Chapter 3 Lunchtime Confessions
Time never seemed to go by slower except at this very moment. No one was talking and no one seemed to want to bother anyone. It was quiet but it was far from peaceful. The tension between the six teens could be cut clean with butter knife. That was until John started whistling. Whether he was doing it out of boredom or just because he wanted to, it was all they needed to break the uncomfortable silence. Soon enough after he started, Brian joined in before there was a short pause between them. When they started again, the whole group, even Allison, joined in whistling the familiar song. It was one moment where they weren't arguing or quarreling, just a moment of harmony. This all came to an end when Vernon stepped into the room again and John started whistling Beethoven's Fifth.
"Alright girls, that's thirty minutes for lunch." He said.
"Here?" Andrew asked.
"Here." Vernon replied.
"Well I think the cafeteria would be a more suitable place for us to eat lunch in, sir." Andrew added.
"The change in scenery would be nice, sir." Patty said.
"Well, I don't care what either of you think." Vernon says.
"Uh, Dick? Excuse me, Rich?" John said. "Will milk be made available to us?"
"We're extremely thirsty sir." Andrew added.
"I have a very low tolerance for dehydration." Claire said. Patty silently chuckled.
"I've seen her dehydrate, sir. It's pretty gross." Andrew said. John then stands up.
"Relax. I'll get it." He said. Vernon quickly objected.
"Ah, ah, ah grab some wood there, bub!" He said. John grinned at that. "What do you think, I was born yesterday? You think I'm gonna have you roaming these halls?" He then points at Andrew and Allison. "You and you, hey, what's her name? Wake her! Wake her up! Come on, on your feet missy! Let's go, this us no rest home." Allison and Andrew get up. "There's a soft drink machine in the teacher's lounge. Let's go."
* * *
Patty, John, Brian and Claire were all now sitting next to the weird statue in the library while they waited for their drinks, with Claire being a little farther fram the others.
"Claire, you wanna see a picture of a guy with elephantitus of the nuts? It's pretty tasty." John says.
"No thank you." Claire replies quickly.
"How do you think he rides a bike?" Patty adds. Claire rolls her eyes and looks away in disgust, making Patty chuckle.
"Oh, Claire, would you ever consider dating a guy like this?" John asks.
"Can't you just leave me alone?" Claire asked in annoyance.
"What about you, Patty?" John said. Brian's attention tuned up as he looked over at her.
"Eh, I mean, if he had a great personality, is a good dancer, loves music and had a cool car, then sure. Although I'd probably have to ride in the back seat 'cause his nuts would ride shotgun." She said, chuckling. Brian let out a small smile at that.
"You know what I wish I was doing?" Claire spoke up.
"Let me guess, either London or France?" Patty said. Claire looked at her in surprise.
"How did you know?" She asked. Patty scoffed.
"Girl, I can read you like a book." She replied.
"Hey, Patty, you better watch it 'cause Brian here is a cherry." John says.
"A cherry?" Brian asks. "I'm not a cherry."
"When have you ever gotten laid?" John asks. Brian felt a lump in his throat as he felt Patty's gaze on him.
"I've laid lotsa times!" He said defensively.
"Name one." John said.
"She lives in Canada, met her at Niagra Falls. You wouldn't know her." Brian replied. Patty bit her lip to keep from smiling. She could tell he was trying to hard.
"Ever laid anyone around here?" John asked. Brian felt even more nervous he couldn't think. He looks over at Claire for a second. He looks back at John and points over at her timidly.
"Oh, you and Claire did it!" John says loudly. Claire turns her attention to them.
"What are you talking about?" She asks.
"Nothing, nothing!" Brian objects as he turns to John. "Let's just drop it. We'll talk about it later."
"No, drop what? What're you talking about?" Claire asks again.
"Brian just dug himself in a deep hole, Claire." Patty joins in. "He's trying to say he's not a virgin."
"He says that presently you and he are riding the hobby horse." John added.
"Little pig." Claire calls him.
"No, I'm not! I'm not!" Brian quickly objected. "John said I was a cherry and I said I wasn't, that's it, that's all that was said!"
"Well then what were you motioning to Claire for?" John asked.
"You know I don't appreciate this very much, Brian." Claire said.
"He is lying!" Brian replied.
"Oh, you weren't motioning to Claire?" John asked again. Brian turned to Patty desperately.
"You know he's lying, right?" He said. Patty chuckled.
"Look Brian, just answer the question. Were you or were you not motioning to Claire?" She said. Brian grew a little red.
"Yeah, but it was only..." He took in a shaky breath. "Was only because I didn't want you to know I was a virgin." There was silence after that. He could feel all their gazes on him. "Excuse me for being a virgin, I'm sorry." He blurted out. Claire then laughed.
"Why didn't you want Patty to know you were a virgin?" She asked.
"Because it's personal business. It's my personal, private business." Brian replied.
"Hey, don't feel too bad Cherry." John said. He then inched closer to him. "She hasn't done it either." Brian looked over at Patty in surprise.
"You... you haven't-" Before he could finish, Patty leaned over and pinched his mouth shut.
