Note: I wasn't really sure where to take this chapter, so I hope its okay. As it turned out, it kind of wrote itself. Again, thank you to everybody that has reviewed. Also, I apologise for any inconsistencies within the story. I'm British so you'll excuse me for getting any American terms wrong, or anything about high school etc….

Claire thought her heart would burst. Had she not been nervous, the sight of her and Amanda sticking their heads as far as they could out of Ruth's car window might have been funny. It hadn't occurred to either of them to actually get out of the car and have a look. She held her breath as Ruth approached Andy. Involuntarily she covered her eyes with her hands and peeped out from between her fingers. This wouldn't be good.

John was still sat on the lawn sandwiched between Andy and Brian. Nobody had said anything in a while, but he could sense Andy's anticipation growing, as more of the morning passed without sight of Allison. Seriously, the guy needed to chill. Getting his tights in a bunch like that. Out of the corner of his eye he could see a chick walking toward them urgently. He checked her out, nice rack, couldn't see the ass, but he bet it was a fine one, all in all not bad. She didn't even come close to Claire though. She was focused on Andy and looked kind of mad come to think about it, talk about women on mission. Behind her he could see a vision of black hair and denim also running toward them. He squinted, it looked like Allison. He looked again, yep it was Allison. It dawned on him that this could be a potentially difficult situation, should the first chick really be heading toward Andy. Brilliant. Usually, he had to provoke people to get his drama, but not this morning. He should come to school early more often. A wide grin on his face, he sat back and waited for the bitch fight to begin. This would be good.

As Andy came more and more into sight, Allison ran faster. She thought her heart might burst though a mixture of exhilaration, happiness, love, and nervousness. In her haste, she barged into some girl she vaguely recognised as one of Clare's gang. It didn't slow her down, and although it was probably very rude, she didn't stop to apologise. She kept running.

Ruth stopped walking. Who the hell was that bitch? Nobody, but nobody ran into her, and then didn't even apologise. It was just basic good manners right? Wrong, she thought. Some people have no class. Regaining her senses, she scanned the lawn for her previous target and looked up just in time to see…

A big goofy smile spread across Andy's face. Allison ran toward him at full force and didn't stop. He had stood up to greet her and she had bowled into him with such force that she knocked both of them over onto the grass. She laid clumsy kisses all over his face and he wasn't holding anything back either.

Aware that half the student population of Shermer were watching them, Andy and Allison composed themselves and sat up.

"Hey Brian, John" Allison acknowledged the other members of the breakfast club that were sat on the grass.

Brian was speechless. He hadn't even seen Andy and Allison kiss after detention Saturday, so what was going on? This simply wasn't logical. But where was the logic in love? He couldn't stop looking at them, the look of giddy happiness and relief on Andy's face, and the lovelorn expression Allison was sporting. In the distance he heard the first bell ring.

"Hey guys, the bell is ringing. I gotta run. See you later?" Brian got up, dusted himself off and headed in the direction of the entrance.

"Uh, yeah sure. Catch you later." Andy was so preoccupied he hardly heard Brian.

"Bye Brian" Allison called after him. Brian waved back and flashed her a toothy grin.

John continued to sit. He wouldn't outwardly admit it, but he was thrilled for Ally and Andy. Gave him hope that Claire might give him a second look. He needed a smoke, it was too early in the morning for emotion. He nodded at Andy and Allison, then got up and headed towards the bleachers around the back of the school.

Andy turned to Allison. "We have to go to class too"

"I guess." Allison pouted; She didn't want to be away from Andy again, not even for a minute. They both sat for a while watching the students mill into the building. Allison grew increasingly uncomfortable and she couldn't put her finger on why. Glancing around she then became aware of a girl stood staring at them. Perhaps she would have to get used to that. That girl seemed familiar, on closer inspection, it was the girl she had bumped into earlier. Allison nudged Andy and gestured toward her. Andy frowned, then decided he couldn't care less. He stood up and reached for Allison's hand to help her up. He gestured toward the school

"Shall we?" He asked.

"Indeed we shall" she replied with a smile.

