A Musical Mayhem

30 - Claude (Part 2)

~ A Few Hours Later ~

Ivy: Hey, Clodhopper? 🤪

I jumped up in my bed. I had been trying to fall asleep for a nap on my hotel bed a few hours after we had left the hospital, but I wondered why Ivy was texting me all of a sudden. I had a feeling that something not so good was about to happen.

Claude: Hi, Ivy. What's up?

Did that sound way too cringey? Or relaxed? Did that even sound anything like what I sound like in real life? I knew that I was probably overthinking this, but I couldn't help it. I was so used to bein a natural-born klutz that I couldn't afford to stay relaxed with myself and my antics for too long.

Ivy: I found this really neat bubble tea place within walking distance from the hotel. I want 2 invite u 😋

Claude: Oh, really? That's great :)
I'll contact the others if they can come

Ivy: No, I mean just u, silly 😑

Claude: WHAT?!
I mean, no, sorry, ignore that, sure, ok
But why only me??

Ivy: I dunno 🤷
Cuz ur fun 🙌
And since it's still light enough out, we can try to find out more stuff about the MG while we're at it 👊

Claude: Ok, sounds good. When should we meet in the lobby??

Ivy: As soon as possible
R u available now? 🤑

Claude: Sure
I was going to take a nap, but sure
Don't rly feel that sleepy anyway lol
Are you available now??

Ivy: Yea 😂
Oh can I ask you one more question, Claude?

Claude: Sure, what is it??

Ivy: Why do u always use two question marks??

Claude: Oh
Um
I don't know actually
😅

Ivy: Ok 😶
See u there weirdo 😝

I cringed. She was right; why did I always use two question marks? Did that just show how impatient I was? I had been doing that when I texted for a long time now, but Ivy had been the first one to ever mention it . . .

Ugh. I was never going to be any match for Ivy. Why did she even want to hang out with a clumsy, embarrassing loser like me, anyway?

I quickly grabbed a blue baseball cap to hide my messy lion-mane hair and dashed out the door, almost closing it on myself again on my way out.

I was out of breath when I arrived at the lobby. Ivy was already waiting, and she stared at me as I approached her.

She was wearing a pink bomber jacket with a huge "I" sewn onto it, a faded white t-shirt, light blue ripped jeans, and dirty sneakers. Her hair was in her favorite hairstyle: hair down with two sections pinned up on the sides, her pink streaks flowing down past her shoulders. She was clearly ready to hunt down the Masked Guy when we needed to.

I was wearing an old red-and-black raglan shirt, jeans, dirty sneakers, and my dad's faded black watch that I had just randomly put on today.

. . . Maybe I should have dressed up a little more, now that I thought about it.