"Just keep this to yourself, ok?" She said. "I have a reputation to uphold." Brian awkwardly nodded and Patty let go. Brian rubbed his mouth a bit.
"So you've never done it? Why doesn't Bender make fun if you for it?" Claire suddenly asks. Patty's expression drastically changed and she looked very uncomfortable.
"That's none of your business." She replied.
"Is it just 'cause you're friends?" Claire persisted.
"Listen princess, she already said it's none of your business so just shut it." John jumped in.
"Then why do you make it such a big deal with me and Brian? What's your deal, Bender?" Claire asked.
"None of your business, Claire!" Patty suddenly yelled. She was breathing heavingly and she had glossy eyes. "When are you ever going to learn to stay out people's business? You nosy bitch!" She gets up from the table and walks away from them. The three of them sat in an awkward silance for a few seconds.
"You have no idea what the hell you just did." John said. "Why do you always gotta poke your nose in other people's shit? What the fuck do you get outta it?" Claire looked down as she fiddled with her hands.
"I don't know. It's just what I do." Claire said.
"You should really stop." Brian said. "'Cause that hurts a lot more than you think." He then got up from where he was sitting and headed off to where Patty went. He started hearing muffled music and he followed the sound. He soon found her sitting against the wall with her eyes close and her headphones in. The song was pretty loud and he could hear it loud and clear. It was Poison's Every Rose Has Its Thorn. It was the perfect song for the moment. Brian stepped a little closer when he heard the music stop and the tape pause.
"You've got heavy steps, you know." Patty suddenly said. She opened her eyes and looked at him. "What do you want?" She took her headphones off. Brian cleared his throat as he got closer.
"I just didn't want you to be alone." He replied.
"I appreciate it Brian, but I needed the alone time." Patty said. She groaned as she held her head. "That bitch. Always gotta find a new thing to gossip about."
"Yeah, I can see why you hate her now." Brian said. "I never really thought about it but it's a clear as day."
"What would that be?" Patty asked.
"She's a conceited bitch. Sound about right?" He said. Patty smiled and nodded.
"Yep, right on the ringer." She replied. She sighed as she leaned her head back against the wall. Brian didn't like seeing her so defeated. He's never known Patty to be like this.
"Hey, Cherries!" They both heard. They turned and saw John behind them. "Our drinks are here. Hurry up before Vernon has anything else to say."
"Ok, Johnny. I'll be in a sec." Patty replied. John nodded and turned to leave but looked over at Brian.
"You better not do anything that hurts her." He said before walking away. Brian chuckled at himself and turned to Patty.
"He's really protective of you." He commented. Patty smiled.
"Yeah. He's like a brother to me." She replied. She then stood up and started toward the tables with Brian following behind her.
* * *
Everyone brought their lunches except for John. Patty expected this, which is why she packed an extra pack of crackers in case he asked. Claire brought hers in a shopping bag and it happened to be a sushi platter. This made Patty chuckle slightly. What else would she expect from Claire?
"What's in there?" John asked.
"Guess. Where's your lunch?" Claire replied.
"You're wearing it." John joked. Patty bit her lips shut.
"You're nauseating." Claire said.John then grabs a coke and tosses it over to Allison, who amazingly catches it without looking up.
"What's that?" John asked Claire again.
"Sushi." Claire said.
"Sushi?"
"Rice, uh, raw fish and seaweed."
"You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth and you're gonna eat that?" Claire looked annoyed.
"Can I eat?" She asked.
"I don't know. Give it a try." John replies. Andrew then takes his lunch out, which included two sandwiches, a bag of potato chips, an apple, a banana, a bag of cookies and a carton of milk. Patty looked bewildered. How the hell does he fit all that inside him? Andrew notices both Bender and Patty staring at him.
"What's your problem?" He simply said. Patty then turned to her lunch. She heard behind her Allison's coke fizz over and he loud slurping. She shook her head. She didn't want to know what weird concoction she was making for herself. She heard her crunch something together and she starts eating. Then John slid over to her.
"What have we got here?" He asks.
"Well, I've got a PB and J, though there's more jelly 'cause the stupid fucks at home forgot to get a new jar." Patty explained. John nodded his head. "Then I've got some strawberries and some crackers. I packed an extra one for you." She held it out to him, which he gladly accepted.
"Always so thoughtful." He said. He then walked over to Brian and takes his lunch bag.
"What're we having?" He asks.
"Uh, it's your standard, regular lunch, I guess." Brian replied. John reaches in and pulls out a thermos and sets it on the table.
"Milk?" He asks.
"Soup." Brian corrects. John continues to search Brian's bag. Brian tries to reach in but John slaps his hand away. He then pulls out a juice box.
"That's a juice box." Brian said.
"I can read." John replied, taking one last look in his bag. "PB and J with the crusts cut off. Well Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch. All the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?"
"Uh, no, Mr. Johnson." Brian replied, not getting the joke, which made Patty chuckle.
