Father (Rewritten)

Chapter 1 : The New Neighbor.

2 Months Later.

One last line of code... To do, to fix? Wait what was the client asking for again, to add a floating animation to the banner right? Petite fingers jitter across a chunky keyboard, punching down the key needed.

Delete. Delete. Delete. . . And now what.

Every single highlighted word on her laptop screen seems to burn the very retinas in Claudia's eyes despite the brightness of her bedroom, the rest of her creaking joints a consequence from slouch-sitting like a sloth. Oh boy did she need a good stretch... A break too from how much her code seems to squirm and overlap each other, making less sense the longer she stares.

Buzz. 

A text glows across the simple skyscrapers background of her phone laying hazardously at the edge of her computer desk. Claudia stretches her arm to pull it close and read the screen.

'Don't be late! My mom made extra food.' — Mad. (Offline)

Crap, she forgot to get ready. Claudia rushes to type an appropriate response back with one hand as she power-walks to her closet in search for anything decent looking and not monochrome... Oh right, all her good clothes are in the dryer downstairs. She can pick an outfit later anyways, time wasn't waiting for her own mistakes.

Claudia refreshes herself in the bathroom, washing her face and combing through her dark hair with her fingers to no success. Ah whatever, she'll deal with her hair before she leaves. 

She texts her best friend as she gets out, her stomach prickly for a snack but there was no more time. And she doubts her sister has put any leftovers in the fridge when she's working.

'I'm on my way now.' (Seen)

Then right at the door, one hand already twisting the knob in subconscious habit, Claudia looks back at the small mirror by her computer desk. Her poor excuse for a vanity. Like clockwork, whenever she's about to leave the safety of her bedroom, she wonders if she's underdressed— she didn't think of herself as bad-looking barefaced but...

Sparing a single glance at the unopened still-new tube of lipstick, the only legitimate makeup she owns besides the cheap seashell-shaped eyeshadow palette from her childhood, and thinks to herself she'll wear it next time... One day. 

Yes, when the opportunity presents itself. Her best friend would understand. After a quick brush of her black crow-nest hair, she moved onto clothes...

.   .   .

Cross the street, keep walking, turn left like she usually does.

A cloud of vanilla, fresh and strong bursts into Claudia's face and nostrils the second the door whips open. 

"Ooo you're actually wearing something nice! What's the occasion, Claud." Maddy's chipmunk-cheeks flare with her beaming white smile, her brown mousy curls hanging above dark eyes that scan Claudia from top of her bedhead to the bottom of her worn-out flats.

"Nothing. Jenna took out my clothes from the dryer for her boyfriend's so all my stuff is still wet. I didn't have a choice." Claudia folds her bare goosebump-ridden arms over the blue polkadot dress her sister once bought for her, mistakenly a size too small but a gift is a gift no matter how flesh-sinking tight the shoulders traps are. 

"That is such an asshole move but for once, good on her for that, you're finally wearing something cute!" 

Claudia pouted at Maddy's delight in both 'admiring' her and blocking the only way inside. The slight increase in heat slowly gets to her despite her exposed neckline, shoulders and arms. Summer isn't a good time.