Claudia was sitting on her bed and all she could hear with Chris's song 'Glad' playing. She ran out of room.

"Shut that off!" Claudia shouted as she walked up to Taylor.

"Is this the infamous Chris?" Taylor asked and Claudia nodded as she slammed the laptop shut. The music stopped. "Sounds sexy!" Taylor giggled.

"Nathan is in the bedroom; do you wanna start World War Three?" Claudia asked rhetorically as she took the laptop and placed it on the counter. Taylor smiled as she got a glimpse of Claudia's tattoo.

"Nice henna tattoo." Taylor said amused.

"It's not henna." Claudia replied smirking and Taylor ran up to her and looked at the tattoo more closely.

"It... is real!" Taylor exclaimed and Claudia shoved her away. "23? That how many tequila shots it took you to do it?" Taylor joked, Claudia was not amused.

"Stop it!" Claudia said as she walked into the kitchen and opened a cupboard door.

"Hey, what happened to the whole; tattoos are for sluts and burnouts sermon that you gave me?" Taylor asked as she sat on the counter.

"Uh, 23 is Nathan's jersey number and you permanently marked your body with some random... spider." Claudia shouted back.

"The scorpion paralyses its victims." Taylor corrected. "Nothing random about that." Taylor smirked as Claudia rolled her eyes.

"Yeah, I bet." Claudia replied as she peeled a banana and binned the skin.

"You got a tattoo." Taylor muttered, she wasn't believing. "And, conveniently, it's... in the exact same spot as me. I guess you don't disapprove of your older, wiser friend so much after all." Taylor joked but Claudia was not amused as she peeled her banana.

"Don't flatter yourself." Claudia muttered as Taylor sat on a stool.

"Does this mean you didn't wait for the ring to give it up either?" Taylor asked curiously.

"I waited, until I was in love." Claudia replied as Nathan entered the kitchen, he stood beside Claudia.

"How about you, Nathan? Were you in love the first time you had sex?" Taylor asked curiously. Claudia wanted to know his response considering that Nathan and Taylor didn't know that Claudia knew.

"Tay!" Claudia shouted.

"What we are all friends here!" Taylor exclaimed waiting for Nathan to answer. Nathan looked at her guiltily and uncomfortably.

"It's not really any of your business but the truth is... whoever my first was," Nathan said before he looked down at Claudia, "wasn't nearly as important as my last." Nathan finished and Claudia smiled to herself. She just wanted to shove that up Taylor's ass.

"Thank you." Claudia smiled before he kissed her. Claudia walked into the living room and Nathan's expressions could clearly tell Taylor that he was not happy with her. Taylor smiled contentedly and Nathan looked at Claudia.

___

Claudia was sitting at the kitchen counter, typing on the laptop. She looked very shift. She was writing an email to Chris. It read: 'Chris. It reads: 'Chris, how are you? How's New York? Wondering how the showcase went.' Her phone rang and she answered it.

"Hello!" Claudia said on the phone cheerfully, it was Nathan.

"Hey, it's me. Uh... what're you doing?" Nathan asked.

"Oh, nothing, just... thinking of you." Claudia replied smiling as she pressed the sent button on the laptop. The message had been sent and Claudia looked at the screen, torn.

___

Claudia was at Karen's, waiting on table and pouring coffees. The door opened.

"Hey." Claudia smiled at Nathan. "So, ah, I was thinking about asking Karen if we could live here till Taylor's gone; maybe like, put a mattress behind the counter or something." Claudia said totally serious as they continued to walk.

"Yeah, um... we need to talk about her." Nathan said and Claudia had no idea why.

"Ah-ha! Yeah, I warned you about her. Give Taylor an inch and she'll take whatever the hell she wants. I know her a lot better than you do." Claudia laughed as they sat on the couch near the window. Nathan sat there nervously.

"Claudia,... we got married... so quickly, we never really... had the talk that most people have when they get engaged." Nathan said awkwardly, Claudia waited. "About... you know, past relationships, sexual history." Nathan finished uncomfortably.

"Ah," Claudia said as she placed the coffee jug down, "well that's probably because I can give you mine in under ten seconds while yours is catalogued in the Library of Congress." Claudia joked but Nathan was not amused. "What's going on?" She asked.

"Alright. My first time... was at this party at my parent's beach house." Nathan sighed and Claudia knew where this was going, she did not know what to do. "I was pretty wasted and I... never... really saw the girl again. Until now." Nathan finished and Claudia raised an eyebrow.

"Until now...?" Claudia muttered and Nathan sighed.

"Claudia, listen, I swear, I hadn't even heard of you when this happened, OK?" Nathan explained and Claudia shook her head.

"Taylor." She stated.

"I'm sorry, I just, look she threatened to tell you and I just thought you should hear it from me." Nathan explained, he could see that Claudia was upset.

"I knew and you lied to me about it. You should of told me." Claudia stated.

"This was like two years ago!" Nathan exclaimed but then he realised he shouldn't of said that because Claudia was glaring at him. "I look, I didn't know you; I didn't even know there was gonna be a you." Nathan sighed.

"I should go." Claudia said quietly as she stood up.

"Claudia?" Nathan said standing also, Claudia walked off with the jug and plate. Nathan looked at her sighing.

___

Claudia opened the apartment door angrily.

"You're home early." Taylor smiled as Claudia shut the door and threw her bag off.

"You're home all the time. What're you doing on my laptop? Cruising for jailbait?" She spat hanging up her coat.

"Excuse me?" Taylor asked offended.