"Ah." John says. He then stands up in the aisle. "Here's my impression of life at big Bri's house: Son! Yeah Dad? How's your day, pal? Great Dad, how's yours? Super. Say son, how'd you like to go fishing this weekend? Great Dad, but I've got homework to do. That's alright son, you can do it on the boat! Geee! Dear, isn't our son swell? Yes Dear, isn't life swell?" He then starts acting like he's kissing the mom until he starts to punch her. Patty grew worried. She had a feeling something like that would happen.
"Alright. What about your family?" Andrew asks.
"Oh, mine?" John says. "That's real easy." He then stands again and points over at nothing. "Stupid, worthless, no good, God dmaned, freeloading, son of a bitch, retarded, bigmouth, know it all, asshole, jerk!" He then gets in a different position. "You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful." He then slaps the air. "Shut up bitch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie! What about you, Dad? Fuck you. No Dad, what about you? Fuck you! No Dad, what about you?! FUCK YOU!" He then pretends he's getting punched. Patty shook her head and looked down. She knew all too well about this.
"Is that for real?" Brian asks.
"You wanna come over sometime?" John says.
"That's bullshit." Andrew suddenly says. Patty quickly looks up at him. "It's all part of your image. I don't believe a word of it." Patty's mouth dropped. How could say that?
"You don't believe me?" John says with his voice slightly broken.
"No." Andrew replied.
"No?"
"Did I stutter?" Patty glared at him. John looked him with a somewhat hurt expression. He then walked up to him and rolled up his sleeve.
"Do you believe this? Huh?" His arm reveales a circular burn. "It's about the size of a cigar. Do I stutter? You see, this is what you get in my house when you spill paint in the garage." He then starts to walk away. "See I don't think that I need to sit here with you fuckin' dildos anymore." He then walks over to a map table under the balcony and angrily throws them off. He then climbs up and sits on the balcony.
"You shouldn't have said that." Claire said. to Andrew.
"How would I know? I mean, he lies about everything anyway." He replied. Patty had it with him. She got up from her chair, grabbed his jacket and pulled him towards her face.
"You fucking dick! How the hell can you be so fucking stupid?" She yelled. Claire stood up and tried to pull Andrew away.
"Patty, get off!" She said.
"You really think John would lie about something as serious as that? He may seem like a fucking dick sometimes but that's all thanks to his poor excuse of a father!" Patty said. She then saw arms go under her shoulders and they pulled her away from Andrew.
"Patty, calm down!" Brian says.
"Let me go!" She says as she struggles in his grasp.
"He's not worth it, ok? Just calm down!" He says again. Patty breathed heavily as she kept her gaze on Andrew.
"I fucked up, alright?" Andrew says as he straightened himself. "I'll let you have this one if you like." Patty still felt angry at him but she sighed and nodded.
"Fine." She said.
"You good?" Brian asked. Patty heaved another sigh and nodded. Brian then loosened his grip and let her go.
"I'll be back. I gotta check on John." She said as she walked to the balcony. Brian watched as she made her way there.
"That girl is something else." He heard Andrew said. "I can see why she got in here."
"Oh, will you stop?" Brian said. "Say it to face, why don't you?"
"You should watch yourself, Brian." Claire said. She pointed over to Patty's direction. "She's not someone who you mess with. Why do you think she's here?"
"I could say the same thing about you. It's typical for you to skip school and shop instead." Brian replied.
"Yeah, and what about you?" Andrew suddenly said. "What could Sherman's top student ever do to get in here? Correct the wrong teacher?" Brian gulped. He rubbed his neck awkwardly.
"Keep your mouth shut, Andrew." He said. "Bender's not the only one with problems." He then sat down and slowly started to eat his lunch while thinking about what had just happened. Patty's almost lost it twice today before finally snapping like that. He was sure that she would've kicked Andrew's ass if he hadn't interfered. He looked back at the balcony. Patty and Bender were talking with each other. They both seemed to be fine now. He went back to eating and tried to stay quiet.
"What do you think Patty got in here for?" He heard Andrew whisper. Brian felt himself roll his eyes.
"Why are you asking that? How could she not get in here?" Claire asked.
"I don't know. I just got curious." Andrew replied.
"You should really be wondering what Brian is even doing here." Claire spoke up. Brian kept the urge to speak in check. He was somewhat curious to hear what they thought.
"I haven't the slightest clue. He must've pissed off the wrong teacher." Andrew replied. Claire scoffed.
"Yeah, good boy Brian pissing off a teacher. He barely has the guts to talk to Bender." She said.
"Well, who cares. Just a few more hours and we won't even remember him." Andrew says. Brian bit his lips shut. He felt himself go numb for a second. He knew they never wouldn't expect a goodie-two shoes like him to be in detention. He knew that people would wonder how the hell he got there in the first place. He gulped as thought of what happened that week at school. His hands grew shaky as he picked up his sandwich. It felt heavier than it was supposed to. He shut his eyes and shook his head.
"Get it together." He said softly. "This is so not the time." He sighed as the took another bite from the sandwich. No one has to know. Who's going to care? Like Andrew said, I won't even remember them after this is over. He instintly ended up looking back at Patty, who was still talking Bender. He shook his head at himself. Yeah, if only that was true.
*done and done. we're getting to the good stuff soon. hope you guys are enjoying so far and thx foe reading. stay tuned! :D*
