I ducked as a plate came flying at me; I missed it by mere inches. "GET OUT! GET OUT NOW!" I panicked and grabbed my bag before running out of my house. I rubbed my head a little, knocking the sleep out of my brain. Sighing I pulled my leather jacket closer to my body; the black shorts were well used as were my old boots. The tights I was wearing might have well be in the bin and my black vest top was covered with a fishnet jumper. In my bag I had a baggy jumper just in case it got cold while I was walking home. I pulled my blonde hair from under my bag strap and continued to school. I must admit I wasn't surprised I was in detention. For my crimes I wasn't surprised at all.

Noticing the time I quickened my pace, I was already five minutes late. As I ran up the stairs of the school I walked to the library. "Nice of you to join us, Alice." I sneered as Mr Vernon walked past, "You're writing an essay on how you view yourself, no more than one thousand words." He pointed out almost sarcastically, I continued walking, "No I'm not." I heard his footsteps stop; I quickly surveyed the people in detention. A brain, an athlete, a basket case, a princess and a criminal. I walked to the front desk aside from the jock and princess and sat down. Vernon was in front of my table with a pencil and paper, "You will be writing an essay." He placed them down; I looked to the pencil and paper, then up to him. I hated this man, he'd done nothing but put me down ever since he'd met me. Before he even knew me at the start of the year he was degrading me. "I hate you." Vernon expected this from me, so a simple smirk lit his face, "See you next Saturday, Alice." I sneered at him and watched him leave.

The room was silent; I shoved my chair back and leaned it backwards on its back legs. "That man… is a brownie hound." I glanced round to the criminal and stared at him for a minute, he looked interesting. As he turned around he caught my gaze, I quickly broke it and turned back to the front, swinging on my chair. We all tried to get comfortable, but a loud snapping sound began filling the room. I looked around as did everyone else in shock and disgust; I was mostly in shock that her nails could make that noise. "You keep eating your hand and you're not gonna be hungry for lunch…" I knew the girl as Allison, in fact I knew everyone in here. She spat out part of her nail at Bender, but it missed. "I've seen you before, you know…" Bender spoke. Vernon leaned out of his office for a moment before moving back in.

A couple of minutes passed and nothing really happened, Brian the dork began speaking to himself but I didn't take too much notice. I tapped my pencil against my fingers and thought about everything and nothing. I glance to the side when I hear a crumple of paper and see it fly through Claire and Andrew. They look at the paper but ignore Bender, soon I hear him start to 'sing', I frown and roll my eyes, increasing my tapping. "I can't believe this is really happening to me…" I groaned silently to myself, I didn't want to be here for eight hours. "Oh shit!" I glanced around to Bender, wondering what he had forgotten, "What're we supposed to do if we have to take a piss?" Claire turned back around muttering under her breath, I only smirked and rolled my eyes. "If you gotta go…" we all hear the unzipping of a zipper, "You gotta go." Claire suddenly looks around disgusted by the idea, "Oh my god!" Andrew then turns around, "Hey, you're not urinating in here man!" Bender quickly shushed him, "Don't talk! Don't talk! It makes it crawl back up!" Andrew scowled and leaned forwards slightly, "You whip it out and you're dead before the first drop hits the floor!" I found it quite disgusting they were still on this topic. I heard Bender gasp, "You're pretty sexy when you get angry… grrr!"

"Hey homeboy…" I could only think he was talking to Brian, "Why don't you go close that door. We'll get the prom queen and the hater impregnated." I could only think he was talking about me that time. Instead of retorting or making any movement I stayed still, ignoring his insults and names. "Hey." Andrew half yelled at Bender, obviously he was ignoring him as Andrew shouted again, "Hey." Bender finally spoke back, "What?" annoyance was quickly building in me, "If I lose my temper, you're totalled man!" that saying always annoyed me the most, "Totally?" Bender retorted, "Totally!" Andrew confirmed. "Why don't you just shut up?! Nobody here is interested!" Claire snidely remarked. "Really! Buttface." I rolled my eyes and leant forwards, placing my head on the desk. "Well hey sporto! What'd you go to get in here? Forget to wash your jock?" I could already tell an argument would be starting soon, "Um, excuse me, fellas? I think we should just write our papers…" I blocked the rest of the conversation off, it was increasingly boring and I had enough arguments at home.

