The ride back home was the most awkward one Clara had ever been in.
Laura had insisted on joining them in Nathaniel's car, on about being lonely. That meant Laura had to share the backseat with Lily — who hated Laura as much as she hated vegetables — glaring daggers the entire way while Laura pretended not to notice.
Clara wasn't spared either. Lily kept throwing her confused looks, clearly torn between anger and concern. She couldn't understand why Clara was still friends with Laura — or at least pretending to be. Clara couldn't blame her though. Lily was just being protective, doing what a sister should.
What Lily didn't know was that Clara had her own plans. She wasn't staying friends with Laura this time — not after what happened in her last life.
Laura had made her miserable, and Clara had been too naive to see it. She'd brushed off every slight, every cruel comment, because Laura always knew how to act pitiful — and Clara, had believed her. Always believed her.
She could still remember all the things Laura did — the small, cruel gestures that never seemed like much until they piled up into something heavy.
"Clara, could you move over? I want to sit next to Nathaniel. I don't know your other friends."
"You're getting fat again. Maybe stop eating so much junk food and go vegetarian," she'd say with that same sugary smile — right before ordering extra fries for herself.
"That dress makes you look poor. Try this one instead," Laura would suggest, only to wear it later and claim it didn't suit Clara. Her friends would laugh awkwardly, and Nathaniel, nice as always would stay silent.
"I'm coming, right?" Laura would insist, never caring to ask. Clara thought she was just being a good friend — her so-called wing woman — but really, she only wanted to get close to Nathaniel. No wonder Nathaniel stopped coming home, eventually divorcing her.
And Clara had let her. Every time.
She'd thought Laura was just being honest, maybe a bit blunt. She'd thought that was what best friends did, cared enough to criticize.
What a joke.
Even now, watching Laura act all innocent in the car, Clara wondered how she'd been so blind. How had Nathaniel seen it? How had Lily? Everyone but her.
She was a scientist for Christ sake and she couldn't tell when she was lying.
But this time, it wouldn't be the same.
"Clara?"
Nathaniel's voice pulled her out of her thoughts.
"Hm?" she murmured absently, still lost somewhere between memories and regret.
"Clara, you have to pay attention. Not everyone has the patience to keep up with you," Laura said sweetly from the backseat, her tone soaked in fake concern.
Clara bit back a laugh. Some things never changed.
"I'm sorry, Nat," she said softly, leaning back against the headrest. "My head still hurts."
She caught Laura's reflection in the rearview mirror — the quick flash of irritation that broke through her perfect smile.
Good.
She could play that game too.
"Nat?" Nathaniel repeated, as if he hadn't heard her right.
"Yes?" she replied innocently, meeting his gaze.
It took him a second to recover, his ears turning faintly pink. "It's just… surprising. You once said nicknames were too unprofessional."
Clara smiled. "Maybe I changed my mind."
Laura didn't waste a moment. "How selfish can you be, Clara? You didn't even ask if he wanted that. He's a CEO — you can't just—"
"It's alright," Nathaniel interrupted gently, his voice calm but sure. "She can call me Nat."
Laura's mouth snapped shut.
Clara turned her face toward the window, hiding her grin.
In her last life, she'd asked Laura if she should start calling Nathaniel a nickname. Laura had told her no — said it would make her look desperate. Then she'd gone straight to Nathaniel and told him Clara thought nicknames were childish.
"Damn," Lily said under her breath, clearly enjoying how frustrated Laura looked.
"Well, can I call you Nat too?" Laura asked, her smile tight.
Hypocrisy at its finest.
Nathaniel hesitated, glancing toward Clara as if asking for permission. "I'm… not sure," he said slowly.
Clara didn't even blink. "No. I don't want any other girl calling him Nat."
Let her think she was jealous — she didn't care.
Laura turned to Nathaniel, waiting for him to back her up but he didn't.
"And besides," she added calmly, "we'll soon be married, so it's not weird."
Laura scoffed, sinking back into her seat. "Controlling, but okay," she muttered under her breath.
Lily just grinned from beside her, proud. It wasn't often you saw Clara talk back to Laura — and honestly, it was about time.
The rest of the ride was uneventful, Laura finally stopped talking, lily was smiling and Clara and Nathaniel would glance at each other secretly, not knowing that everyone noticed.
"I'll see you later, rest up okay." Nathaniel said standing in front of Clara's house.
"Bye Nat." Clara said waving at him.
"Longest 20 minutes ever." Lily said laughing.
She's just getting started.