Secret Singing Superstar

Thirty ~ ♫♪♫

"Rufina, don't put that popcorn packet in the bush!" Anna reprimanded. "It's called 'caring about the environment'."

Claire laughed. At first, she'd been wary of Rufina. She didn't know what to make of the girl. Her personality seemed a lot like Theresa's - reckless and loud. But her opinion of the girl soon changed as Rufina was actually a very fun person to hang around with. She told funny stories and made everyone laugh.

Also Claire knew that Leanne would be pleased. It meant that Anna was improving, and that she could finally accept people trying to make friends with her.

Now, Rufina shrugged. "Says you. You don't care about the environment!"

"Still, you shouldn't be littering," said Caitlin, raising an eyebrow. Anna grinned at her and gave her a high-five. "It's the wrong thing to do."

"So you're a Goody Two-Shoes now?" said Rufina, looking at Caitlin.

Caitlin shook her head and pointed to Claire. "She's one."

"Hey!" Claire protested.

Rufina was studying Claire. It made her feel uncomfortable - almost as uncomfortable as someone giving her a hug. Claire never had much experience with close affection before, even with her family, so she wasn't used to other people hugging her or even touching her. She was that edgy.

Claudia would have gotten along great with this girl. Unfortunately, Claudia wasn't here. She had left to hang out with Stephanie and Emily and probably a few others. Santhuri was nowhere to be seen either.

"Yeah, I can totally see the nerd in you," Rufina said eventually.

"I know, right?" Theresa agreed, and they laughed, along with Anna and Caitlin.

Claire rolled her eyes.

"You know, the bobby pins don't suit you," said Rufina, studying Theresa in the same way that she was studying Claire.

"Oh my God, they look terrible on you," Anna agreed. She reached over to Theresa and plucked the bobby pin right out of her hair, letting her fringe fall in front of her face.

"Much better," Rufina said approvingly. Theresa raised an eyebrow at her and Rufina sighed. "No, I'm not a lesbian. Why does everyone keep doing this to me?"

Anna cracked up laughing, and so did Theresa after a while.

They didn't notice Leanne come back and sit down, looking downcast. But Claire did.

"What's wrong?" Claire asked quietly, not wanting the others to hear.

Leanne pointed behind her. Claire turned on the spot to see Helina and Cailyn inching their way towards them, and arguing the whole time. She frowned. It was normal for both of them to argue. So why was Leanne so upset?

Leanne must've read Claire's confused expression. "They're arguing about Cailyn's eating habits."

"What?"

"I don't know. Helina's telling Cailyn to eat. Something is going on between those two, and it seems serious, by the looks of it. I just wonder why - "

Claire nudged her. Caitlin was staring at them. Claire put a finger to her lips and shook her head. Caitlin then slowly turned back to Rufina and Anna, who were discussing something about the environment while Theresa watched in amusement.

Claire never got to know what Leanne was wondering about, because then Helina and Cailyn sat down beside her. She smiled at them and they smiled back, as if there was nothing wrong. Was there anything wrong? She looked at Leanne, but Leanne said, "My eyebrow is all the way up in Heaven saying hi to God right now."