What Is and What Never Should Be
Prologue: Bad Company
Saturday...April 24, 2004.
Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois. 60062.
Dear Mr. Golden...
We accept the fact that we had to sacrifice a whole Saturday in detention for whatever it was that we did wrong, what we did was wrong. But we think you're crazy to make us write this essay telling you who we think we are, what do you care? You see us as you want to see us...in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions. You see us a brain, a handicap, a bitch, a punk, an athlete, a dork, and a druggie. Correct? That's the way we saw each other at seven o'clock this morning.
We were brainwashed...
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The hall way of Shermer High School was completely empty that Saturday morning. No respectable student was there, but a few would show up. Saturday detention was a place where the high sat with the low and where people actually had to speak to each other.
Sean Andrew Clarke stopped in the hallway and stared at the 'Man of the Year Wall', he mostly stared at the picture of his father, Andrew Sean Clarke. Andrew had been man of the year in 1986 and it was something the ex-wrestle and current defense lawyer still talked about.
Sean frowned thoughtfully before sticking his hands deep in his pocket and walking on. He had to get to detention and what his father and mother strangely referred to as 'The Breakfast Club.'
"Oh God, Sean!" Sean looked up to see Roxanna 'Roxy' Ryans come running toward him. The petite brunette stopped short and let her breath catch in her throat. "Thank God you're here."
Sean smiled slightly at her quick speaking. If Sean Clarke was the most popular guy in school, Roxy Ryans was the most popular girl, and she was only in the tenth girl; a year below him. "Roxy, hey. Fancy meeting you here. What'd you do?"
Roxy rolled her deep brown eyes upward. "You know what I did. But you know, I don't see why skipping four days of school to go shopping at the hugest sale of the year is a big deal. Hello, it was the biggest sale of the year!"
He chuckled. "Yeah. You know, I don't think I belong here either. All I did was do a dare."
Roxy put her arms over her chest. "You defaced school property." She sighed. "We should get to the library." She glanced behind her. "Even though he's in there."
"You don't think he's…of course he is. John Bender-Masterson nearly lives in there." Sean nearly shuttered. "That guy is such a druggie. I mean, its one thing to get high at a party, but to be surrounded by fog is another."
Roxy nodded. "He's such a loser. Ten years from now, he'll be in jail or working at a gas station." She laughed lightly. "Is it wrong to look forward to that day?" Sean simply shook his head 'no'. "Good. Should we go in now?"
The two of them headed to the library.
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He watched her walk into the library, her big black boots digging into the carpet. The way she was dressed, it was like a Catholic school girl turned Devil worshipper. He was so dumbstruck by her that he couldn't move.
Stefina Stark rolled her blue eyes upward. "Is there a reason you're not moving, spaz?" She groaned ever so lightly and walked pass him and to the last table on the right.
Danny Harris looked after her, slightly surprised. No one was ever mean to the kid in the wheelchair.
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Chris Johnson tightened his hold on the paper bag that held his lunch. Detention. He had actually gotten detention. It wouldn't have been so bad, expect for the fact that he had been busted for such an embarrassing thing. He shook his head as he walked into the library, secretly hoping that it didn't come up.
The second he walked in, he noticed that it was mostly full. Oddly enough, Roxy Ryans and Sean Clarke sat together at the first table on the left. He noticed a mop of brown hair looking down at the table behind the two most popular people in school, the head of hair was clearly Danny Harris. So far, Chris was surprised at who his fellow prisoners were. At the very last table in the right side of the tables was Stefina Stark-that wasn't so surprising. The blond punk looked up at him and gave the dork the finger.
Chris blushed and sat at the first table on the right side. He sat his bag on the chair next to him.
"Hey Chris." Chris looked up to the feminine voice that had spoken to him. Chris' eyes widened ever so slightly at the site of Faye Summers standing above him. The short freshman was the smartest person in school and it really was something of a shock to see her there. "Would you mind terribly if I sat next to you?" She was always very polite and her voice was ever so soft. "I ask, because I noticed you lunch."
Chris blushed. "Uh, no, it's cool." He smiled lop-sided and moved his bag. Faye walked around to sit beside him. He was about to ask her what brought her there when the library's double doors came swinging open.
John Bender-Masterson came waltzing in like he owned the place. His chains dangled at his side and he made a point to bit his longer lip and his lip-ring. The 'worst' kid in school stopped in front of the six tables and sized up his fellow students. The boy snorted softly and went to his usual table, the one behind Danny Harris.
A moment later, Walter Golden entered. He had been the principle of the school for a little over ten years. Walter was a kind, but tough man in his mid-forties. He was slightly overweight and he had more hair on his face then head. Mr. Golden held pens and paper in his hands. He looked over the seven students before speaking.
"Okay ladies, we're going to try something different today."
"As apposed to what we tried last Saturday, Walter?" Masterson spoke up. He simply smirked when Mr. Golden glared at him.
"We are going to write an essay, of no more or less then 1000 words, telling me who you think you are." He began to hand out paper and pen. "And when I say 1000 words, I don't mean one word written 1000 times, Mr. Masterson."
Masterson looked at the paper. "Didn't we do this last time?"
"No. You wrote 'You suck, Walt.' over three hundred times." Mr. Golden reminded the young man. He finished handing the paper out and walked back up to the front of the tables. "You shall all remain in your seats-" Danny looked like he was about to say something, but Mr. Golden glared his way. "and you shall all be very quiet and write your papers." He glanced down at his watch. "It is now 7:02. That means that you have nine hours and fifty-eight minutes left. I'll be right across the hall and if I hear anything louder then a cough, I shall come right back in here and deal with it." He glared at everyone for effect before walking out.
The library was silent for a moment. Masterson looked around him. He would already feel the boredom creeping in on him. He hated when things crept in on him. Rubbing his hands together, he cleared his throat. "Let the games begin."
Sean glanced back at him. "What?"
"Let's start this. You can't possibly think I'm going to sit here quietly? Lighten' up, retard." Masterson chuckled to himself.
"Look, just because you're here every fucking Saturday doesn't mean you can piss off the rest of us for nine hours. Just do us all a favor and sit there." Sean told the older teen. "No one here even wants to listen to you."
"Yeah?" Masterson raised his pierced eyebrow. "Pst, pst, pst, " He leaned on the table and stared at the back of Roxy's head. "Sweetness," Roxy whirled her body around and gave Masterson an ice glare. "Do you want to listen to me?"
"Tsk, you disgust me." Roxy waved a hand. "I would rather listen to anyone else in this room." With that she whirled back around to sit forward in her seat. A moment later, Sean did the same.
Masterson snickered. He looked at Danny, who was quietly staring at the back of Sean's head. Chris and Faye both seemed to be working on their essays and Stefina seemed to be falling asleep. Masterson rolled his eyes, this was certainly going to take some work. But, if anyone could do it, he could.
Author's Note: I do not own the idea of TBC nor do I own any characters I may mention. I do, however, own all the characters that will actively appear in this story.
Additional: In advice, I would like to thank any that review and answer the question: Yes, the characters of Sean Clarke, John Bender-Masterson, and Chris Johnson are the sons of Andrew, Bender, and Brian. However, just because they had kids doesn't mean they had them with Allison or Claire. I'm a believer that after that Saturday Claire and Andrew, sadly never went back to the Breakfast Club, nor did they ever speak to the other members. Though I do think Allison talked to Brian and maybe they even went back. *smile*