Tuesday

John had had a good evening with his parents. There was minimal shouting, he actually had a dinner and his arm was healing well after the altercation on Saturday evening with his dad. He got up and showered and left the house before anyone was awake. He wasn't wearing his trademark red checked shirt. Today he was wearing a black t-shirt with an electric logo on, but the same trousers and boots though. "Better to be out of there while I still can be" he thought to himself. He put his sunglasses on, hands in his pocket and proudly walked to school. He had never, ever, been this early. School started at 9am, and he was leaving the house at 8:15am. In all fairness it would take him 15 minutes to walk through the Jackman Estate and then head down the round to school, but still. He was eager to get to school for a particular reason.

Claire and her father had had a quiet evening. Her dad bought home a takeaway and she had gone to bed quite early even though she slept afterschool. She was awake at 7:15am and got showered, sorted out her hair and applied her flawless makeup. She picked out her outfit, making sure her favourite brown boots went with the skirt she picked. Layla, a friend of Claire's picked her up for school.

"Hey Claire"

"Hi Layla, thanks for taking me today- Bye Dad!" Claire's dad shouted goodbye back and they both got into Layla's car.

"Have you got the book for the prom committee meeting at lunch?"

"Yeah I have. What time is it?"

"It's the whole lunch time. I think we're meeting in Mrs Moore's Child Development classroom." Layla and Claire strapped themselves in and drove to school. Claire lived a bit further away from school than John did. It only took him 15 minutes to walk there, but for Claire, as she lived further out it took at least 20 minutes in the car and walking would take about 35 minutes if not more.

Brian was at school early this morning. He was trying desperately to finish his failed shop piece so it could be remarked and then his grade wouldn't be an F. As he was walking to the classroom he bumped into Allison.

"Oh hey Allison."

"Hey Brian." Once again, John popped out of nowhere.

"You're early today my lovely friends." John said quite sarcastically. Allison felt a bit annoyed. John looked at her and smiled for reassurance. John really, and truly did want to be friends with Allison. After the event at lunchtime yesterday he really thought she needed a friend and even though he was an idiot sometimes, and plays truant an awful lot, he was a good friend. He kept his word and meant what he said.

"Hi John," Brian said slightly sheepishly. John looked around the hallway to see if anyone was around.

"Um, do you know where Claire's locker is?" Allison and Brian looked at each other and then John.

"I don't," replied Allison. John looked at Brian, secretly hoping he would say yes.

"I do. It's literally just down there. It's pretty much next to mine. Number 2457 I think. I gotta go guys, nice to see you." Brian smiled at Allison and then left. John walked down Claire's locker. He could tell it was hers because all of the surrounding lockers had pink heart stickers on the locks, something which her and her friends did. He slipped a note through one of the gaps in the locker. He looked round. Allison was standing in the hallway just staring at him.

"What do you want?" She didn't reply. "Well are you coming or not?" John walked further down the corridor and Allison began to follow.

"Claire, can I have the book please. Seeing as I am leader of the prom committee." Pretty much as soon as Claire had arrived at school her friends were hassling her about the prom book and what she had added. Especially Savannah.

"Claire, nothing has been added," Savannah said after Claire handed it to her.

"I know. I didn't get time to do anything. You gave it to me on Friday. I had a detention on Saturday and Sunday I was having some time with my mum. Don't give me a hard time about it." Claire's tone was harsher than normal. Savannah looked at her, taken slightly aback. Annie looked at Claire, quite surprised. As did Layla, Mia and Brittany.

"What's wrong with you? Someone on their monthly?" Mia remarked. Claire looked at her.

"Sorry guys, I'm just a bit stressed about stuff. I'll see you later." Claire left her friends waiting outside the main entrance and walked to her locker. She opened it and found a folded piece of paper. She took it out, placed it in her pocket, put some books in the locker and then closed it. As she was walking to registration she opened the piece of paper. It read:

Princess, meet me behind the math block at break. John.

She smiled, knowing that John wanted to talk to her. Finally she was going to get to see him.

