The Raudenfeld-Cooper House, Thursday Afternoon Fandom Time
With just two days left to go before she had to be in Maryland for a semester, Amy had planned to spend the day packing up her things and avoiding her mother and Bruce as much as possible. They had just gotten back from their honeymoon on Monday, and it was clear from their unsubtle displays of PDA in the hallways that they still weren't used to being around people with their just-married hormones at an all-time high.
With Karma's rejection fresh in Amy's mind and a box of Plan B still burning a hole in the bathroom garbage, all the displays of sex and romance were making her a little nauseous. More than anything, she just wanted to spend the day by herself before she had to muster up the energy to socialize with new people over the weekend.
Unfortunately for Amy, her plans were thwarted by Karma, who showed up around mid-afternoon with a bouquet of balloons and a paper bag stuffed with bleach-free cleaning products and rubberless "rubber" gloves.
Karma beamed as Amy opened the door. "I figured you could use some help cleaning," she said sweetly, wrapping Amy up in a hug she didn't really want but couldn't say no to.
Turned out, being romantically rejected by your best friend made all the hugs and gestures of friendship seem a little stale. And a little heartbreaking.
"Karm..." Amy began hesitantly, but she decided against saying anything as soon as Karma broke the hug and looked her in the eyes. "Thanks for coming," she said instead. "It's been impossible to get anything done with Lauren's workout videos blaring across the hall."
Where she had looked anxious before, now Karma was smiling, reassured that Amy wasn't about to ask her to leave. "I still don't think it's fair that you have to leave for a whole semester while she gets to stay," she announced as she started for the stairs to the second floor. "This was your and your mom's house first. Can't she do a year at a Mormon mission or something?"
Amy didn't mind as much as Karma did, but this was a safe topic, so she was happy enough to dive in as she followed after Karma. The sound of Chalene Johnson's loud music and louder workout instructions could already be heard from the middle of the staircase and Amy shot Karma a look. "I think she convinced them that since she just transferred from Dallas, it's not fair to make her move twice in one school year," she recited.
"But she hates it here!"
"I know!"
Karma swung open the door to Amy's room, taking in the half-packed suitcase on the bed and the scattered glow-in-the-dark stars that used to live on the ceiling. "I'm just really going to miss you," she confessed, sinking down on a patch of bed that wasn't already covered in stuff to be packed. "We haven't been apart for more than two weeks since kindergarten. And especially with everything that's happened lately, I just wish we could, you know, be together."
She stopped, seeming to realize what those words sounded like. Her cheeks flushed dark red. "I mean..."
"I know," Amy assured her, even though the words had felt like a punch to the heart. "I'll miss you too. But we can Skype and we'll call each other every night. And I'll be back before you're even picking out sundresses for the juice truck's tour of the rural southwest music festival circuit."
Karma didn't look convinced. It was difficult for Amy to choose the appropriate words, since when all was said and done, she was looking forward to getting away for a while. Sure, Maryland was going to be cold and full of strangers, but it also wouldn't have the constant reminders of the circumstances under which Amy had had her heart broken and the crappy thing she had done to cope.
"It's four months," Amy said, taking one of Karma's hands. "We can make it."
"Yeah, we can," Karma agreed with a sigh. "Just promise you won't replace me with anyone over there."
This time the unintended implication hung in the air unspoken. Amy squeezed Karma's hand. "I won't if you don't," she promised.
"No chance of that," Karma sighed. "Shane hates me, Liam will probably never speak to me again, and even Irma the lunch lady and I haven't been on the best of terms since you and I broke up. I think she's Team Amy."
Well, Irma had always had good taste. "You'll make new friends," Amy assured her. "And so will I. If I have to, I guess." She made a face. "I really wish I was your parents' kid. They would probably just let me homeschool myself."
"You know they'd take you in for the semester," Karma reminded her. "You could stay in Zen's room while he's in the Peace Corps. It only smells a little bit like weed, but less and less every day."
Amy smiled. "Thanks, but I think your parents are easier to take in shorter bursts," she said delicately. "Living with them would be a whole... other thing."
Karma nodded in understanding. "That's probably a good choice." She leaned across the bed to wrap Amy in another hug, and this time Amy didn't hesitate before reciprocating. "Four months," she mumbled into Amy's shoulder. "We can do that."
