A/N: Just a little John/Claire fluff that takes place a few months before their detention. Happy Holidays!

"You have to kiss someone tonight, Claire," Karen shouted over the pleading lyrics of Dexy's Midnight Runners. "If you don't, your love life is going to be cursed for a whole year and you'll never find a boyfriend."

"I still think it's a stupid superstition," Claire yelled back, though she wasn't sure she wanted to take any chances. She had been unlucky in the love department that year and she wanted things to go better in the new year. That's why she agreed to come to the party.

Karen pulled her over to a quieter corner of the room. "You're just saying that because you're nervous. Don't worry, Laurie will find some hunky football player for you."

"That's exactly what has me worried," Claire protested. "I'm not sure I want to just kiss some random football player I don't even know."

"It's not like you have to go out with him or anything," Karen pointed out. "Just kiss him. That's it. Start the year off right."

"I guess," Claire said in defeat. "I'm going to go check out what's in the kitchen as long as I'm just standing here waiting. Do you want anything?"

Karen shook her head. "No, I'm good. I'll come find you if anything exciting happens."

Claire made her way through the crowd and into the kitchen. She looked around and saw a big plastic bin filled with ice and stuffed with cans of soda. She surveyed the contents and frowned slightly when she didn't see what she wanted.

"Looking for something specific?" a voice asked.

Claire was startled and turned around. Her gaze met the brown eyes of a handsome guy who was sitting on the kitchen counter eating a plate of food. There were two cans of Coke next to him, one of which was unopened.

"I was looking for a Coke. But I think you might have taken the last two," Claire flirted, hoping he didn't mind being teased.

"Maybe I knew you were coming and I saved the last one for you," he flirted back, shoveling a large forkful of pasta salad into his mouth.

Claire eyed the guy warily. "Did you?"

He shrugged and set his plate of food down. "It's yours if you want it." He held out the unopened can in front of him.

Claire walked over to him and when she reached out to take the can, her fingertips brushed lightly against his. The contact sent a jolt of electricity through her body. The guy looked at her oddly and she wondered if he felt it too.

"Thank you," she said, smiling warmly at him. He returned her smile and Claire felt her heart flutter. She leaned back against the counter next to the guy and popped open her soda can.

"So, this is some party, huh?" the guy asked.

Claire picked up on his sarcasm and wondered if she had found a kindred spirit. "Yeah, I don't know why I bother coming to Thomas' parties either. Did you go to Stubby's last party? That one was awesome," she said and then added, "And the music was so much better." If she never heard 'Beat It' again, she wouldn't be upset.

"You're not a Michael Jackson fan, I take it?"

Claire shook her head and took a pretzel from the guy's plate. "I'm not really into pop music," she confessed, not meeting his eyes. She crunched somewhat nervously on the pretzel as she waited for his reaction. It felt strange finally admitting that out loud. She listened to pop with her friends, but her favorite records were the ones she borrowed from her older brother's collection.

"Ah," he replied knowingly, "Country more your thing?"

"No," Claire laughed, immediately feeling at ease with him. "More like Def Leppard, Aerosmith, and Iron Maiden. You know, bands like that." She took another pretzel and watched his face light up in surprise.

"Really?" he asked.

He genuinely seemed interested, which was nice for a change. Most of the people she knew cringed at the mention of anything remotely heavy metal. Claire nodded excitedly, "Yeah, definitely. My brother had tickets to see Def Leppard last year, but he took his friends instead of me. I was so mad that I refused to talk to him for a week."

The guy took a sip of his Coke as he listened, and when he tilted his head back, the light reflected off his ear and Claire realized it was pierced. He was wearing a small, silver lightning bolt earring, which she found incredibly attractive, even though she'd never been fond of piercings on men before.

"Did he ever make it up to you?" he asked, interrupting her thoughts.

"Nope," she said, popping the last pretzel into her mouth.

"Bummer."

"Yeah." Claire looked down at the plate as she reached for a potato chip and realized that it wasn't hers. "Oh god, I just ate like half of your food."

The guy chuckled. "I was wondering when you'd notice."

"Sorry," Claire blushed. "I just saw it there and went for it."

"Don't worry about it," he said. "You look like you could use it more than me."

