Chapter 4 Getting to Know
"Wake up!" I heard. I opened my eyes to see Vernon standing over us. Great he just had to show up, I thought. I let out a yawn.
"Who has to use the lavatory?" He asked. My hand instantly went up and so did everyone elses. I may be tired but I was willing to take any opportunity that meant not being stuck in this one room for eight hours, even if it was just to go to the bathroom.
I really did have to go though.
* * *
After we came back and since the door was now closed, we could do whatever we wanted as long as we didn't make any noise to make Vernon come in here. Andrew was stretching on the side(figures), Claire, the girl, and I were still sitting at the tables but I was sitting on top of it and John and Brian were over at the counters. John was ripping some pages out of the book for some reason.
"That's real intlligent." Andrew said.
"You're right, it's wrong to destroy literature." John replied still tearing yhe pages out. "It's such fun to read and Molet really pumps my nads."
"Moliare." Claire corrected.
"I love his work." Brian added. John throws the pages to Brian. I held my mouth to not laugh.
"Big deal. Nothing to do when you're locked in a vacancy." John says. He was right there.
"Speak for yourself." Andrew says. I roll my eyes. Here comes another arguement.
"Do you think I'd speak for you? I don't even know your language." John replies. Yep I was right.
"Hey, you grounded tonight?" Andrew asks Claire. She shrugs her shoulders.
"I don't know. My mom said I was but my dad told me to just blow her off." She replied.
"Big party at Stubbies, parents are in Europe. Should be pretty wild."
"Yeah?"
"Can you go?"
"I doubt it."
"How come?"
"Well 'cause if I do what my mother tells me not to do, it's because my father says it's okay. There's like this whole big monster deal, it's endless and it's a total drag. It's like any minute, divorce."
"Who do you like better?" John suddenly asked.
"What?" Claire replied.
"You like your old man better than your mom?" He clarified.
"They're both strict."
"No, I mean, if you had to choose between them."
"I dunno, I'd probably go live with my brother. I mean, I don't think either one of them gives a shit about me...it's like they use me just to get back at each other."
"HA!" We suddenly heard. We all turned to the girl shocked. She was grinning back at us. That was weird.
"Shut up!" Claire said.
"You're just feeling sorry for yourself." Andrew said.
"Yeah, well if I didn't nobody else would." Claire snapped.
"Aw you're breaking my heart." I said sarcasticlly. She glared at me.
"Sporto." John said to Andrew.
"What?" John walks toward Andrew.
"You get along with you parents?"
"Well if I say yes, I'm an idiot right?"
"You're an idiot anyway. But if you say you get along with your parents well you're a liar too." John starts walking toward me but Andrew suddenly pushes him.
"You know something man, if we weren't in school right now, I'd waste you." He said. John looks at him and holds his arm up. He was pointing his middle finger to the ground.
"Can you hear this? Want me to turn it up?" John says as he turns his hand up flipping Andrew off. Brian suddenly comes in. Oh this otta be good.
"Hey fellas, I mean, I don't like my parents either. I don-don't get along with them. Their idea of parental compassion is just, you know, wacko!" He says. John turns to him.
"Dork?"
"Yeah?"
"You are a parent's wet dream okay?" I laughed at this. He walks toward me again, this time sitting on the edge of the table.
"Well that's a problem!" Brian says.
"Look, I can see you getting all bunged up for them making you 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?" John says. I had to admit though, that was a bit much.
"Why do you have to insult everybody?" Andrew asked.
"I'm being honest asshole. I would expext you to know the difference." John replies.
"Yeah well he's gotta name!"
"Yeah. What's your name?" I laughed again.
"Nice try Andrew. You try to make a point yet you failed to know Brian's name." I said. Andrew looked away from embarresment I hope.
"That's his name?" John asks me. I nod and he turns to Brian. "My condolences."
"What's your name?" Claire asks me.
"Elena." I replied.
"What's yours?" John asks her.
"Claire." She replies.
"Ka-laire?"
"Claire. It's a family name."
"No, it's a fat girl's name."
"Well thank you."
"You're welcome."
"I'm not fat!"
"Well not at present but I could see you really 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 can sorta see that thin person inside! You see, you're gonna get married, you're gonna squeeze out a few puppies and then, uh..." He does a motion of becoming fat. Claire gives him the finger.
"Oh obscene finger gestures from such a pristine girl!" John mocks.