Amy stared hard at a photo of her and Karma that was still sitting in a frame on her nighttable. "Four months," she echoed.
{establishy! NFB + NFI!}
With Karma's rejection fresh in Amy's mind and a box of Plan B still burning a hole in the bathroom garbage, all the displays of sex and romance were making her a little nauseous. More than anything, she just wanted to spend the day by herself before she had to muster up the energy to socialize with new people over the weekend.
Unfortunately for Amy, her plans were thwarted by Karma, who showed up around mid-afternoon with a bouquet of balloons and a paper bag stuffed with bleach-free cleaning products and rubberless "rubber" gloves.
Karma beamed as Amy opened the door. "I figured you could use some help cleaning," she said sweetly, wrapping Amy up in a hug she didn't really want but couldn't say no to.
Turned out, being romantically rejected by your best friend made all the hugs and gestures of friendship seem a little stale. And a little heartbreaking.
"Karm..." Amy began hesitantly, but she decided against saying anything as soon as Karma broke the hug and looked her in the eyes. "Thanks for coming," she said instead. "It's been impossible to get anything done with Lauren's workout videos blaring across the hall."
Where she had looked anxious before, now Karma was smiling, reassured that Amy wasn't about to ask her to leave. "I still don't think it's fair that you have to leave for a whole semester while she gets to stay," she announced as she started for the stairs to the second floor. "This was your and your mom's house first. Can't she do a year at a Mormon mission or something?"
Amy didn't mind as much as Karma did, but this was a safe topic, so she was happy enough to dive in as she followed after Karma. The sound of Chalene Johnson's loud music and louder workout instructions could already be heard from the middle of the staircase and Amy shot Karma a look. "I think she convinced them that since she just transferred from Dallas, it's not fair to make her move twice in one school year," she recited.
"But she hates it here!"
"I know!"
Karma swung open the door to Amy's room, taking in the half-packed suitcase on the bed and the scattered glow-in-the-dark stars that used to live on the ceiling. "I'm just really going to miss you," she confessed, sinking down on a patch of bed that wasn't already covered in stuff to be packed. "We haven't been apart for more than two weeks since kindergarten. And especially with everything that's happened lately, I just wish we could, you know, be together."
She stopped, seeming to realize what those words sounded like. Her cheeks flushed dark red. "I mean..."
"I know," Amy assured her, even though the words had felt like a punch to the heart. "I'll miss you too. But we can Skype and we'll call each other every night. And I'll be back before you're even picking out sundresses for the juice truck's tour of the rural southwest music festival circuit."
Karma didn't look convinced. It was difficult for Amy to choose the appropriate words, since when all was said and done, she was looking forward to getting away for a while. Sure, Maryland was going to be cold and full of strangers, but it also wouldn't have the constant reminders of the circumstances under which Amy had had her heart broken and the crappy thing she had done to cope.
"It's four months," Amy said, taking one of Karma's hands. "We can make it."
"Yeah, we can," Karma agreed with a sigh. "Just promise you won't replace me with anyone over there."
This time the unintended implication hung in the air unspoken. Amy squeezed Karma's hand. "I won't if you don't," she promised.
"No chance of that," Karma sighed. "Shane hates me, Liam will probably never speak to me again, and even Irma the lunch lady and I haven't been on the best of terms since you and I broke up. I think she's Team Amy."
Well, Irma had always had good taste. "You'll make new friends," Amy assured her. "And so will I. If I have to, I guess." She made a face. "I really wish I was your parents' kid. They would probably just let me homeschool myself."
"You know they'd take you in for the semester," Karma reminded her. "You could stay in Zen's room while he's in the Peace Corps. It only smells a little bit like weed, but less and less every day."
Amy smiled. "Thanks, but I think your parents are easier to take in shorter bursts," she said delicately. "Living with them would be a whole... other thing."
Karma nodded in understanding. "That's probably a good choice." She leaned across the bed to wrap Amy in another hug, and this time Amy didn't hesitate before reciprocating. "Four months," she mumbled into Amy's shoulder. "We can do that."
Amy stared hard at a photo of her and Karma that was still sitting in a frame on her nighttable. "Four months," she echoed.
{establishy! NFB + NFI!}