I only looked around when I heard movement, Bender had hoisted himself up onto the railing, "What do you say we close that door. We can't have any kind of party with Vernon checking us out every few seconds." Brian piped up from behind me, "Well, you know the door's supposed to stay open…" Bender shrugged his shoulders, I picked up my pencil again and began to spin it around my finger "So what?" Bender looked to Brian, "So why don't you just shut up! There's five other people in here you know…" Bender smirked, "Good, you can count. See! I knew you had to be smart to be a… a wrestler." I sat up and leaned my head on my arm facing them, "Who the hell are you to judge anybody anyway?" there was a pause, "You know, Bender… you don't even count. I mean if you disappeared forever it wouldn't make any difference. You may as well not exist at this school." That was harsh; I stopped the pencil and broke it in half. Bender was clearly upset but didn't let it show too much, Andrew and Claire looked round to me. I threw the broken pencils in their direction but didn't say anything; they both gave me an odd look. "Well… I'll just run right out and join the wrestling team." I heard a laugh from both Claire and Andrew.

I had phased out yet again and soon came back into reality when Bender jumped up again; I hardly noticed he'd gotten down. "You know there's not supposed to be any monkey business!" Brian called from behind me, I glanced round to him before watching Bender, "Young man… have you finished your paper?!" Bender peeked into the hallway, looking left and right before unscrewing the screw from the double doors that separated the hall from the library. "What are you gonna do?" Claire asked, "Drop dead I hope." Andrew snidely remarked. With the screw out the door slams shut behind Bender as he runs back to his seat, "That's very funny, come on, fix it!" Andrew turned around, "You should really fix that!" even Brian was worried. "Am I a genius?" I muttered a yes under my breath, but Andrew covered it with his opinion, "No, you're an asshole!" I rolled my eyes, "What a funny guy." Bender spoke, "Fix the door!" Andrew sounded like he was losing his temper, "Everyone just shhh! I've been here before; I know what I'm doing." He waved his hands a little and sat smugly, "No! Fix the door, get up there and fix it!" I almost jumped out of my seat when Bender yelled, "Shut up!"

We soon see Vernon open the door and storm in, "Why is that door closed?" no one says anything, "Why is that door closed?" he asked again looking over all of us, "How're we supposed to know? We're not supposed to move, right?" Vernon turns to Claire, "Why?" there's a moment of silence, everyone's wondering what she'll say, "We were just sitting here, like we were supposed to…" my respect for Claire increased slightly, "Who closed that door?" Vernon was looking at Bender, "I think a screw fell out of it…" even Andrew came in on it, "It just closed, sir." Seeing he was getting nothing from the others, and I highly doubted he'd ask me, he looked to Allison at the back. "Who?" I heard a squeak and then a slight thud. "She doesn't talk, sir…" Bender pointed out. "Give me the screw." Vernon commanded Bender, "I don't have it…" Bender replied, "You want me to yank you outta that seat and shake it out of you?" Vernon took a step forwards, "I don't have it… screws fall out all of the time, the world's an imperfect place…" Bender acted cool, "Give it to me Bender." Vernon's voice took on a harsh tone, "Excuse me, sir." Vernon and everyone else in the room looked to me. This was the first time I'd spoken up since I'd sat down, "Why would anybody want to steal a screw?" I slowly looked round to him, "Watch it, you little brat…" I sneered at him before tapping my fingers on the desk.

Vernon then walks over to the door and tries to wedge it open with a chair, "The door's way too heavy, sir." Bender speaks up, Vernon as usual doesn't listen and when he lets go the door slams shut. "God Damnit!" the small group laugh before the door is yanked open again. "Andrew Clark… get up here. Come on, front and centre, let's go." Vernon's clicking fingers made me want to snap them clean off, "Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up? If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy!" Vernon ignores Bender and they try to get the magazine rack in front of the door. "Okay, now, watch the magazines!" once it's in the middle of the door, it's basically blocking the whole doorway, even Andrew can't get over it. "That's really clever sir. But what if there's a fire? I think that's violating the fire codes and endangering the lives of children would be unwise at this juncture in your career, sir." I spoke sweetly. Vernon looked back to the magazine rack before clicking his fingers at Andrew again, "Alright, what are you doing with this? Get this outta here for God's sake! What's the matter with you? Come on!" the fact that Vernon was blaming Andrew for this was strange. "Let's go… go! Get back into your seat." Andrew sat down and we all looked up to Vernon, "I expected a little more from a varsity letterman!"