Still feeling somewhat embarrassed, Claire changed the subject, "So, what about you? Do you always hide out in the kitchen?"

"I wasn't hiding, I was waiting."

"For what?"

"For you," he leered.

"Puh-lease," she rolled her eyes.

"No, really," he grinned, "I like to rescue damsels in distress."

She raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Damsels who are distressed by the lack of beverage choices?"

He shrugged. "Whatever works."

"And have you rescued many?"

The guy hopped down off the counter and leaned in close. "No, you're my first."

"Good," she said in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Claire?" Karen called out as she opened the kitchen door.

The guy immediately pulled away and Claire thought she might have to murder her friend.

"I'll come find you at midnight," he said, low voice humming in her ear, and then grabbed his drink off the counter and left.

Karen watched him leave and then turned back to Claire and gave her a sheepish look. "Sorry, I didn't mean to interrupt anything."

Claire sighed wistfully. "You didn't," she assured her. "What's up?"

"Well, I just wanted to let you know that Laurie found a guy you might be interested in, but from the looks of it, you've already found your own."

"Yeah, except I have no idea who he is," Claire said. "He looked sort of familiar, don't you think?"

Karen thought for a moment. "Is he Chris Miller's cousin? The one that goes to Northbrook High? He mentioned he was bringing him."

"Maybe." But Claire wasn't sure that was it. She almost felt like she had seen him hanging around school before. She stared thoughtfully down at the soda he'd given her, but it offered no answers.

XXX

"What the hell took you so long, Bender?" Jason asked as he looked at John's empty left hand. "And where's my Coke?"

"They were all out," John replied in his most serious tone. Technically, it was true. His friend didn't need to know that he'd given it away.

"And it took you fifteen minutes to figure that out?" Jason asked.

"No, I got distracted by a cherry ripe for the taking."

Jason's forgiveness was instantaneous. "Really? Who is it?"

"That redhead that we always see in the parking lot in the morning."

"Drives a BMW?"

John nodded.

"Niiice," Jason said approvingly. "How far did you get?"

"I didn't even make it up to bat. Her friend interrupted us. I'm gonna look for her again later if no one else catches my eye."

"Uh, there may be a problem with that. I think that guy, Thomas, recognized me."

"Impossible," John stated, looking down at the oxford shirt and khaki pant combination he was wearing. They had gone through a lot of trouble to obtain clothes they wouldn't normally wear.

Jason pulled at the cuffs of his sweater. "Well, maybe he didn't know who I was, but he definitely looked at me funny. I think we should bolt while we still can. And you know, while we still have our limbs intact."

"Yeah," John replied, but his attention was on the redhead across the room who was talking to her friends. She was stealing not-so-subtle glances in his direction.

"Bender, were you even listening?"

John snapped his eyes back to his friend. "Huh? Yeah. It's a lame party anyway. There's just one thing I've gotta to do first." He left Jason and navigated his way over to the other side of the room. He caught the redhead's attention as he walked by her and nodded toward the hallway. He prayed she got the hint.

XXX

Without hesitation, Claire excused herself and went after the guy with the earring. When she found him, he pulled her into the nearest open room, which happened to be the bathroom, and closed the door behind them. Claire's heart was racing with anticipation. She set her can of Coke on the counter next to his, and before she knew it, he was kissing her.

It wasn't at all gentle or tender, like Claire had expected. It was rough and needy and it turned her on like she never imagined a kiss could.

"You're a half-hour early," was all she could think to say when they finally broke apart and she caught her breath.

"Rules are meant to be broken," he replied. "Besides, it's midnight already in New York."

"Who are you?" she asked in a state of awe, convinced that he had to be a dream. She grazed her thumb over his bottom lip. His breath was hot and ragged. He certainly felt real.

He looked conflicted for a split second, but then answered, "Tonight? Whoever you want me to be."

The air of mystery that surrounded him added fuel to her attraction, and it no longer mattered who he was because they were kissing again, and all she needed to know at that moment was what he felt like. Her hands roamed across his chest and un-tucked his shirt so that she could snake her hands up underneath. She felt his sharp intake of breath as she touched his bare chest, and was suddenly aware of where this was quickly heading. It was exciting and frightening all at the same time.

She stilled her hands, wanting to slow things down, and asked him coyly, "Do you want to know my name?"

