In the end, that is what happened. Clair’s grandmother came and picked up Maggie, but agreed that Clair could stay with Rheachal and Gio to finish out the school year. Clair continued to go through the motions like a zombie, her movements stiff and awkward. She didn’t miss any school, but her grades began to slip. Teachers gave her a free pass, excusing late or absent work, in light of the recent events. Despite that, Clair fell further and further behind.
Clair also started hanging out with Mike Coolidge. Mike was tall with a lanky build. He wore his blonde hair in a faux hawk and threw the best parties. He was an adrenaline junkie and usually got his kicks racing around Boise as if he were an extra in The Fast and the Furious. While Mike’s parties always had copious amounts of liquor available, Mike never drank. He claimed it was because he didn’t like to feel altered and stuck to energy drinks instead. He started talking to her shortly after her parents died. Within a couple weeks, Clair was going out with him Friday and Saturday nights. At first, the group was happy to see Clair rejoining the land of the living, but it wasn’t long before they started to worry about her.
Rheachal was hurrying toward the Moxie Java by Edwards Theater when she ran into Clair and Mike one Saturday evening. Clair was twisted around Mike, giggling in a very un-Clair manner. Mike held loosely to Clair’s hips, walking her toward the entrance to the theater. He peppered her face with kisses, making her giggle harder.
“Clair?” Rheachal asked in disbelief, not recognizing her friend.
“Oh, hey, Rhea,” Clair said. She turned her head toward Rheachal, but kept her arms wrapped tightly around Mike’s shoulders.
“Don’t ‘Hey, Rhea’ me,” Rheachal snapped.
“Oh my God, Rhea, what’s your problem?” Clair asked, rolling her eyes.
“Are you drunk?” Rheachal asked.
“What business is it of yours?” Clair asked.
“What the hell is going on with you lately?” Rheachal asked.
“I’m finally free,” Clair answered, giggling again. “I don’t have a baby and two worthless parents to take care of anymore.”
“And that’s a reason to behave like this?” Rheachal demanded.
Clair shrugged at her.
Rheachal grabbed Clair’s arm, trying to untangle her from Mike.
“You’re coming with me,” Rheachal stated.
“No. I’m not,” Clair said, jerking her arm from Rheachal’s grasp. “Mike and I are seeing a movie.”
“Have you been drinking too?” Rheachal asked Mike.
“You know I don’t drink, Officer D’Angelo,” Mike answered with a lopsided grin and a mock salute.
“How much has she had?”
“Enough to take the edge off,” Mike answered.
“And how much is that?” Rheachal demanded.
“Go buy yourself a fifth of whiskey and find out for yourself,” Mike suggested.
“Hey, Clair. Mike,” Haydan said, joining the trio. “Rheachal,” he added, his gaze lingering on her face
“Hey, Brewster,” Mike said. “How about you take your girlfriend somewhere so Clair and I can enjoy our movie?”
Haydan’s gaze bounced between Mike and Rheachal for a long, tense moment as he tried to assess the situation.
“I want her home right after the movie, Mike,” Rheachal said with a sigh.
Rheachal locked her gaze with Mike’s, silently daring him to say something.
“Right after the movie,” Mike promised.
“No speeding, Mike. I mean it,” Rheachal said, defeat heavy in her voice.
“No speeding,” Mike promised.
“I’ll see you later, Clair,” Rheachal said, turning to walk away.
“Wait up, Rhea,” Haydan said, quickly falling into step beside her.
“What’s up?” Rheachal asked, her tone still one of defeat.
“Where you headed?”
“I wanted a Moxie before I ran into Clair and Mike. Now I think a TCBY may be in order,” Rheachal answered.
“Why not both?” Haydan asked her.
“’Cause I’ll probably just get a smoothie at TCBY,” Rheachal answered. “Not worth it to get two drinks.”
“I think somebody needs a vanilla cone with caramel sauce and a cinnamon and vanilla Italian soda,” Haydan said, placing his hand between her shoulder blades to steer her toward the TCBY.
“I haven’t had that since…”
“About three years ago?” Haydan asked.
“Yeah. Actually I think you were the last person I had that particular combo with,” Rheachal answered, tilting her head at him.
