“Josey wants me to spend the night Friday night,” she said. “May I?”
“Sure,” Clara replied though it made her heart ache just a bit. She hated when Beatrice was gone. The house was too quiet, too lonely, and Clara got easily scared.
“You should hang out with your new friends,” Beatrice suggested.
“Bea, I don’t know that they’re my friends. And they didn’t invite me to do anything with them,” Clara said giving up on her search for tape. She walked back to the table and stuck the mangled coupon in the recipe box.
“Well, it was only a suggestion,” Beatrice said putting down her scissors. “Can we be done with this already? It’s so monotonous.”
Clara grinned. “Yes, Bea, we can be done with it.” She gathered the rest of the flyers and stacked them neatly on the floor. Beatrice finished placing the clipped coupons in the recipe box then looked at the clock hanging on the wall. Too early for bed.
“Clara?” she asked tentatively.
“Yes?”
“May we have a séance?”
“No.”
Beatrice sighed her disappointment.
***
Clara was caught off guard again when the three girls approached her at her locker Friday afternoon.
“You’ll probably say no, but we’ll be insistent,” Jen began. “Do you want to come with us to the mall this afternoon and then hang out at my house?”
Clara thought she misheard. “I’m sorry?”
“The mall, Clara,” Jen said. “You know that huge building that houses lots of stores and a food court? Most teenagers hang out there on the weekends because they’ve got nothing better to do.”
“I don’t know . . .”
“Oh for fuck’s sake, Clara,” Jen said. “Do you have a job?”
“Yes,” Clara replied confused.
“And do you have to go to it this afternoon?” Jen asked.
“No.”
“All right then. You’re coming with us. Leave your car here. I’ll drive you to pick it up later,” Jen said.
Clara followed the girls out of the school building to Jen’s car. It was an old Honda Civic littered with papers, used food containers, and empty Slurpie cups. Clara climbed in the back with Katy while Meredith sat up front with Jen. She felt herself sweating and took deep, inconspicuous breaths to try and steady her nerves. She wished at this moment that she was Beatrice. Beatrice would be talking and laughing and excited about going shopping, even if it was only window shopping.
“Don’t you just love Fridays, Clara?” Katy asked. Her hair was especially pixie-ish today, and she looked like a fairy out of a book of legends the way her pale pink gauzy shirt shimmered on her body.
“I suppose,” Clara said, though every day felt the same to her. She looked out the window as the girls made their way to the mall. She hoped Jen was a good driver. She didn’t want her last moments on earth to be spent with these girls.
“Fridays are the best,” Meredith said. “No school for two days. Absolute freedom, and it’s just the beginning. Sunday evenings are the worst when it all comes to an end.”
“I get total anxiety Sunday nights,” Jen confessed. “It takes me all of Monday to get used to school again.”
Clara listened with curiosity.
“What are your favorite stores in the mall, Clara?” Katy asked. “I like Forever 21, The Gap, Express, and Charlotte Russe.”
“Charlotte Russe is a store for whores,” Jen said.
“Whatever, Jen,” Katy replied. “Not all of the clothes are slutty.”
“Actually, hon, they are,” Meredith said.
“What do you think, Clara?” Katy asked.
“I don’t know,” Clara confessed. “I don’t shop at Charlotte Russe.”
“Oh. Well, where do you shop?” Katy asked observing Clara’s outfit.
Clara wore a pair of jean shorts she bought at Wal-Mart and a gray T-shirt she got on sale for five dollars at Old Navy.
“I don’t really shop,” she said quietly. She felt her face go red.
“It doesn’t matter,” Meredith said noting Clara’s embarrassment. “Clothes are completely overrated. I’d rather spend my time in a candle store.”
“You’re going to be that sad woman with cats and candles when you grow up,” Jen teased.
“Shut up,” Meredith laughed.
“Just playing. I prefer jewelry shops,” Jen said. “Cheap fashion jewelry. Over-the-top jewelry. Have you seen my ring?” she asked holding up her right hand. Her index finger sported a large flower that spanned three quarters of the length of her finger.
“Very dramatic,” Meredith said.
“Well, I like clothes,” Katy said. “And I like buying them. And I wish my dad would give me more money to buy them.”
“We know,” Jen and Meredith said simultaneously.
“Why don’t you just buy consignment?” Jen asked Katy. “You get way more for your money, and the clothes are still designer.”
“Hmm, I never thought of that,” Katy said.
“That’s because you’re a snob,” Jen replied.
“Not fair, Jen,” Katy huffed. “I’m a very sweet girl. Aren’t I sweet, Clara? I mean, just because I like trendy outfits doesn’t make me a snob.”
“You’re nice,” Clara offered, and Jen laughed.
“That sounds about as genuine as if Evan told Amy he’s still in love with her,” Jen noted.
“Ugh, I’m so glad he dumped her and likes Clara,” Katy said. She took Clara’s hand in hers.
“He didn’t dump her. She dumped him,” Meredith corrected.
“It doesn’t matter,” Jen said. “The point is that he’s in love with Clara, and it’s our job to get the two together.”
Clara felt her heartbeat quicken. “I don’t think that—”
“Clara, we’re getting you a new outfit for school,” Meredith said excitedly. “And you’re going to wear it on Monday and look totally hot and make Evan come in his pants!”
“Oh God, Meredith!” Katy exclaimed. “You had to go there?” She turned to Clara and squeezed her hand. “Don’t listen to her.”
“I don’t want a new outfit,” Clara said nervously. She thought about the five dollar bill in her purse and the money in her checking account that had to go to the electric bill.
“Don’t argue,” Meredith said. “We’re doing it and it’s going to be awesome. My treat!”
Clara shook her head. “I can’t let you—”