He grinned. "I don't need your name if I call you Red," he pressed a kiss against her jaw, "Or Cherry," he whispered, pressing a second kiss onto her earlobe, causing Claire's skin to tingle with goosebumps.

"I'm not a cherry," she told him.

He held her gaze, searching for something, and then smirked cockily. "Is that right?" he challenged.

Claire swallowed hard and nodded. It was a dangerous game they were playing and she wasn't sure she could win.

"So, then you've been touched here before?" he asked, trailing his fingers down her neck, pausing at the top button of her blouse before undoing it.

She didn't stop him, so he took that as permission to continue and slowly undid the rest, pulling her shirt open for better access.

"Tell me, Cherry, have you ever been felt up over the bra?" he asked, daring to brush his fingers across the pink lace.

Claire shivered, even though his touch was warm. "Lots of times," she lied.

He slipped a hand past the waistband of her skirt and slid it further down until it reached its target. "And how many guys have touched you here?" he wondered.

Claire wrapped her arms around him and buried her head in his neck. She couldn't think. Did she still have to keep up the pretense? "Just you," she let slip. The guy responded to that revelation by pressing harder, and Claire clung to him tighter as an involuntary shudder took over her body. "Amazing," she breathed.

"You're not so bad either," he teased.

A loud knock startled them both back into reality. "Hurry up! I gotta go," said the voice on the other side of the door. It sounded urgent.

Claire loosened her hold on the guy, but was reluctant to let go completely. She felt as if the moment she let go, he would disappear from her life.

"Always getting interrupted," he sighed.

"It's probably for the best," she said. "I'm sure my friends are wondering what happened to me."

He nodded in agreement, but didn't move.

Claire took the initiative and kissed him this time. She intended it to be slow and romantic, but it instead turned into something bittersweet. When they pulled apart, Claire knew it was probably for the last time.

The guy watched her with a strange look on his face as she smoothed her hair and started buttoning up her blouse.

Finally, he spoke, "Hey, you know, I heard Aerosmith is coming here in July. Maybe—"

Claire glanced expectantly up at him, thinking he was going to suggest that they could go together.

Instead, he looked down at the floor and said, "You should tell your brother. Make him take you as payback."

"I should." She hid her disappointment as she tucked her blouse back into her skirt. "Um…" She wanted to ask the guy if she'd see him again, but she didn't want to appear too clingy. So, instead, she picked up her Coke and said, "Here's hoping next year will be even better than this year."

The guy picked up his can and clinked it on hers. "I'll drink to that."

XXX

The redhead left after their toast and John immediately regretted not finding out her name. Something about her intrigued him. She stood out from all the rest and he'd actually believed for one brief second that he could ask her out.

John remembered how warm she felt pressed up against him, and how good she smelled. Then he recalled how she had smiled back at him, with her face still flushed, as she slipped out the door, and he quickly finished himself off.

When he exited the bathroom, he bumped into the owner of the urgent sounding voice. It was the preppy, loafer wearing kid who was in his English class.

"Bender? You were invited?"

"I wasn't not invited."

The kid stared at him blankly and John hurried away before he could work out what he'd said.

John soon found a relieved looking Jason. "Let's go," he told him.

"It's about damn time," Jason replied.

They grabbed their coats and walked toward Jason's car, which was parked around the corner. John ran a hand through his hair and groomed it back into his usual style. After taking all those measures to blend in, it had been a huge let down to find that the party wasn't as wild as they'd been led to believe it was going to be. The music was terrible, the people were boring, and there wasn't even any alcohol to make up for the first two. Finding out how the other half lived had been pretty disappointing.

"Hey, Bender, if I come up with any more bright ideas, just give me a kick in the nuts or something," Jason said glumly.

John chuckled. "It wasn't all bad," he said, thinking about the redhead. "You're just upset because you didn't get any."

"Speaking of which, how'd it go with the cherry?"

John shrugged off the question and replied simply, "We kissed."

"That's it? Did she know who you were?"

"Nah, she didn't recognize me and I didn't tell her."

"Can you imagine the look on her face, though, when she does figure it out?"

John smirked in amusement at the thought, but then quickly dismissed it and said, "She won't. It's not like we're ever going to see each other again."