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Disclaimer: Don't own, just the plot.

~paperbackwriter9

"So, where are we headed?" I asked, while looking out the window, feeling the cool breeze on my face.

"It's a secret," he said and smiled. I thought that being in the same car with him would terrify me, but it didn't, not at all. The silence wasn't too awkward, but I wanted to talk to him.

"Um," I started.

"We don't need to talk, just relax," and I turned red with embarrassment. John reached over and turned up the stereo, the music that blasted out did not sound like what I expected.

Will you stand above me
Look my way, never love me
Rain keeps falling

"Uhh," he mumbled and tried changing the stations.

"Pay attention to the road!" I yelled and he swerved out of the other lane. I stared at the car in front of me with my eyes wide open.

"Relax cherry, I wasn't going to crash," and I could feel him looking over at me. What was I thinking? Ditching school with John Bender? What was I doing?

"Pull over," I said softly. Either he ignored me or didn't hear so I repeated it louder, "Pull over."

"Why?"

"I should not have ditched school, this is wrong!" I yelled at him and he frowned. What the hell was I thinking? The almost crash had brought me back to my senses. What were people going to say tomorrow?

John looked at me and then pulled the car over to the side of the road. We were almost headed onto the highway. "Okay, what now cherry?"

"First, stop calling me that, and second, I want to go back." He looked at me and then started laughing. Ugh!

John turned in his seat and looked at me. "You're telling me that you want to go back to school?" He asked with a disgusted tone. Before I said yes or anything, I looked out the window. The plus side of ditching was that I didn't need to see my appearance obsessed friends, and I could forget that stupid divorce, and affair. Then I thought of the negatives, and came up with none, because John was good looking and – "Yes or no?"

"Uh, yeah, I mean yes, wait I mean no," I forgot the question, and instead of asking again, John just turned the car back on and headed onto the highway.

The ride was relaxing, but I still had no idea on where we were headed to. "John?"

"Hmm?"

"Were are we going?"

"You'll see," and he smiled.

"I swear if your taking me to any place that's-" Actually I didn't know where he hung out, and the ideas I had were too stereotypical. I didn't need him to make fun of me any more then he had.

Almost as if he had read my mind, he said, "Were do you think I would take you?" I didn't say anything, and he laughed. "Where do you think me and my friends hang out?"

"Well… I don't know," and I really wished I hadn't asked him where we were headed to.

"Come on, let's hear it," and he looked at me with a smirk. He knew that I knew when I told him my ideas; it would make me look like even more of a princess and a snob. But he was expecting those kinds of answers, so I hoped he wouldn't laugh.

"Um, someone's basement? Heavy metal clubs? The alley's where you get high?" I could keep going, but he wasn't laughing.

"Well cherry, you and your friends think you know everything right?"

"No, you made me say what I thought!"

"What else do you think of me?"

I wanted to ask about those girls I say in his wallet, I really did. But the atmosphere in the car had already turned awkward enough, so I didn't say another word. "Want to know what I think of you?" He said I felt myself freeze, this would be harsh.

"Okay," I said unsure.

"You hang out in malls; fancy restaurants and parties, and sleepovers in giant bedrooms the size of my house. You probably sleep with a credit card next to your head too."

"Shut up John," and he smirked at me.

"Well, I'm sure a pristine girl like you has never drank, smoked, or had sex then right?" My cheeks turned red, and I felt this 'game' was heading downhill.

"So what, at least people won't be able to call me a drunk, or a slut then. What about you John? Don't you care what people call you? Besides a burn out?"

He didn't say anything, and we were headed off the highway. I recognized where we were, this was near the beach. Was he seriously taking me there? I loved the beach, but John? That did not fit his image at all, and then I told myself to shut up. I really needed to stop judging him with what fit his 'image.'

When he parked in the almost empty parking lot, he said nothing and got out. I opened the car door and felt the cold breeze on my face. It was just cold enough to need a thin coat, and I noticed that John wasn't wearing any coat. "Aren't you cold?" Again he didn't say anything and started walking down towards the beach.

In order to get to the beach, you had to walk down a pathway that turned and curved. It was big enough that a car hauling a boat could come down too. The walls surrounding the drive were made of stone, and if you hopped up and walked on them, you could see the way down to the beach.