He then turned to Bender, "You're not fooling anybody, Bender! The next screw that falls out it's gonna be you!" I scoffed a little and Vernon turned his rage to me, "And you. You think he's so funny, well let's see how funny you think he is when you're joining him for all his detentions. Everyone he gets, you get." I scowled about to argue but he cut me off by turning and walking away, "Eat my shorts." I turned round to Bender as he mumbled, "What was that?" Bender looked up to him, "Eat my shorts!" he spoke louder, and Vernon scowled. "You just bought yourself another Saturday, mister!" wait, that meant I had another one! "Oh, Christ…" Bender rolled his eyes and crossed his arms, "You just bought one more right there." "Well I'm free the Saturday after that… beyond that, I'm gonna have to check my calendar!" "Good! 'Cause it's gonna be filled, we'll keep going'! You want another one? Say the word, just say the word! Instead of going to prison, you'll come here! Are you through?" there was a silence; I knew he wasn't going to stay that way, "No!" "I'm doing society a favour!" "So?" "That's another one, right now! I've got you for the rest of your natural born life if you don't watch your step! You want another one?" I was shaking my head hoping he'd see me, "Yes!" I slapped my hand against my forehead, "You got it! You got another one, right there! That's another one pal!" I couldn't even count how many he'd got, "Cut it out!" I almost yelled, Vernon looked round to me and then back to Bender, "You through?" there was a silence, "Not even close, bud!" I shook my head, "Good! You got one more, right there!" "Do you really think I give a shit?!" "Another…"

Bender glared daggers at Vernon, "You through?" I crossed my fingers hoping he'd stay quiet, "How many is that?" I didn't even want to know, "That's seven including the one when we first came in and you asked Mr Vernon here whether Barry Manilow knew that you raided his closet." Brian spoke up, "Now it's eight." He turned to Brian, "You stay out of this." To Bender, "Excuse me, sir, it's seven!" back to Brian, "Shut up, Peewee!" back to Bender. "You're mine Bender… for two months I gotcha! I gotcha!" Vernon began backing up, "What can I say? I'm thrilled!" Bender retorted, "Oh, I'm sure that's exactly what you want these people to believe. You know something, Bender? You ought to spend a little more time trying to do something with yourself and a little less time trying to impress people. You might be better off." He then caught sight of me, "And that means two months detention for you as well. Think he's funny now?" I avoided his glare. "Alright, that's it! I'm going to be right outside those doors. The next time I have to come in here...I'm cracking skulls!" I mouth at the same time as Vernon, he's always so predictable. As he slammed the door shut in an instant both me and Bender yelled, "Fuck you!"

After that little scene my mood had changed, I now hated the prospect of staying here. Maybe after this I could run away, never come back. I glanced up at the clock, quarter to eight. I looked around, Bender was setting his shoe on fire and lighting his cigarette, Claire was sat day dreaming, Brian was… I didn't know what Brian was doing and neither did I know for Allison, and Andrew was playing paper football. Everyone was eventually dozing off; even I was feeling the effects of boredom. I stood up and stretched my arms and legs out, "Where are you going?" Andrew asked, I looked down to him, "Nowhere." I wandered around the small area for a while before changing seats and sitting at the back, behind Bender. "You're a dick." I commented as he put his shoe out. He looked round to me, smirking. "Don't be moody; we've got a whole two months together." I scowled slightly and flicked a piece of paper at him, he batted it away. Feeling the effects of sleep I slipped onto the table top and curled up, I was small enough to fit on, I used my bag as a pillow and laid my head down.