The bell rang for break and Claire and John both headed towards the math block. John had played truant and skipped second period. Claire had just been in biology and had to walk from one end of the school to the other.

John got there first. He was nervous. He had no idea what he was going to say. Suddenly it seemed like a bad idea putting the note through her locker. Was she even going to turn up? Would she be really angry if he left while he could? Before he could process any of these thoughts Claire turned up. She smiled at John. "Hi." She looked into his eyes and he looked into hers.

"Hi Princess." They were both grinning. "Did you want something?" John looked at her and smiled.

"Yeah I did." He leaned in and kissed Claire. He put his hands in her hair and kissed her like he meant it. "That's what I needed." Claire looked slightly embarrassed.

"Was that all then?" they both laughed.

"Well, I knew you wouldn't do it."

"I didn't know if you wanted to see me again. I thought it might be difficult, you know with us being at school and all."

"Of course I wanted to see you."

"Look John, I don't know what's going on between us. I really would like to know." Claire's tone was a bit more serious. She was definitely different. John looked at her, slightly surprised. But he too was just as confused as she was.

"I don't know either. Nothing really has happened, and it doesn't have to. I want to get to know you."

"I don't want to be with you if you sneak around with other girls, ok? I just want you to know that. I don't want to be disrespected like that." John stood there, looking at Claire. She had told him what he couldn't do. Not too happy.

"I don't think you should be telling me what I can and can't do. I can do whatever the hell I like. I can skip school, I can smoke weed, I can get drunk and I can sleep with whomever I like. We're not in a serious relationship Claire, we're not going steady."

"If that's the way you think about it then this 'relationship' or whatever we have going on here is not going to last any longer than right now." John stepped back. He knew she was right. He was so desperate to see her and she had told him something which should be so obvious, he would never get a girlfriend if he kept sleeping around.

"You're right. Sorry." Johns said sheepishly. Claire smiled at him. "So, any chance we can meet up and have a proper talk?" Claire desperately wanted to say this lunch time but she couldn't let down her friends. She touched him on the arm and looked into his eyes. He flinched slightly.

"Is everything ok?" Claire asked John, sounding slightly concerned.

"Um, yeah fine." Claire was stroking John's arm when she found a bump. She rolled up his coat sleeve and saw the bandage on his arm from where his dad had glassed him on Saturday evening. "Don't say anything." Tears welled up in Claire's eyes. "I'm fine. Just leave it please." John reassured her, but sounding angry.

"You can come to my house this evening if you want. My dad is out on a business trip and won't be home till much later." John looked at her slightly unsure what to say. "You don't have to of course, but I'm busy at lunch."

"What about your mum, will she not be there? I'm sure she'd be delighted to meet someone so rebellious and imperfect for her daughter." Claire dropped her head. "What's wrong?"

"You're the first person to ask me that. My mum moved out yesterday." John looked at her and then kissed her on the head. Claire buried her head into his chest. His smell was comforting, she felt protected when with him.

"I'll come round. Meet me back here after school finishes. Can we walk?" Claire nodded and smiled and John. Then the bell went and they both went to lesson.

Claire was impatiently waiting by the math block for John where they had met at break. She didn't have a coat, because she assumed she was going to be getting a lift back with Layla. But now her plans had changed. She was getting cold. She kept looking at her watch, unsure if John was going to turn up. Andy appeared from nowhere.

"Claire, what are you doing here?" Claire looked up, shocked to see Andy. She debated whether to tell him why she was there or not.

"Oh, um I'm waiting for someone." She paused, "I'm waiting for John." Andy smiled. He walked and stood opposite Claire.

"Well, who would have thought it would actually last this long!" They both giggled.

"Well nothing has really happened. We're just having a chat today. Anything happened with Allison? Have you even seen anyone else from Saturday other than me?" He shook his head.

"Hi sporto." John appeared, and had Allison with him. Allison was looking at Andy. Andy was looking at Allison. "Well this is an awkward silence. Why don't you two get down to business, there's a bush round there where you can get jiggy. We won't tell anyone will we Claire." Claire looked at John and then hit him on the arm for his inapporiate comment. He smiled at her.

