neighbors | barry allen//the flash

eight | bills

When Clara's alarm went off the next morning, she wanted to cry. She knew what time it was, but she checked again anyways. 7:30. She exhaled, then slammed her hand down on the snooze. Ten more minutes, she just needed ten more minutes... and the alarm was going off again. Impossible. 7:40. Clara literally rolled herself out of bed and stumbled into the kitchen. Her past self hadn't bothered setting up the coffee pot last night before collapsing into bed. She hated her past self right now, because that meant she had to wait a few more minutes for coffee. 

When it was finally ready, Clara downed two cups, and prepared one to-go. Then she drug herself to the bathroom and attempted to hide the bags under her eyes. Her already curly hair that barely reached her shoulders poofed out into a complete bed head mess, but she had given up the ten minutes she needed to straighten it for sleep. Sighing, she resigned herself to pulling half of it back and struggled to tame the rest with some spray. 

Finally, Clara threw on an old sweater and jeans. Dr. Parker wasn't going to be there today to look down on her outfit. Clara abhorred the thought of working on a Saturday, but it was a necessity now. Alice had told her she was going in today to finish up a few things she hadn't gotten to this week, and Clara needed the overtime pay now more than ever. Even picking up shifts at Belly Burger a few nights a week, Clara's financial future still looked grim. But she was determined to make this work. She was going to keep her job, and her apartment here. She was going to pay off those last medical bills soon, and then she would finally be free. 

"Hey Clara!" Alice chirped as Clara walked into the lab. 

"Hello, Alice," Clara smiled despite her lack of sleep and rather melancholy mood. Alice was such a blessing.

"Glad to see you, Clara," Dr. Parker emerged from her office, and Clara had to fight to keep her composure. By the tone of her voice, Clara was assured that Dr. Parker was not, in fact, thrilled to see her in the slightest. Although Alice had told Clara on her first day that Dr. Parker would warm up to her, the woman seemed to be growing colder with each interaction. "I'd like a coffee." 

"Excuse me?" Clara stammered. Was this women actually expecting Clara to grovel at her feet and do her every trivial bidding? She was a lab tech for a scientist, not a maid for a housewife. 

"Get me a coffee," Dr. Parker repeated, then added, "Please." She disappeared back into her office. 

"The regular coffee in the lobby is fine," Alice explained apologetically. "She likes three creams and two sugars. I'm really sorry, she usually doesn't act like this." 

Clara let out a frustrated sigh and left the lab. While waiting in the elevator, she tried taking deep breaths. Clearly, Alice had never had to endure the harsh side of Dr. Parker like what Clara was going through. Clara didn't think she could every work so happily alongside someone who had ordered her around like her personal servant. With one last deep breath, she tried to clear her head, chanting over in her head, I need this job, I need the money, I need the experience. 

When Clara returned to the lab, Dr. Parker was nowhere to be found, and her office light was turned off. Clara wanted to throw the coffee across the lab and cry, but she settled gently tossing the coffee in the trash and slowly exhaling. She silently joined Alice in smearing bacteria on agar plates. Luckily, Alice seemed to sense that Clara was not in the mood for chit chat. 

When they finally finished the prep for next week, Clara mumbled a goodbye and left. She decided to walk home instead of taking a cab because the walk really wasn't that far, maybe two miles, and she didn't feel like dishing out money. She pulled her phone out of her pocket to see she had a text from Andrew. 

I want to talk. Dinner on me?

Clara frowned. She didn't want any handouts, but today had also completely drained her. Not to mention, she was starving. Plus, it would be nice to see Andrew again. Defeated, Clara texted back.