TBCR: Chapter Four
The clock now reads a quarter to eight. Everyone was bored no doubt about it. Bender is lighting his shoe on fire but then lights his cigarette from the flame on his shoe. Claire is leaning on the table with her arm out and hand on her cheek just staring into space thinking. Brian has his hands down trying to "play it off" so he puts his hat down on his lap then puts his head down on the table. Bernia is fixing the biker vest on her chest, zipping the zipper up and down and then decides to take it off revealing a t-shirt that reads "Exciter, Long Live The Loud." Andrew is playing with the strings on his sweatshirt pulling them back and fourth along with his head turning back and fourth. Allison pulls out a piece of string and stares at it. Bender taps on his shoe to put out that small flame. Allison now is wrapping the string around her finger making it turn purple. Bender then starts playing air-guitar. Allison is drawing one of her pictures. Andrew is playing paper football and cheers silently. Allison now is shaking dandruff onto her drawing as if it was blending in with the drawing like glitters of snow. Bender then starts to fall asleep putting his folded hands and head back on the chair with his feet still on the table. Brian drops his pencil and falls asleep, Bernia falls asleep by putting her head on the table where Brian is sitting. Allison puts her chin down on her hands and closes her eyes. Andrew goes to sleep and Claire finally after daydreaming is the last to sleep. Then later, Vernon comes in and looks at them sleeping.
Vernon: Wake up!
Nobody moves at all.
Vernon: Who has to go to the lavatory?
Everyone raises their hands.
/
Now the clock reads 10:22. Andrew is stretching his leg on part of the railing, Claire sitting down, Brian and Bernia are talking to each other right behind Bender who is ripping pages out of a book and throwing them around that one of the pages flies on Andrew and another one falls down on Claire's table.
Andrew: That's real intelligent.
Bender: You're right...it's wrong to destroy literature...
He continues to tear out pages.
Bender: It's such fun to read...and, Molet really pumps my nads!
Claire: (Correcting Bender) Moliere.
Bender looks at her as Claire smiles and bites her lip.
Brian: I love his work.
Bender throws the rest of pages at Brian with them almost hitting Bernia as well. Claire turns away smiling.
Bernia: (Sarcasm) Nice Bender. You know, Brian can teach you a thing or two about "actually" reading...
Brian looks at her and she smiles at him in return.
Bender: Big deal...nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy.
Andrew: Speak for yourself...
Bender: Do you think I'd speak for you? I don't even know your language!
Andrew turns to Claire and Brian and Bernia are talking quietly as Bender takes out the card catalog drawer taking the cards out.
Bernia: So, Brian...you doing anything later? When detention's over, I mean.
Brian: Um, well, not really except, you know, my mom wants me to study. She's kinda always on my back about my grades, and stuff, you know.
Bernia: Can you tutor me? I could use help with my studies.
Brian: Um, W-where do you live?
Bernia: (Seductive) Oh, moving quite fast aren't we?
Brian: No no, not like that I mean to j-
Bernia: (Giggles) Relax Bri. Now is not the time for that. (That...comes later, in time.) For now you can just guide me through things you know because I have a hard time, especially considering the fact that I'm all brains as well.
Brian: Well, I guess we could learn from each other.
Bernia: With pleasure...
Bender rolls his eyes at Bernia, he wondered what did she see in a brainiac like Brian anyway but learned to let go and starts pushing cards back in the drawer.
Andrew: (To Claire) Hey, you grounded tonight?
Claire shrugs her shoulders.
Claire: I don't know, my mom said I was but my dad told me to just blow her off.
Andrew turns around to Bender who looks back at him then turns back to Claire.
Andrew: Big party at Stubbies, parents are in Europe. Should be pretty wild...
Claire: Yeah?
Andrew: Yeah, can you come?
Claire: I doubt it...
Andrew: How come?
Claire: Well' cause if I do what my mom tells me not to do, it's because my father tells me it's okay. There's like this whole big monster deal, it's endless and it's a drag. It's like any minute... Divorce...
Bender: Who do you like better?
Claire: What?
Bender: You like your old man better than your mom?
Claire: They're both strict.
Bender: No, I mean, if you had to choose between them?
Claire: I don't know. I'd probably go live with my brother. I mean, I don't think either of them gives a shit about me...it's like they use me to get back at each other.
Allison: (Loudly) HA!
Everyone looks at Allison now. Claire glaring, Bender with a blank stare, Andrew with a wide smirk, Brian in confusion and Bernia in wonder.
Bernia: Allison, I think that's the first time you spoke in a while...
Allison then blows her hair out of her eyes and grins looking around.
Claire: (To Allison) Shut up!
Andrew: You're just feeling sorry for yourself...
Claire: Yeah, well if I didn't nobody else would.
Andrew: Aw...you're breaking my heart...
Bender: Sporto...
Andrew: What?
Bender gets down of the railing.
Bender: You get along with your parents?
Andrew: Well if I say yes, I'm a idiot, right?
Bender then hops over the railing to be in Andrew's face.
Bender: You're an idiot anyway...but if you say you get along with you're parents, well you're a liar too.
Bender turns and walks away from him with Claire smirking and Brian knowing an argument was about to happen, again. Andrew walks up to Bender and pushes him from his back.
Andrew: You know something, man...if we weren't in school right now, I'd waste you!
Bender points his middle finger to the floor.
Bender: Can you hear this? Want me to turn it up?
Bender is now giving Andrew the bird.
Bernia: (Mumbles) Oh great, more arguing...
Brian walks over and put his hands on both there shoulders trying to break them up.
Brian: Hey fellas, I mean...