"Hi Allison." Allison looked at Andy who was talking to her. She greeted him back.

"Well, we're going now so goodbye!" John turned to look at Allison. "I'll see you tomorrow."

John and Claire walked down out and of school. Claire was still cold. She was being very silent and John felt uncomfortable with the silence that had ascended.

"Are you ok?" He asked her, sounding relatively concerned. She looked up at him.

"Just cold that's all." Claire put his arm round Claire. "It's about a 35 minute walk from school just so you know." John exhaled. He grabbed some things out of his coat pocket. He lit a cigarette and took a puff. He then gave Claire something from his pocket.

"Here, have this seeing as my coat would be too big for you." It was a red scarf. She smiled. She put the scarf round her neck. If the scarf didn't match her outfit, I'm not convinced Claire would have worn it but it did. Claire was worried that people might see her with John and then gossip would spread. That was likely to ruin their relationship considering their statuses at school were completely different. "You don't need to worry about me Claire." She looked at him confused. "I mean about my arm. Everything is fine. Well it's not, but I'll get over it." Claire and John walked in silence the rest of the way to her house. When they arrived John looked shocked. He had never seen a house like it. It was massive. "Wow, my home looks bloody awful compared to yours."

"This is nothing; this home holds nothing but bad memories now."

"Why?"

"Well as you know, my mum moved out. My parents have been unhappy for about 6 months. We've only lived here for a couple of years but even back then I could tell things were going wrong." John looked at her. "Let's go in. I'm really cold." Claire grabbed her door key and let John and herself in. John didn't know what to do. He took his shoes off and placed them by the door. Took his coat off and held it awkwardly wondering what to do. "Just hang in on the stairs case."

"This house is massive. Now I can see why I like calling you princess." Claire laughed.

"Do you want to come upstairs?" John looked excited all of a sudden. "Not for that reason John." He smiled and followed Claire up the stairs into her bedroom.

"Big bedroom you have Claire." John looked around her bedroom, laughing at the pink flowery wallpaper and the posters of teenage sensations.

"You don't think I'm spoilt do you?"

"You have much more than me. I'm not sure I like being somewhere like this. I don't belong in places like this."

"Why not? You and I have been bought up completely differently."

"May be that's why this could never work out." John looked at Claire and she looked down.

"Don't say that. You can't say that, not unless we've tried. And we're trying now." Claire sat on her bed and John joined her. She leant in to kiss him but he pulled back. "What's wrong?"

"I just want to apologise."

"Why?"

"On Saturday, for what I did. When I stuck my head in between your legs. Sorry about that. I was being very insensitive." Claire looked down, sad that it had happened but happy he had apologised for it.

"Thanks John. But I need to talk to about that kind of thing." Claire looked all embarrassed. "If we're doing this, I need to get my thoughts and concerns out there."

"I know what you're going to say. I won't sleep around with other people, honest. I like you too much to do that to you. I won't drag you into shit with my parents, they are horrible people and I could never ever forgive myself if you ended up being in a situation where I was being hurt by my parents and you were unsure of what to do. I will keep smoking because that is a part of me. And I will one hundred per cent respect you. I will not force you to do anything you don't want to do." Claire looked up at John and gazed into his eyes. She was extremely happy that he and her had a heart-to-heart. She now understood him slightly better.

"I really appreciate you saying that John, it means a lot. I mean, I'm 17 years old and my mum had the birds and bees talk with me a few years back. But I told you on Saturday that I want to find the one guy. I just hope that you can understand that."

"I do understand that. I hope that I am that one guy. I care about you an awful lot." John leaned in and finally kissed Claire. Claire put her hands in John's hair and rubbed his head. John wrapped his arms round Claire and placed them on her hips in a secure, protective manner. They stopped kissing for a few seconds to get a breather.

"So we're going steady?" Asked John. Claire kissed him again. That meant yes.