After waking up with Bender's face almost pushed against mine we all got the chance to use the toilet, once we got back Vernon left us to our own devices. I went to sit on the side and Bender joined me, he picked up a book and began tearing it to shreds. "That's real intelligent." Andrew mocked, "You're right, it's wrong to destroy literature…" He continues to tear out pages, "It's such fun to read… and, Molet really pumps my nads." Claire looked up to him, "Mol-yare." She corrected his pronunciation; Bender glared at Claire who sniggered slightly, "I love his work." Bender threw the rest of the book at Brian, he then picks up a card catalogue drawer and begins to muddle the cards up. I glanced over to him, "Big deal… nothing to do when you're locked in vacancy." Andrew looked to him while stretching his limbs, "Speak for yourself." Bender scoffed a little, "Do you think I'd speak for you? I don't even know your language!" he joked, but Andrew ignored him and turned to Claire. "Hey, you grounded tonight?" Claire shrugs, I glance over to Bender seeing him staring intently at the back of Andrew's head. Did Bender like Claire? I wouldn't have thought that. "I don't know, my mom said I was but my dad told me to just blow her off." Andrew glanced round to Bender, who looked to him. He then turned back to Claire. "Big party at Stubbies, parents are in Europe. Should be pretty wild…" Claire seemed a little interested, and Bender began slamming the cards into the drawer "Yeah?" "Yeah, can you go?" Claire looked a little saddened; Bender continued to slam the cards in. "I doubt it…" "How come?" "Well 'cause if I do what my mother tells me not to do, it's because my father says it's okay. There's like this whole big monster deal, it's endless and it's a total drag. It's like any minute... divorce..." princess really knew how to moan about her 'terrible' life.

I scoffed slightly, Bender glanced over to me, "Who do you like better?" Claire looked up and Bender broke his gaze from me to look at Claire, "What?" Claire asked frowning, "You like your old man better than your mom?" Claire shrugged her shoulders, "They're both strict." She whined yet again, "No, I mean if you had to choose between them." I thought about the question, I guess I wouldn't choose either of my parents. "I dunno, I'd probably go live with my brother. I mean, I don't think either one of them gives a shit about me...it's like they use me just to get back at each other." There was a small silence before a loud noise came from the back of the room, we all looked to Allison as she leaned back and blew her hair from her face, grinning. "Shut up!" Claire yelled back. I scowled a little, "You're only feeling sorry for yourself…" Bender glanced to me along with the others, "Yeah, well if I didn't nobody else would." I rolled my eyes, "Oh you're breaking my heart…" Andrew spoke, "Sporto." Andrew looked to Bender, "What?" Bender jumped down from the railing after throwing the cards behind him and stood in front of him, "You get along with your parents?" "Well if I say yes, I'm an idiot right?" Bender jumped over the railing and stood in front of him.

"You're an idiot anyway… but if you say you get along with your parents well you're a liar too!" I smirked slightly; as Bender walked away I jumped down from the side and leant against the railing. I caught sight of Andrew pushing Bender's shoulder, "You know something, man… if we weren't in school right now, I'd waste you!" Bender points his middle finger to the floor, "Can you hear this? Want me to turn it up." Bender flips his hand and gives Andrew the middle finger, I chuckled lightly. Brian came into the scene and placed a hand on both Andrews and Bender's shoulder, both of them shook him off. "Hey fellas, I mean…" Andrew gave Bender a harsh glare which he only returned; I walked around so I was in the same area as they were. "...I don't like my parents either, I don't...I don't get along with them...their idea of parental compassion is just, you know, wacko!" Brian spoke after Andrew pushed pass him. Bender looked at Brian, "Dork…" "Yeah?" "You are a parent's wet dream, okay?" he patted Brian's shoulder before walking away. "Well that's a problem!" Brian spoke standing forwards, Bender turned around, "Look, I can see you getting all bunged up for them making you wear these kinda clothes. But face it; you're a Neo-Maxi-Zoom-Dweebie! What would you be doing if you weren't out making yourself a better citizen?" Bender commented.

"Why do you have to insult everybody?" Brian dropped his head down and Bender seemed annoyed when Andrew spoke, "I'm trying to be honest, asshole! I would expect you, to know the difference." Andrew scowled, "Yeah well, he's gotta name!" Bender looked to Brian and then Andrew, "Yeah?" "Yeah." He then turned to Brian, "What's your name?" I scoffed and the boys looked at me, "You don't even know his name and you're trying to play that game. His name is Brian." I pointed out, Brian smiled slightly. "See." Andrew spoke; I still couldn't believe Andrew was trying to play on Brian's side. "My condolences." Bender apologised to Brian. He began to walk back to the front of the tables, "What's your name?" Claire asked, Bender stood in front of her desk, "What's yours?" "Claire." Bender looked a little disgusted, "Ka-Laire?" Claire looked to him, "Claire...it's a family name!" Claire pointed out, "No...It's a fat girl's name!" Claire tried not to react "Well thank you..." "You're welcome..." it seemed Bender was being serious and Claire only just realised this, "I'm not fat!" she exclaimed. "Well not at present but I could see you really pushing maximum density! You see, I'm not sure if you know this...but there are two kinds of fat people. There's fat people that were born to be fat, and then there's fat people that were once thin but they became fat...so when you look at them you can sorta see that thin person inside! You see, you're gonna get married, you're gonna squeeze out a few puppies and then, uh..." Bender explained, he mimes becoming fat, making noises. Claire simply gives him the finger. Bender pretended to be shocked "Oh...obscene finger gestures from such a pristine girl!" Claire spoke resentfully "I'm not that pristine!"

