So, as people have been giving me such lovely feedback on 'Outstanding in that capacity', I've worked up this little drabble. I'm thinking it might continue through the day, alternating between Bender and Claire's p.o.v. It could be a little while before there's another update however, as I am finding Bender rather difficult to pin down. I also have finals coming up which I need to study for, and then I need to figure out what I'm going to do with my life because I'll be done with uni. Terrifying prospect so it is...

Anyway, what really struck me is that Bender and Claire really seem to get each other. They're both really aware of who they are, whether or not they like that, and who the other person is. This bit is sort of trying to work through who Claire is, because she does seem genuinely nice, but at the same time is a bit up herself - which she is aware of.

Let me know what you think - reviews are very helpful!

"You know Bender, you don't even count. You know if you disappeared forever it wouldn't make any difference. You may as well not even exist at this school."

Claire felt her throat close up, as though she were going to be sick. However annoying and, well, crude Bender was, she wouldn't have wanted him to hear that. Not least because it was untrue. Completely, and utterly, untrue.

It had infuriated her that he knew, when he had given her that patronising, knowing look. Oh, he had no idea just how right he was in saying she couldn't ignore him if she tried. Or maybe he did, and that's why he'd said it… Either way, while this obnoxious, rude, leering boy looming over Andy might not exist in the eyes of the school jocks, Claire knew it was not the case for Shermer High's female population.

Naturally, she could never tell her friends how dry her throat became, or how her stomach started somersaulting, whenever she happened to pass him in the hallways. Hell, she hardly let herself think too much on it. Girls of her sort of status did not mix with Bender and his ilk; they did not acknowledge them in the halls, except to sneer at the occasional loud and vulgar catcalls, and they certainly didn't consider dating one of them.

And yet, as he'd said, she couldn't ignore him if she tried.

Then again, none of the other girls could actually admit to fancying him either, not really, despite the fact that they probably did. Such a confession could not be countenanced; not in a one-girl-one-guy, walking down the halls together, going to the movies on weekends, prom-date sort of way. But a small part of them would always sort of want him, however much they pretended the contrary. It was generally acknowledged that Bender, the school's resident 'bad boy', was up there on the hypothetical 'I would' list. In fact, Claire would bet everything she owned that he was on a number of 'I have' lists.

Thing was, she got the impression that he wanted her as well and, much as she knew it shouldn't, the idea that he might sent thrills running through her. It was exciting that even Bender, who avoided all extra curricular activity unless you counted detention, found her interesting enough that he would try to bother her as opposed to the girl at the back of the room. She felt a certain set of muscles she often tried to forget existed clench as his earlier words echoed in her mind;

We'll get the Prom Queen impregnated.

Oh, just the thought of being in that sort of situation with him...

But now her smug, "Really…" which she hadn't really meant to say out loud seemed to have spurred Andy on. Claire had seen and heard enough of her parents' constant sniping to know when something shouldn't have been said, and if the look on Bender's face was anything to go by...

She was just about to reprimand Andy when,

"Well, I'll just run right out and join the wrestling team…"

She couldn't help it, the idea of Bender wearing the wrestling team uniform was ludicrous; but perhaps not in the way that Andy thought it was. She smirked over at him as he guffawed at the thought of Bender wrestling, and was about to smile at Bender in silent conspiracy when he continued,

"Maybe the Prep club too... Student Council."

He was giving her an appraising look, maybe it was also directed at Andy who was saying how they wouldn't take him, but it felt like his gaze was burning into her and she tried hard not to blush even as she formulated her response. Who was he to make fun of her? He who never even tried to join in, who just mocked it all from the start and had done his utmost to wreak havoc whenever some poor, misguided innocent mistakenly approached him. He was afraid, and she knew he was; hell, Claire felt the same way about not doing activities and not going along with everything her friends said. He'd never admit she was right though, and she knew that too. He was also right about certain 'activities people' being assholes; some of her group were among those assholes. Claire hated how they felt the need to mock people who weren't talented enough to join something; why not just say no, or offer them some pointers as opposed to smiling condescendingly and bursting into laughter while they were in earshot? Sometimes Claire knew the person had not been so lucky as to not hear the laughter. The first few times this had been the case she had tracked the person down to apologise, but the derisive mockery from the other side of the ball court had been vicious and frequent, and ultimately her pride refused to allow her to continue on the off-chance that the person would accept the apology. So she bore it in silence, unable to look at anything beyond the table in front of her, hating herself for every second she let it continue.

She regretted the phrasing of her comment about academic clubs immediately; she'd known he'd pounce on it. Sure she thought the academic clubs were for nerds, but they weren't the same as other kinds of clubs. They were academic for God's sake! They were for people who liked that subject to meet up and talk about it and practice it; it was like extra, voluntary school! Only complete dorks would be in them; they were so totally not the same as the social clubs like dance, or drama, or the school newspaper…

God, she wished she'd not said anything; the dork seemed oblivious to the fact that Bender was mocking him as well simply to further his endeavours in pissing Claire and Andy off. Although, she suspected Andy was finding it amusing. As the nerdy kid rambled on she murmured loud enough for Bender to redirect that mocking look at her,

"Only burners like you get high."

She made sure to make her expression really prissy and disgusted; because God knows, it was an absurdly hypocritical statement to make. It worked though, until Andy started up again. She wished he wasn't here; even if she had still had to then at least this sniping wouldn't be going on.

And then Vernon was on the move, and Bender was dashing into the seat between herself and Andy. With baited breath they waited as Vernon left his office and wandered down the hall and, with a raucous hooting noise, Bender was once again up and out of his seat.

It was going to be a long day...