behind.”
Everyone turned toward Massie.
Massie sat down in a huff, “British Vogue had me covering the Kentucky Derby the first weekend of May when I really wanted to be on the team covering the Met Gala. I did the same thing last year, I kind of excepted the bump up to the Met this year.”
“But you love horses, that is perfect for you,” Claire chimed in, “And Kristen, no one is having kids right now. Dyl,” a small smile touched her lips, “it’s always better to be a friendless loser than have a bunch of friends who secretly hate you. Leesh, you’ve only got a year until you start your career."
“Yeah Kuh-laire, and you’ve got a sweet boyfriend who loves you. And guys in their 20’s have disgusting apartments,” Massie wrinkled her nose, “this way you don’t have to clean up Cam’s dirty socks.”
I can't wait to read these!!!
POV: Claire Lyons
Location: The Marvil’s Fire Pit
“Kuh-Laire, what if you...” Massie sauntered over to the bonfire, an Aperol spritz in each hand, “broke up with him and had a sexy summer fling to make him jealous?”
The tears that Claire had been holding back all day came fast and hot, leaving streaks of brown Maybelline mascara in their wake.
“Mass!” Kristen put a protective arm over Claire’s shoulder, “Just because you broke up with your bf doesn’t mean everyone should,” the mini-rainbows of refracted firelight from Kristen’s emerald-cut engagement ring danced across Claire’s cheek. Kristen hastily flipped the diamond around on the band when she caught Claire staring. Had she picked up that habit from Massie’s mom?
“I j-just thought,” Claire hiccupped, “that we would be farther along by now,” Claire felt her Aperol-induced haze lift as soon as she admitted the feeling that had been festering ever since she told Cam her lease was ending and he did not even suggest moving in together, “We’ve been dating forever. I just feel so behind in life.”
“You and me both,” Alicia blurted out as she accepted a fresh spritz from Massie.
All four girls stared.
“Alicia, are you Anne Hathaway’s Met look?” Massie said.
Alicia furrowed her recently-waxed brows.
“Because you are making no sense.”
“Yeah, Leesh,” Dylan rolled her eyes, “If you post one more perfectly curated photo dump I’m going to have to mute you.”
“I’m serious,” Alicia said, “You all moved on with your lives two years ago after undergrad and have these great jobs, and I’m still in school.”
“Yeah,” Dylan snorted. “Law school. Totally different.”
“Dyl, you’re in LA. Mass, London. Kristin, the burbs. Claire... New Jersey,” everyone except for Claire tried to contain a giggle, “and I’m still stuck in New York.”
“I wish I was still here!” Dylan shot back, “It’s so much harder to make friends in LA when all everyone wants to do is go to Erewhon and Pilates. God forbid a girl want a burger.”
“Wait,” Claire wiped her nose, “I thought you were out to dinner with friends all the time? You’re always posting restaurants on your stories.”
“Hinge dates,” Dylan swirled her drink, “A bunch of bad ones.”
“Is it bad that I sometimes miss the dating phase?” Kristen piped up, “The wedding is over a year away and every time I see my mom she reminds me that she was already pregnant with me at our age. Life was so much simpler when I wasn’t being asked about grandkids all the time. Talk about being behind.”
Everyone turned toward Massie.
Massie sat down in a huff, “British Vogue had me covering the Kentucky Derby the first weekend of May when I really wanted to be on the team covering the Met Gala. I did the same thing last year, I kind of excepted the bump up to the Met this year.”
“But you love horses, that is perfect for you,” Claire chimed in, “And Kristen, no one is having kids right now. Dyl,” a small smile touched her lips, “it’s always better to be a friendless loser than have a bunch of friends who secretly hate you. Leesh, you’ve only got a year until you start your career."
“Yeah Kuh-laire, and you’ve got a sweet boyfriend who loves you. And guys in their 20’s have disgusting apartments,” Massie wrinkled her nose, “this way you don’t have to clean up Cam’s dirty socks.”
Can’t wait to do this!