I wished I had worn different shoes, because I would wreck my boots in the sand. Listen to yourself! I had to break away from my own 'image.'

As I walked down, John was in front of me and I took my time admiring the view from where I was. "Hurry up princess!" He headed up through the plants and off the drive, instead of down to the beach. Suddenly I was scared, was this heading to a place where there would be other burn outs that were going to make me drink and get high?

But something in me said that John wouldn't take me here if it was… maybe.

So I followed him up and through the small trees and plants. "Over here," and he was sitting on a stone ledge that had a clear view of the lake. It was so pretty, and I almost forgot this was John that I was with.

I sat down next to him and we said nothing. It was so relaxing, I almost forgot about my family and friends. I leaned on his shoulder and he didn't push me away. He cleared his throat and I sat up. "Sorry," I said quietly and awkwardly.

"Sit like this," he said and turned so we sat back to back, leaning on each other. I could not believe this was happening, John and I sitting together.

"Do you bring those other girls here?" I blurted out and wished I could tape my mouth together, but I was dying to know.

"No," he answered softly, "no one knows I come here, except you." Then I heard him laugh, "Your very interested in those other girls aren't you? Jealous even?"

"I'm not…" I didn't see a good reason to lie to him; after all, he brought me to a place that only he knew about. "Yes, I guess I am a little jealous. It's just that the way you talk about them, it's no fair. I don't want to be just another one of them."

"Uhh, Claire, your not," and when he said my name, my heart skipped a beat. "But I don't think this will work."

"Why not?"

"I'm not good enough for you. I've never really had just one girlfriend. Or a steady girlfriend at all. I don't know if I can…"

"I have never had a boyfriend, so don't start with that stuff."

"You never gone out with those jocks?"

"Nope," and I smiled.

"Why not?"

"They're not exciting enough, I don't know, why do you care?"

"I'm plenty exciting enough, if you like guys that get looked down on and in trouble just for breathing," and then silence, this issue defiantly hit a nerve of his.

I wanted to start another conversation, it really was interesting talking to John, "How did you find this place?"

He cleared his throat and sighed, "I run away once after I got into a fight with my parents, and headed toward the beach. Instead I wandered up here, and that's it. I came here when I fought with them."

"Do you fight with them a lot?" I asked and remember that cigar burn he had showed us in detention, and I shivered.

"Yeah… I fucking hate them," and he sighed.

"My parents are getting a divorce; my mom has been having an affair for awhile now. I hate them," I said and felt a release, almost as if some kind of pressure was lifted off of my chest.

"I hope you don't move away," he said, and that statement took me by surprise and he laughed nervously.

"I won't, believe me."

After a few minutes in silence he stood up and offered his hand. I took it and stood next to him. "Try this," and he breathed in deeply. "FUCK YOU!" John yelled out, facing the beach. I laughed and he turned to me, "It feels good to get it out."

"I don't know…"

"Try it," and he smiled.

I took in a deep breathe and yelled as loud as I could, "FUCK ALL OF THEM!" And John was right, it felt good, like another release of pressure.

"Fuck you too!" We heard someone yell from way down on the beach. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was nice to have someone feel the same way as you, and be away from all the people looking down on us for different reasons.

"Claire," and I turned to him. He kissed me hard on the lips and I kissed him back, grabbing his hair and felt a rush of happiness. He broke the kiss and smiled at me. "I think I want to try your way, the one guy one girl thing."

"That's good news," and I smiled. He kissed me again and suddenly a car's horn made me jump. The lights were bright enough to shine through the trees and John looked through, keeping me back.

"Shit, we have to get out of here," he looked behind us. The atmosphere had changed so fast, and this relaxing place felt like a danger zone.

"Your friends?" I asked confused at what was happening.

He shook his head no, "These guy's are up to no good."

"Like what?" But he wouldn't answer me. "Like what?" I asked louder and he covered my mouth with his hand.

"Like dealers, and guys loaded with guns and knifes," and he looked down off the ledge.

I felt my stomach do flip flops, "How do you know them?"

"I don't know them personally, but I've seen them, and I don't know why they're here, but we have to leave, now." The only way that was clearly an exit was jumping of the ledge; it was only about three feet down, but down onto the slope of small trees and plants.

"John, I can't jump- " He grabbed my hand and I was in the air, scared for my dear life.

Thank you for reading =)