"I'm not pristine!" She replies. Yeah, sure. John bends his body toward Claire.
"Are you a virgin?" He asks. This caught my attention. "I'll bet you a million dollars that you are! Let's end the suspense, is it gonna be a white wedding?"
"Why don't you just shut up?" Claire snaps.
"Have you ever kissed a boy on the mouth?" He continued. I started feeling a little uncomfortable. "Have you ever been felt up? Over the bra, under the blouse, shoes off, hoping to God your parents don't walk in?"
"Do you want me to puke?" Claire said clearly upset. I held my arm again.
"Over the panties, no bra, blouse unbuttoned, Calvin's in a ball on the front seat past eleven on a school night?" I turned away from John. I felt like I was getting hot and my heart was pounding a little faster.
"Leave her alone!" Andrew says. I felt John leave the table. "I said leave her alone!"
"You gonna make me?" John asked.
"Yeah." They were face to face now.
"You and how many of your friends?"
"Just me. Just you and me. Two hits. Me hitting you, you hitting the floor. Anytime you're ready pal!" John goes in to hit him but Andrew being a wrestler ended up putting him on the floor in a wrestling move.
"I don't wanna get into this with you man." John says. Andrew lets go and they get up.
"Why not?" Andrew asks.
"'Cause I'd kill you. It's real simple. I'd kill you and your fucking parents would sue me and it would be a big mess and I don't care enough about you to bother." John replies. Andrew turns to walk away.
"Chicken shit." He said. There was a loud snap. John had taken out a switchblade. My grip tightened on my arm. He then stabbed it right in front of me.
"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?" Andrew says.
"I'm trying to help her." John insisted. I turned my attention away from them and looked down at the knife. I took it off and held it in my hand. Can't ever get away from it. I thought. You're always gonna be somewhere. I rubbed my thumb against the cold blade. It looked it was barely used. I wasn't surprised honsetly. I don't think John would use this unless he really had to. I closed the blade and put it in my pocket. Sorry John but it's a cool blade.
"Brian how are you doing?" I heard. I turned to see Carl, the janitor, in the room.
"Your dad works here?" John asked. Brian looked embarressed. "Uh, Carl?"
"What?"
"Can I ask you a question?"
"Sure."
"How does one become a janitor?"
"You wanna be a janitor?"
"No I just wanna know how one becomes a janitor because Andrew here, is very interested in persuing a career in the custodial arts." I laughed.
"Oh, really? You guys think I'm just some untouchable peasant? Peon? Huh? Maybe so, but following a broom around after shitheads like you for the past eight years I've learned a couple of things. I look through your letters, I look through your lockers. I listen to your conversations, you don't know that but I do. I am the eyes and ears of this institution my friends." He looks up at the clock then down at his watch. Oh don't tell me!
"By the way, that clock's twenty minutes fast." We all groaned. Are you fucking kidding me? I put my head down in annoyance. I heard John walk by and sit next to me.
"Hey, don't sweat it cutie. That mean you get twenty more minutes with me." He said smirking. I smiled.
"I guess that's fine with me." I replied. He scooted closer to me.
"You know, I noticed you got a little uncomfortable when we were talking about queenie's virginity." He said. I felt a lump in my throat.
"And what if I did?" I said. His face grew serious.
"You mind if I ask?" He said. I turned away from him.
"Yeah, I do." I said. He didn't say anything for minute.
"Hey." He said. When I turned to him, he patted his lap. I was confused at what he meant. "Come here." He patted his lap again. I understood it this time. I got up and sat on his lap and he pulled me to his his chest.
"You gonna explain this or are you just gonna say shush again?" I asked.
"Come on, I'm just trying to make you feel better." He replied. I smiled. "Is it not working?" I shifted in my position and laid my head on his chest.
"It is actually." I said. His hand went through my hair again. While I was on his chest, I could feel his heartbeat. It was beating a little fast. I chuckled softly.
This was not the John Bender I was expecting. Everytime I heard about him, it would only be about all the stunts he's pulled around the school. There's no doubt he's a bad boy, but there's more to him than that. He's actually nice when he wants to be and he's also quite caring. There had to be a reason why he acted like this and from what he told me before, his parents might be why. Either way, John Bender was definetly full of surprises from what I can tell.
*i hope im not making Bender too out of character. im trying to keep him as close as possible so i hope im doing a good job. please review so i can get some feedback. thanks for reading.*