10 AM. Lazy Saturday.

Wafting from the kitchen's coffeepot is a bittersweet roast, the kind that lodges itself in Claudia's throat when she has only exited her bedroom. Not expecting an attack on her lungs. Her coughing fit lasts an excruciating solid minute, the burn and sweat, never fails to ruin her day before it even has the chance to begin.

She doesn't remember making anything last night. It can't be her sleepwalking either unless it's to the fridge.. Ah, spending all night working on making efficient codes for her client's website was a good-bad decision. At least she'll receive the paycheck on this Friday.

Claudia stumbles into the kitchen, heavily clothed in floor-mopping pants and long-sleeved monochrome sweater, ready for a cup of much needed coffee. Mentally preparing in advance to wait for the water to boil..

"Hey loser! Already up?" 

She whips around to the echo.

"Made some coffee for you as an apology for forgetting last week, also good morning!" The shrill feminine voice loudly comes from the only other bedroom down the hall.

Peering into the poorly tied plastic-bag sitting beside the dingy coffeepot, Claudia's lips thinned, shines a fancy coffee brand she never touches due to the fact alone that it belongs to Jenna's boyfriend... The vietnamese one? They all have the same haircut, she can't remember which.

It's not often her sister gets the energy to do something early for her. "Thank you," Claudia shouts down the hall. 

She appreciated her older sister's efforts but... Claudia turns on the gas stove all the way, filling a small pan with water, her favourite plain mug awaiting the hot water. She fishes out the remaining packets of Cafe from a cupboard, the sweet and creaminess promising to brighten her day despite what she looks like.

A sleepy sloth.

.      .      .

Dutifully she checks her emails, ignoring the wet strands of her washed hair sticking to her back, replying to her client with a polite thanks to their compliments then moves on to her social media tab.

Click.

The town's online community page wasn't anything interesting despite being active, when most of the posts consist of old and new gardening hacks, experimenting with recipes to create the best pie crust, some new promotional sales for milk, the date for a halloween gathering...  Nothing Claudia is specifically excited for. 

She only gives likes to her few friends' posts, updating the town's community about the newest arrival of books.

6 likes. Hers included.

Claudia scrolls, pauses. Her cursor is an inch from closing the Facebook tab.

Ding.

 A new post. One second ago by an unfamiliar name and blank profile picture. Oh wait it's about the new neighbor. Too many 'welcome' stickers and comments pile up underneath his first post: 'Hello, great being here. Thank you everyone for the gifts and treats.' There was more but Claudia didn't want to read.

An accidental reflex as she moves her cursor across the screen and over Charles Bergstein, she never stays too long on the town's community group page but something catches her eye.

Huh. 

Mutual Friends: Madeline Smith. 

Why is Maddy's already friends with him. It's only been a day... But of course she's already friends, why wouldn't she add another number to her 100 plus gazillion friends. Claudia briefly checks her own friend list. 

7. 

Maybe she should do the same. She sends the new neighbor a friend request before she could shy away from it. Nice. And just as Claudia leans back to grab a towel for her damp hair— 

BRRRRR.

Incoming call. Accept.

Claudia's tired face lights up seeing Maddy while she tries to speed dry her hair, all smiley, in her natural princess-pink habitat. "I was going to call you—"

"—Yo, did you see the theme for this year's Halloween party?" 

Before she could begin to form an answer to that, her name was being called from outside.

"CLAUDIAAA," her older sister's voice penetrates through the walls.

"Hold on, I'll be right back— need to lock the door. Jenna is going out." Claudia does a small wave, leaving her seat while a messy-haired Maddy on her computer screen nods, brown eyes following as Claudia forgets to close the door.

.    .    .

Waiting is a skill. Claudia would like to think she has it mastered but then she's proven wrong when new obstacles hurdle towards her. Like not-short conversations with her older sister.

"You know..." Unsolicited comments incoming, "you should enjoy your youth while it lasts, lil sis." 

"I am enjoying my youth." Claudia crosses her puffy sleeved-arms.

"Uh huh." 

Jenna rubs out the outer corners of her eyes with black eyeshadow, smoking the areas hazardously. "I sure hope you are... Just cause you're fine with regrets doesn't mean you have to keep making them. I personally plan to keep my life regret-free." 

Claudia shrugs halfheartedly, bringing a kleenex box to the low table infront of her glammed sister who's about to blast off into an entirely separate world once their brief sisterly interaction ends.

"Aw thanks, you know me so well." Jenna plucks out a kleenex to wipe the excess smokiness underneath her eyes then bats her thick lashes. "Okay, look. Think I look hot?" 

"Smoking hot." A weak thumbs-up.

Jenna makes a pleased sound, getting up gracefully, purse in hand, its chain-straps dangling wildly by her side. "You still don't want to come with? It's not too late to throw on a dress or put on some blush." Claudia didn't want to bring up the forgotten fact about her lack of most cosmetics, her body already itching to get back to her call with Maddy.

"No, you go have fun but thanks. I'll join you next time." 

"That's what you always say," Jenna fluffs up her strawberry-blonde hair while walking to the front door and halfway opening it. An eager honking outside clearly meant for her. "And I'm being serious just so you know, I don't plan to live a life full of regrets and I don't want that for you too." 

"Yeah..."

"I'll bring back something for ya, love you loser." Jenna sends an air kiss to Claudia at the door as she saunters over to the group of sparkling-dressed partygoers in a large Mercedes. Quickly forgetting Claudia's existence, just like the other passengers, Jenna slips into an awaiting seat and joins her friends screaming fest as the car zooms off. A trail of smoke and glitter left on the asphalt for some poor soul to clean up. 

Claudia resigns to picking up the outside broom and dustpan, hurrying to clean the mess before anyone sees. Hopefully Maddy won't be too sour.

.   .   .

'Be back soon. Dinner, you took too long.' Maddy's text read, the end call screen glowing grey against Claudia's face.

Claudia hesistates second, not wishing to intrude but her fingers typed without encouragement. 

'Can I join you for dinner.' (Seen)

 Her best friend's text came shortly.

'Get your small butt here before I eat all the brownies.' (Offline)

'Coming!!!' 

Claudia couldn't help smiling hard as she jumps from her computer desk and throws on an over-sized jacket, ruffling her dark hair as she runs out of her house. Keys shoved deep in her pockets as she goes.

Dinner with the Smiths is always wonderful, very filling.

. . . 

"Um, where?" 

She stands up huffing from halfway packing her stuffed animals into heart-shape marked cardboard boxes. 

"The city! Duh." Maddy whips her cloudy ponytail back, looking down at Claudia in a deadset and slightly challenging stance. "Don't tell me you plan to just stay here forever. We need to get a life out there!" 

Claudia falters her disagreement, opting to shrug, a small smile. 

"I've talked to you about this, remember? Start finding places or apartments you like, the City of Stars is where we can actually live out our wildest dreams." She rants, bubbling excitement, the frills of her gum-pink dress swishing.

A shame Claudia couldn't share the same feeling...

"And if I ever get tired or god forbid, 'stressed from the noise' then I'll just come back for a little vacay." Maddy laughs into her hand, already head-deep in imagination, "I think I've gotten enough inspiration." 

"Isn't it too soon?" 

"Nothing is ever too soon," Maddy smiles over her shoulder, teeth twinkling mischievously. "Now come on, help me out of this dress before I pop."

Claudia obliges, stepping closer to her bestfriend's back, mind wandering while Maddy prattle on about matching accessories and something else about working in the city. 

That night, walking home alone. Claudia stops herself from thinking too much... It helps when she scrolled through her phone and something distracted her. 

Friend request accepted by Charles Bergstein.