"Why are you here?" His lips curled up in a sneer. An angry sneer that was filled with so much hatred. Hatred that could only belong to one person.
"I wanted to see you, John," Claire said, her rosy pink lips turning down into a frown.
"You did see me. You walked in the other direction," John Bender said, not meeting her eye and striking a match.
"Uck, don't smoke in here," Claire said.
John smiled, lighting his cigarette and taking a puff before leaning forward and blowing the smoke into her face, "Make me."
"You know, I skipped school to get in here to see you," Claire said, the room seeming quite empty without their other three former Breakfast Club members; Allison, Brian, and Andy, "I'm grounded for a week."
"Poor baby," John said, "You coulda seen me in school. I've actually shown up a couple'a times."
"You know I couldn't. My friends-"
"Your friends what? They'd make fun of you?" John rolled his eyes and put on a high-pitched voice, "'Oh my GOD. Like, I can't believe you like, like that grody to the max Bender kid. He's soooooo dirty and smelly and I hear he went to jail for cutting a guy's toe off because the guy like, told him to like, go to hell…"
"Shut up," Claire demanded, her face turning as red as her hair, "My friends aren't like that."
"Sure they're not. You just want to keep us a secret."
Standing softly, Claire smoothed down her skirt and marched over to where Bender resided. She sat on the table in front of him and set her heels up on his thighs lightly. She leaned forward and grabbed Bender by the chin and, without a word, tilted her head slightly to the side and planted a Hollywood-worthy kiss on his cracked and chapped lips.
When they parted, sucking in air, Bender was trying, and failing, not to smile, "Well…That was nice," he said. And then after a pause, quickly added, "But it still doesn't make up for anything."
"Well, who said I was done?" Claire smiled and tried to kiss him again.
John moved his head so Claire missed and kissed the air, "Why do you care so much what people think of you?"
"Why do you?" Claire shot back.
John shrugged, unable to dispute anything.
"Look, we'd be social outcasts. My friends wouldn't be my friends, and your friends wouldn't be yours," Claire explained, almost wisely, "I just don't want to be alone."
Bender looked at her sympathetically, but then snorted, disgusted with him self for showing such emotion, "I don't have any friends. Not anymore."
It was true. Claire might have forgotten, but it was an afternoon that Bender figured he might never forget. One sunny day after school, Bender and his crew had been loitering around passing a single joint back and forth. And unfortunately, Claire walked by. Her short violet skirt matching her perfectly manicured nails.
Of course, being boys, and of course, being part of Bender's crew, the boys started hollering. Not screaming at her to leave, but hollering and screaming nasty, intolerable things. By this time, Claire had gone scarlet, her eyes down on the ground and her wit vanished.
"Leave her alone," Someone quietly choked out. Everyone looked at that certain someone.
"Why?" Someone else asked.
Bender gulped, "Because I said so, that's why," he barked, trying to make himself sound intimidating, but coming up a little short.
"Get outta here, Bender, you've got to be kidding," a statement that was then followed by random curse words.
Bender stood his ground, "It's not cool. Just leave her be."
That earned him a slug to the face, nearly breaking his nose. He stumbled backward, flipping out his switchblade out of habit.
"Bad idea," the other five guys pulled out theirs.
With his pride bruised more than his face, Bender put his blade back away and started walking in the opposite direction while the others jeered at him.
"Why not?" Claire asked obliviously.
"No reason. Just forget about it," Bender said.
Claire shrugged her bony shoulders and then looked around the room, "I kinda miss Brian and Allison," she said.
"Not Andy?" Bender asked, raising his eyebrows.
"I see him around," Claire said.
Bender nodded, "So what now?"
"I don't know," Claire sighed, "What do you want to do?" What she really wanted to ask is "What about us?"
"I dunno," Bender said, looking up into her eyes, "But I 'spose we'd better figure it out."