………………………………………………

Claire sat back inside the car, giddy relief washed over her. Amanda disappointed that she didn't get to see any action had gotten out of the car and ran after Ruth to pamper her bruised ego. She was glad that Ruth didn't get the chance to trash any of the breakfast club, but even gladder that she didn't have to put herself in the firing line. She was afraid that she might not have stepped in. When John called her a bitch Saturday, for saying that she would blank the breakfast club he had hit a nerve. Maybe he was right, she didn't exactly get out of the car and join the rest of them on the lawn so perhaps all her good intentions were chicken shit if she didn't have guts to be who she wanted to be. Claire hated all this self-doubt. Despite the fact she would probably get detention, she decided she couldn't deal with first period right now, which hatefully enough happened to be math. She hoped one of the girls would inform Mr Schaffer that she had 'women's troubles'. That excuse worked brilliantly on any of the male faculty. She located Ruth's keys and locked the car. She didn't want to risk going inside school to put them in Ruth's locker so she put them in her purse and made a mental note to hand them over at lunch.

She walked a short distance not knowing where to go. She wanted to be everywhere and nowhere all at once, to be everybody and nobody. Hell, she didn't know what she wanted, so she just kept walking.

………………….

Allison sat in first period with a grin so wide it was actually starting to hurt. She had received some curious looks from her fellow classmates. She wasn't sure if it was because they had seen her and Andy out on the lawn, or because she looked different today. Either way, she didn't care. In following with the good vibe of the day, Her first period was art. Usually her paintings and creations were very dark. Deserted woodlands, screaming shadowed figures. Her art was better when she put emotion into it, and until recently all she had known was isolation and pain. But today, and maybe everything to come, would be different. Choosing out colours of red, violet and white, she began to paint.

……………………

John, as expected blew off first period. He headed for his usual hang out spot, where it was quiet and deserted and nobody could find him. He headed around to the sports field, and stated to climb the bleachers until he reached the very top. Unless you were high up on the stands yourself, you wouldn't know that anybody was up there. John sat down and lit a cigarette. He was happy for Allison and Andy. He had seen it coming Saturday, and so had Claire. She knew that although Andy had fallen for Allison the person, Allison needed that little confidence boost on the outside to show her how much Andy had liked her. He touched the diamond earring that he was wearing. John was surprised that Andy or Brian hadn't commented on it this morning, after all, on someone like John, it really stuck out. Everybody would think he had stolen it, but then everybody thought bad things about him anyway, so what difference did it make. He stubbed out his smoke, and lay down looking up at the sky. John hadn't spotted Claire in the car, and secretly, this morning he was looking out for her as much as Andy was Allison. He didn't let on though, you don't get your hopes up, and you never get let down. It was defence mechanism of his. Served him well over the years. Saturday was the first time he had let his guard down in front of anybody, and it had been surprisingly easy.

It had been a sunny morning, but john thought he could feel a few drops of rain on his face. He jumped slightly as a crack of thunder sounded from the distance. 'Typical' he thought. Why was it when he wanted to be alone somewhere, circumstances always conspired to make him move? It had happened Saturday and it looked as if it would happen again. He couldn't explain why, but he knew he wouldn't be moving anywhere soon. He didn't want to be anywhere else but at the top of this mountain, looking for answers in the endless expanse of the sky.

Claire found herself in the sports fields around the back of school. She glanced around; she couldn't see anybody on the fields or up in the bleachers. Perfect, she had came seeking isolation and she had found it. A bundle of frustration welled inside her, playing turmoil with her emotions and she needed to let it out. She heard thunder in the distance that only served to agitate her further. Taking a deep breath, she let out all her tension in an anguished scream.

John sat up, what the hell was that?

Claire smiled a little. That was so much better, at least for a little while. Her cheeks flushed a little in embarrassment, she hoped nobody had heard that. There didn't look to be anybody around so she figured that she was okay. With another 40 minutes to her next class, she decided to brave the grey skies and sat a couple of rows up on the bleachers. After a few minutes of silent contemplation, she felt the rain more heavily on her shoulders and back. She really should be moving, she hadn't thought to bring a jacket, it was such a gorgeous morning. And besides, her head was full of other matters, who had time to be practical?

Then the heavens truly opened. A torrent rained down on her, and it wasn't even a couple of seconds before she was soaked to the bone. She laughed at the ridiculous situation. Her laughter was cut short however when she felt the bleachers shake, as if somebody was stepping down them. The rain was so heavy that she couldn't even make out who it was. Then a familiar grey coat was placed around her shoulders and a wonderfully familiar pair of lips kissed hers softly.

"Hey" whispered John softly

"Hey"