Chapter 04 – Knight in Dented Armor

School flew by for John. He stared up at the ceiling for most of his classes, hearing what they said and doing just enough to get a passing grade.

Most of the teachers had once tried to persuade him to do better, but he never did. Eventually they left him alone and he was allowed to do as he always did; barely pass.

He missed their frustrated looks and anger toward themselves. Some teachers, who did in fact love teaching, felt they failed him. Shop was the only class he actually applied himself in and this wasn't shop. "Mr. Bender, can you tell me what started the Civil War?"

He looked up. This new guy never just left him alone. "Abraham Lincoln?"

"No, Mr. Bender. I know you know the answer to this and I won't release the class till you answer it correctly."

John stared and let out a growl like sigh. "When Abraham Lincoln came to become president with a success rate of something really low because there had been three runners, the South got pissed. They were pissed because Lincoln wanted to end slavery. So, the South left the United States, and became the Confederacy. After that, they started having a bit huge fight about slavery. There is the Civil War. The North won."

"Very good Mr. Bender. I expect a one thousand word essay on the Civil War. And I don't want regurgitated facts. You are all released, except you Mr. Bender. Please see me after class, or I'll just hold you for a half an hour detention."

John scowled. Great, more time away from his sis. He hoped she could wait a little longer and he waved one of his friends off. "He's just being an ass."

The guy nodded, about to go, when John caught his arm. "Go check on Jane for me Paul."

Paul, his best friend, was the only one who knew who Jane was. He nodded and exited quickly, while John looked up at the teacher.

"Mr. Bender, you are a very smart young man. I just don't know how someone of your level of intelligence can act so stupid. I talked to your other teachers. You don't pay attention and you get the highest level Cs in the class. What if you actually tried? Where would that put you?"

John shrugged and he sighed. "John, you need to apply yourself, or you are going to be stuck in this town for the rest of your life."

"Well, maybe I want to be." John replied with a determined look. He wasn't letting this teacher be in command or be his dictator.

"With your record of pulling fire alarms, who would hire you?"

"I already got a part-time job. He says he'll make me full-time once I graduate."

The teacher sighed and looked down. "Why are you settling John?"

John glared at him, this Mr. Pritchard. "What do ya mean, settling?"

"You're settling John. You are settling for a life, instead of striving to do better. What about your sister?"

The fury in John's gaze reached a new level.

The teacher continued. "Because, if you settle, I doubt you'll be able to help her. So, what is it John? Because, you have a gift. A gift I haven't seen in all my years as a teacher! You are smart, John Bender. And you'll help no one, if you don't apply yourself. "

The teacher paused for a moment and took a thoughtful look at the floor. "You're excused John, but don't think this is the last conversation we have unless…you get an A or high B in all your classes." The teacher finished.

John stared and Mr. Pritchard smiled. "Well, John? You going to back down from a challenge?"

John put a snarl on his face and then left without another word, stalking out. Mr. Pritchard watched him go and sat back onto John's desk. The squeak of wheels made him look up and he smiled. "Hey Carl."

Mr. Pritchard looked away after his greeting, heading to his desk in the front of the room. "Hey Alex. So…you've decided to make John apply himself?"

"I can't make him do anything Carl."

The American History teacher looked up at the Janitor. He let out a soft sigh and rubbed his eyes. "When I first met John, I thought I was looking into a mirror back in our school days," Carl stated.

Alex Pritchard looked up at Carl. "I thought I was seeing you. And then Mrs. Allen got you to apply yourself. Did you give him the speech she gave to you?" the janitor added.

"Basically."

Carl chuckled. "Well, maybe it will work."

"I…just want him to apply himself. He can bring so much good to this world! I see it in him. And why has no one tried, really tried, with that boy before?"

"Because they weren't as determined as you. Go home Alex. Grade papers. Goad him into learning."

"He's learning, just not applying himself."

Alex Pritchard packed up his things and left meanwhile, John stalked through the school, trying to find Paul or Jane. Preferably both.

The young man was trying to ignore his words. As he turned a corner, Paul almost fell into him. He was supporting a bloody nose. "Hurry! Some sport-o's are razzing Jane!" Paul exclaimed, using their group's nickname for the sport fanatics.

John took off, easily leaving Paul behind. As he rushed down stairs, he turned another corner to find three sport-o's shove Jane into a closet.

"Wow. You big tough men need to pick on a tiny girl to satisfy your manliness. Something's wrong with this, right Paul?"

"I'd say. At least we don't need to compensate for anything," Paul answered, just loud enough to have him be heard, if a bit stuffy.

A pounding was coming from the closet door and John smirked dangerously at the jocks. He was going to make them pay for hurting his sister. Of course, that's not why he had said anything. He would do the same thing if it was any other girl. You didn't hit females, no matter how much they annoyed you; just like you didn't hit dogs or children.

"What, she a wallet girl Bender?"

"If she was, you'd already be on the ground sport-o."

John easily avoided the first punch and he downed him with a swift punch to the stomach. The next punch skinned him and the sport-o that grazed John then got punched by Paul, who was more of a fighter then John. Paul had already downed the third guy and John pushed the guy still trying to catch his breathe away.

"Get out of here, before we really decide to hurt you."

Paul defended John's back while he got the closet open. He stumbled as Jane crashed into him, clinging and sobbing.

"Easy, easy. I got you Jane, I got you."

Paul looked away, as if he wasn't seeing or hearing this before Jane calmed down. Once calmed, he was back to his usual big brother self; which was acting like he didn't care, but everyone there knew he did. Only then did Paul smile at Jane.

"Hey Jane-girl!"

His hand was slow before patting her head, ruffling her hair a bit.

"Paul!"

The criminal just grinned and quirked his head. "Come on. I got the truck."

"Yeah, anyplace is better then here."

John wrapped a protective arm around Jane's shoulder while Paul fell behind a bit. The two guys talked over her head, but people in John's Group usually did. Not because they didn't want to exclude her, but because Jane rarely talked.

She sat in-between the two guys in the cab of the truck, legs easily away from the stick shift, hiding against John's side. "Where to John?"

"Anywhere."

Paul nodded and began to drive off. The jocks wouldn't say anything…hopefully. Paul chewed on the inside of his cheek in worry over that. John couldn't afford to get in trouble for a fight. Well, he could, actually. Vernon just tried to get John out by having him drop out or something.

In the cab, John lit up a normal cigarette and rolled down the window a bit to blow the smoke outside. Paul realized he'd have to make a suggestion. "I thought the diner would be good. It's a short walk to the Auto Garage."

"Yeah…I got to work till closing tonight. Can you watch Jane for me?"

"Sure."

Jane said nothing, as she was actually asleep. Paul moved to wake her. "Don't."

The warning in John's voice is enough to still Paul's hand, placing it back on the steering wheel. When John spoke like that, everyone knew not to push it. "Bad weekend, huh?"

The silence was the answer Paul needed.

End Chapter 04