“I haven’t had it since then either,” Haydan answered honestly, remembering the last time they had hung out.
“Why not?” Rheachal asked.
“Didn’t feel right; like something was missing.”
They entered the nearly empty TCBY. A woman with two small children sat in the far corner, the trio laughing while they shared a large bowl of ice cream. Haydan stepped to the counter and ordered two vanilla soft serve cones with caramel sauce, while Rheachal watched the mother with her two children.
She couldn’t remember having moments like that with her own parents, though she was sure they must have. She vaguely remembered how her father had substituted cold cases for bedtime stories. If it weren’t for the photo albums her uncle had, she doubted she’d remember what her parents looked like.
“Earth to Rheachal. Come in, Rheachal,” Haydan joked, waving the ice cream in front of her face. “Your ice cream is melting.”
“Thanks. How much do I owe you?” she asked, as she took the ice cream from him.
“You owe me a cinnamon and vanilla Italian soda,” Haydan said as they left the TCBY.
“You don’t have to hang out with me, you know,” Rheachal said, as they entered the Moxie Java located just a few doors down from the TCBY.
“Maybe I want to,” Haydan answered honestly.
“Why all the sudden?” Rheachal asked.
She stepped to the counter and ordered their drinks. It brought back memories of junior high when Gio would drop them off at the movies on Saturday afternoons. While they waited for Gio or Haydan’s mom after the movie, they’d walk the short distance and get the ice cream and drink combo. Haydan had always paid for the ice cream and Rheachal had always paid for the drinks. She didn’t realize until that moment how easily they’d fallen into their old habit.
“What happened with us?” Haydan asked as they exited the Moxie Java. He led her to a bench that sat facing the theater entrance. Music could be heard playing over the theater’s speaker system; some catchy pop song he couldn’t identify.
“You know very well what happened,” Rheachal answered. “Too much, too fast.”
“And you got scared and bolted,” Haydan finished.
“It’s not like you ran after me,” Rheachal reminded him, a slightly bitter note to her voice.
So that’s what she’s mad about, Haydan thought.
“Maybe it was too much, too fast for me too,” Haydan suggested.
Rheachal didn’t answer and the two fell into a comfortable silence as they ate their ice cream. They continued to sit and people watch as the sun set and the air became chilled. Haydan slid over closer to Rheachal and slipped an arm around her shoulders. Rheachal rested her head on his shoulder and took a long sip of her Italian soda.
“I’ve missed you,” he whispered, resting his cheek on the top of her head.
“Do you think we can pick up where we left off?” Rheachal asked.
“Which part?”
“What do you mean?” Rheachal asked, lifting her head so she could look at him.
“Which part?” Haydan asked again. “The best friends part or the part that made you run away?”
Rheachal looked at her watch and then started to stand up from the bench.
“I have to go,” she said. “It’s late and I don’t want Clair to think I’m waiting here for her.”
“Are you going to answer the question?” Haydan asked, standing with her.
“I don’t see the point,” Rheachal answered. “It’s not like we can go back three years and just pick up. Too much has happened.”
“Then let’s start over,” Haydan suggested.
“I can’t, Danny. I’m sorry,” Rheachal said, before turning and hurrying away.
Clair leaned back in the passenger seat of Mike’s car, stretching lethargically and attempted to stifle a yawn.
“Slow down, Mike. You promised Rhea you wouldn’t speed,” Clair said sleepily.
“I have to get you home before curfew or Mama Bear will have the cops after me,” Mike joked.
“Very funny,” Clair drawled. “Give her a break. She worries about me.”
“She worries about everyone,” Mike countered.
“That’s just who Rheachal is. I’m the smart one, Jay’s the hot one, Adria’s the brooding one, and Rheachal’s the leader,” Clair explained. “Mike, slow down!”
Mike took the corner too fast and a loud pop was heard as a tire blew. Mike tried to correct the car, but lost control. The car rolled off the road and into the shallow canal that lined the street. Mike and Clair’s bodies strained against their respective seatbelts as they were tossed about. Clair hit her head on the window, her vision going blurry instantly. The car finally came to a rest, upside down in the canal. Clair looked at Mike, noticed the odd way his head hung on his neck, and fought a rising panic as her world went black.