"Are you a virgin?" Bender asked leaning down, I looked up, this conversation was taking a strange turn. I stood up and shuffled over to Ali and sat down next to her. "Are you a virgin?" he asked again "I'll bet you a million dollars that you are! Let's end the suspense! Is it gonna be... a white weddin'?" Claire scowled and quickly retorted, "Why don't you just shut up?" "Have you ever kissed a boy on the mouth? Have you ever been felt up? Over the bra, under the blouse, shoes off...hoping to God your parents don't walk in?" Claire is getting upset, that's easy to see, but the rest of the room was staring intently at the conversation. "Do you want me to puke?" Bender continued, "Over the panties, no bra, blouse unbuttoned, Calvin's in a ball on the front seat past eleven on a school night?" I didn't even realise I was getting a little flustered, hearing Bender play that scene out in my head, wow. "Leave her alone!" Andrew commanded, Bender shifted and Claire followed his gaze, when Bender didn't move Andrew stood up and walked over to him and Claire. "I said leave her alone!" Bender snapped to Andrew, "You gonna make me?" both Bender and Andrew stood in front of each other, staring each other down. "Yeah…" I went to stand up when Ali grabbed my hand and pulled me down. I looked to her and she shook her head 'no', when I turn around again, Andrew is holding Bender against the floor. I clenched the knife in my pocket, "I don't wanna get into this with you man." Bender pointed out, I had a thought that Bender had some kind of weapon on him.

Andrew gets up and allowed Bender to stand, "Why not?" Bender began walking to the back of the room, where I and Ali sat. "'Cause I'd kill you...It's real simple. I'd kill you and your fucking parents would sue me and it would be a big mess and I don't care enough about you to bother." I watched him curiously; Andrew mumbled "Chicken shit." Under his breath, he then began to turn and walk away back to his seat, Bender then took out his switchblade. The sound made Andrew and the others look to him in shock, I glanced round to him, he was extremely close to me with that blade. He slammed the knife into the desk right in front of me; I stared down at it in shock. Memories flushed through my mind of when my father would threaten me with the blade. "Let's end this right now. You don't talk to her… you don't look at her and you don't even think about her! You understand me!" Andrew spoke as Ali reached over and took the knife out of my view; I only came back to the world when it was gone. "I'm trying to help her." No one said anything after that.

Bender was wandering around the room; he hadn't noticed his knife was gone yet. Andrew was sitting in a little hole of self-pity, and the others were up to what they were doing before. I sighed and swapped seats again, moving back to my original seat at the front. I picked my pencil up and began to doodle on the paper, images of fires and angry faces, smashed glasses and broken plates. "That's some morbid stuff." I looked around to see Bender hovering over my shoulder; I looked back to my paper and shrugged. "I guess… much worse when it's real." I hushed the last part under my breath, but I had a guess that Bender heard it. Even if he did, he didn't say anything about it. He took a seat next to me and swung back on his chair, I could feel him looking at me, constantly. I turned around in my seat and looked at him, "What?" the others soon looked over, "Nothing." He spoke simply, but continued to stare. "What?" I asked again, this time sternly. In an instant he'd leaned forwards in his chair and our faces almost smashed together, if it wasn't for me leaning back slightly. "Who are you?" I frowned slightly my lips opening a little, "Why'd you care?" I asked, he smirked a little his eyes lighting up, "Who are you?" I paused, "Alice Riddle." He tilted his head to the side, I tried to stop myself but my eyes darted down to his lips, when I looked back up in a second he was smiling to himself.