Andrew pushes Brian's hand away, so does Bender and Bernia walks up to Brian to save him from Andrew's and Bender's arguing. They both sit on the middle table.
Bernia: I think you should just let these 2 "macho men" handle it themselves. My parents and I get along, but sometimes we have our off days and usual shit. What about you Brian? You get along with you're folks, right?
Brian: Well, um, my dad and little sister I do but, see, my mom is kinda, let's just say her parental compassion is just, you know, wacko.
Bernia: (Worried) I'm sorry I asked...
Brian: No, it's fine you know. I mean, it's just complicated that's all. Although it's kinda a one-sided argument when she's yelling and, you know, I try to say my piece but she ignores it.
Bender: (To Brian) Dork?
Brian: Yeah?
Bender: You are a parent's wet dream, okay?
Bernia: (Glaring at Bender) Bender...
Bender shrugs his shoulders and walks away.
Brian: Well that's the problem...
Bender: Look, I can see you getting all bunged up for them making 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?
Bernia: Bender!
Bender: What?
Bernia: Would you stop?
Andrew: Yeah, why do you have to insult everybody?
Bender: (To Andrew) I'm being honest asshole! I would expect you...to know the difference!
Andrew: Yeah well, he's got a name!
Bender: Yeah?
Andrew: Yeah! (To Brian) What's you're name?
Bernia looks at Andrew in disbelief.
Bernia: Are you serious?
Brian: Brian.
Andrew: (To Bender) See?
Bernia: (Shakes her head) Oh God...
Bender: (To Brian) My condolences...
Bender then pats Brian on the chest hard then walks away to where Claire is sitting.
Bernia: Sorry about Bender. He's like the little brother I never had.
Brian: It's okay. You know, your name Bernia...it's a goth name but, um, it has a meaning.
Bernia: Really?
Brian nods.
Bernia: What does it mean?
Brian: Uh, A- angel in amour. Although amour means either a secret or illicit love affair or lover. Although, I would uh, replace it with the word armor...you know, to describe you better.
Bernia smiles at Brian.
Bernia: (Softly) Thank you Brian...you're really sweet. You know that?
Brian smiles back at her then looks down again, then Bernia caresses his cheek making him look at her again.
Claire: (To Bender) What's you're name?
Bender: What's yours?
Claire: Claire.
Bender: Ka-Laire?
Claire: Claire...it's a family name!
Bender: No...it's a fat girl's name!
Claire: Well thank you...
Bender: You're welcome...
Claire: I'm not fat!
Bender: Well not a present but I could see you 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 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 mimics becoming fat by making noises. Claire gives Bender the finger.
Bender: Oh...obscene finger gestures from such a pristine girl!
Claire: (Resentfully) I'm not that pristine!
Bender bends down closer to Claire.
Bender: Are you a virgin? I'll bet a million dollars that you are! Let's end the suspense! Is it gonna be...a white wedding?
Claire: Why don't you just shut up?
Bender: 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 you're parents don't walk in?
Claire is now getting upset.
Claire: Do you want me to puke?
Bender: Over the panties, no bra, blouse unbuttoned, Calvin's in a ball on the front seat past eleven on a school night?
Now Andrew, Brian and Bernia get uncomfortable hearing all this.
Andrew: Leave her alone!
Bender slowly stands and faces Andrew.
Andrew: I said leave her alone!
Bender: You gonna make me?
Andrew: Yeah...
Bender walks over to Andrew.
Bender: You and how many of your friends?
Andrew: Just me, just you and me. Two hits. Me hitting you, you hitting the floor! Anytime you're ready pal!
Bender smirks then turns to walk but not after attempting to slap him, but Andrew grabs both his arms and brings him down with a wrestling move. They start struggling trying to one up each other.
Bernia: Bender! Andrew!
Bender: I don't wanna get into this with you man...
Andrew gets up.
Andrew: Why not?
Bender now gets up.
Bender: Cause I'd kill you...it's real simple. I'd kill you and your fucking parents would sue me and would be a big mess and I don't care enough about you to bother.
Andrew: You fuc-
Bernia then steps between them and grabs them both by one ear applying hard pressure.
Bender: OW!
Andrew: Hey, OW!
Bernia: Listen, and listen good! You two idiots are not gonna get us in more trouble as we already are! Now if you two don't stop this bullshit I will not hesitate to rip your ears clean off, and I can be a real serious bitch when I don't get what I want!
Bender: No doubt about th-
Before Bender could finish, Bernia twists his ear putting more pressure on his ear.
Bernia: Shut up! And don't think you're off the hook either Andrew. How about you stop being dense and actually use you brain and stop trying to impress people! Now I'm gonna let go, and when I do, you two better learn to get along for your own sakes! Understand?
They don't answer right away so she twists both ears.
Bender: OW!
Andrew: OW! Knock it off!
Bernia: Understand!?
They both nod and she lets go.
Bender: (To Andrew) You're lucky she held me Sporto. Real...fucking lucky.
Andrew: Chicken shit...
Bender heard him and as Andrew walks away, Bender takes out a switchblade and opens it making a click sound for everyone to hear and everyone turns to him.
Bernia: Bender! Put that away...
He doesn't do it.
Bernia: Put the fucking blade away!
Andrew waits for Bender to make his move, Bender stands there with Bernia still glaring at him and then decides to give in and stabs the blade into the chair next to him which was also next to where Allison is sitting. Allison then takes the switchblade and puts it in her bag as they're talking.
Andrew: Why put it away? 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?
Bender: I'm trying to help her...
Andrew looks at him, like really looks at him as if he really believes insulting Claire is his way of help.