"Well I heard your speciality is deflowering freshmen!" Claudia shouted as she dropped her keys on the table. "But I already knew that." Claudia muttered.

"So the Boy Scout told you." Taylor stated and Claudia stood in front of her. "Quite a coincidence, huh? Eh, but look, look at it this way; now we can compare notes." Taylor joked and Claudia grabbed her hair.

"IT'S NOT FUNNY TAYLOR!" Claudia shouted clutching Taylor's hair.

"Ow!" Taylor screamed as she got off the stool in pain grabbing onto Claudia's hand. "Would you... LET GO!" Taylor shouted as she grabbed onto the laptop.

"If you wanted to find someone I hadn't slept with, you could've moved to Alaska." Taylor said as Claudia let go of her hair.

"You know what, do you think my relationship with Nathan is just a big joke?!" Claudia exclaimed as she tried to attack Taylor again.

"NO! Of course not! But I think that Chris is a laugh riot." Taylor spat as she shoved Claudia away.

"What are you talking about?" Claudia asked guilty.

"I'm talking about you, bitching about your husband's past when you have a present! I was online and I got an IM, or rather, you did. You've been kissing Chris." Taylor explained and Claudia shook her head.

"I don't... I don't know what you're talking about." Claudia lied as she turned away from Taylor.

"Are you sleeping with him?" Taylor asked seriously.

"No!" Claudia shouted back defending herself. "It's not what it looks like, OK?" Claudia said looking down.

"Oh, really? Cos it seems to me like Saint Claudia is just as bad as the rest of us!" Taylor exclaimed with her hand on her hip.

"Taylor, Nathan can not find out about this." Claudia stated sincerely.

"Fine, Hay – but you have to let me stay here. At least until I figure out what I'm doing." Taylor replied, Claudia did not say anything. She closed the laptop harshly and walked away. Taylor sighed.

___

Claudia was watching TV when Nathan walked in, she turned to face him.

"Am I in the right apartment?" Nathan asked as he walked into the living room. "Where's that... nasty incense smell?" He asked and Claudia smiled a little.

"Oh, Taylor, went out for a jog." Claudia answered switching off the TV.

"Does this mean you're talking to me again?" Nathan asked slowly.

"I'm sorry Nathan, because the only reason Taylor slept with you in freshman year was because of me." Claudia explained and Nathan looked confused as he watched Claudia stands up and walked into the kitchen.

"Huh?" Nathan asked.

"Yep, she knew I liked you but she had to have you. So I mean she used you which is pretty funny so I forgive you." Claudia laughed a little as she opened up the cupboard.

"Wow, I am in the wrong apartment." Nathan exhaled. Claudia sighed and walked up to him.

"Besides, the things we did in the past don't mean anything, right?" She asked and Nathan took her hands.

"Well, you don't have to worry anymore. I, uh, went through your photo albums and I haven't... slept with any of your other friends." Nathan joked and Claudia playfully hit him. Nathan hugged her.

"Listen, Claudia, look, I don't wanna hurt you. I don't wanna lie to you either. I know how honest you are with me." Nathan explained looking down on her, they kissed. Claudia turned her head, she was looking completely guilty.

___

"Hey." Taylor said as she walked out onto the balcony, where Claudia was. Looking out into the sky.

"Sorry about your hair." Claudia replied not actually meaning it. Taylor nodded her head and stood beside Claudia.

"Sorry I slept with your husband." Taylor said as she leant on the balcony. "If it's any consolation, I'm not that memorable. Taylor added and Claudia made a sound of disgust as she shredded some foliage. "OK, that's a lie." Taylor admitted smiling.

"Taylor, do you remember why you slept with Nathan?" Claudia asked as she dropped the leaves.

"For fun?" Taylor replied confused and Claudia shook her head.

"You knew I liked. You knew I had the biggest crush on him so you had to prove that you were the better out of us and you slept with him. That was when our friendship ended." Claudia explained and Taylor looked remorseful.

"Oh Claudia." Taylor said sympathetically and Claudia shook her head.

"Doesn't matter now." Claudia replied looking out at the stars.

"I am so sorry." Taylor said still looking at Claudia. Claudia nodded her head, she knew Taylor was sorry.

"What am I gonna do, Taylor?" Claudia asked sadly.

"Hang in there," Taylor began as she tugged Claudia's arm reassuringly, eventually, he'll forget about me." She joked and Claudia stiffled a laugh.

"No, I'm serious." Claudia replied seriously and Taylor looked serious too. "I love Nathan and this is all really confusing." Claudia explained looking away.

"Because you kissed Chris?" Taylor asked.

"No." Claudia said almost crying. "Because I'm... just jealous of what Chris has! You know, his music; the freedom to pursue his dream... and that... kiss just made it a lot messier. I really don't know what to do." Claudia explained tearfully. Taylor sat on the balcony smiling.

"I am... the wrong girl to ask for advice. You wanna know why I really got the tattoo? When the scorpion's caught in a fire, it stings itself to death." Taylor explained sad and Claudia smiled weakly.

"That's a myth, actually." Claudia corrected her friend.

"Not in my life. When things get bad, I always... find a way to make them worse." Taylor stated as Claudia smiled, tears tracked down her cheek as she sat on the balcony edge too. Both tattoos are on show. Taylor took her hand in Claudia's. "Truth is, Claude, you've always been miles ahead of me. And most of the time, I feel like the loser best friend." Taylor admitted as they both smiled at each other sadly. "You'll do the right thing, Clau-bug – you always do." Taylor finished and more tears cascaded down Claudia's face and Taylor wipes them away and they both laugh. The two friends hug.