Claire stumbled out of the house just as Bender was leaning a boy over the railings so he could throw up into the flowerbed down below.
"John?"
He looked up at the sound of his name.
"I lost you," she said, then walked over to him.
"Well, here I am," he said as he repositioned his grip on the boy.
"What are you doing?"
"Well, my buddy Craig here decided to start throwing up on Stubby's fine upholstery, so I brought him outside."
Bender was obviously struggling to keep hold of Craig, who every few moments attempted to stand before throwing his body back at the side, almost sending himself over a few times. Claire moved to his other side, a frown on her face.
"You're not going to beat him up, are you?"
John's head snapped up to look at her, but he didn't respond.
"I'm sorry," she spoke again, quieter this time, but he still didn't respond, focusing his attention instead on Craig.
"Do you not want to talk?"
"I'm kind of occupied at the moment," he said, just as Craig began slipping backwards again. "Grab hold of him."
Claire did as she was told, but that didn't stop her from hounding Bender with questions.
"Do you not like me?"
"What gave you that idea?"
"You just don't seem very happy to see me."
"Princess, I'm ecstatic."
Claire shuffled on her feet, feeling her cheeks burning out of embarrassment. She definitely wasn't used to being treated like this.
"I can leave if you want," she said, "I was just heading home… then Andrew grabbed me."
John looked up, shaking his head so the hair that had fallen in front of his face fell back behind his ears. "The guy who felt you up?"
Claire nodded.
"Did he hurt you?"
"Not really, just confirmed that this officially party sucks."
"Agreed. I was leaving before Craig here cornered me and began chucking up everywhere."
"Do you know him?"
"We're best buds."
"Really?"
"No. But we could be. Friends hold each others hair back, and all."
Claire began to laugh. She had only known John Bender for a few hours, at the most, but she much preferred him when he was joking around.
"You're funny."
"I take that as a personal offence."
"Oh, no, don't, it was a comp-"
He cut her off.
"I'm kidding, sweets."
"Oh…"
Finally his eyes met hers, and he was smiling. She mirrored him, and they stayed that way for a few seconds longer before he interrupted the moment by looking back down.
"I'm getting out of here. You good, Craig?"
He patted Craig on the back, who responded with a thumbs up. Carefully, they both helped him back up until he was stood on his feet, and then John led him over to sit down on the porch chair, leaving Claire stood on her own.
"Are you driving?"
With Craig now set down, John looked back at her properly, suddenly feeling bare now that he wasn't supporting the body of the smaller, younger boy. He smiled, somewhat sarcastically.
"Not everyone can afford a car at eighteen."
"I take that as a personal offence."
At the retelling of his own joke, John's sarcastic smile fell and his real, teeth exposed, smile was on his face instead.
"I was just asking," Claire began again as Bender began to walk down the porch steps, "because I was meant to get a ride tonight, but my designated driver is currently occupied with alcohol and her boyfriend."
"I could see how that might be a problem."
Claire still followed him as he leant on the small picket fence in front of the house and jumped over it in one swift moment, except she opted to unlock and walk through the gate.
"Do you want to walk with me? I don't live too far from here."
"I figured that as much," he said, referring to the rich location they were in.
The sound of Claire's heels on the pavement stopped as she waited for his answer. John looked over his shoulder, then nodded.
"Sure, why not."
They started up walking again in silence, neither of them knowing what to say, just listening as the sound of the music from the house began to grow quieter the longer they walked. They were practically in step with each other, but Claire steered their direction towards her home, which was a good ten minutes away. Briefly, she looked down at the ground.
"Gross, I think Craig got vomit on my trousers."
Bender followed her gaze.
"That boy has no respect for designer clothing."
"Oh, I don't care about that. I hate this outfit. I'm more worried about smelling like throw up."
"Why did you wear it if you hate it?"
"I don't know. My friends said I looked good in it so I bought it. It's kind of stupid, I guess."
"You always do what your friends tell you do to?"
"No… I… well…"
"Good, because you're better than that."
Claire paused, halting their walk.
"You think?"
"Sure, everyone is."
"Oh, I thought you meant… Never mind."
They started walking again.
"So was the detention today bad?" Claire asked.
"Painfully."
"I'm glad I missed that one, then."
"What did you do to almost get thrown in there?"
"What, you mean why did Vernon threaten me with detention?"
John nodded.
"You'll hate me if I tell you."
"Try me."
"I went to the mall with my friend to go shopping."
"You think I'd hate you because you went shopping?"
"You just don't seem like a materialistic kind of guy."
"Only because I don't have said materials in the first place."
"It's just different talking to you. Refreshing, almost. Most people only talk to me about fashion, gossip, they think that's all they know about. But I know a lot more than just that."
"Well, what would you prefer?"
"I don't know, it would be nice if just once someone asked me about…like what I'm passionate about. Rather than just…other stuff."
"What are you passionate about?"
"Lots of things. Mostly books. I love to read."
"That's surprising," John said, stopping them again so he could light his cigarette.
"I wish it wasn't surprising. Just because I'm…you know, popular, doesn't mean I don't like academic things."
"Do you think you're popular?"
"Well… I wouldn't say I'm not, you know? Reasonably so, at least. A lot of people know who I am."
"I didn't."
"Well, now you do. And you're the only person to know about the book thing, too."
John laughed quietly as he let out a breath of smoke; it was illuminated by the street lights.
"It's an honour."
"What about you?"
"Me?"
"What are you passionate about? Besides uncontrollable amounts of sarcasm."
"I don't know. It's not something I really talk about."
"I guess it's a pretty deep conversation. You should probably save it for your girlfriend."
"I probably wouldn't, even if I had one."
"You don't?"
"No. It's not really my thing."
"What, one guy one girl?"
John nodded.
"Why not?"
"Why are you so persistent?"
"It's just…I've never heard that before. That's the way I thought things were supposed to be."
"Not for me."
"So you've never had a girlfriend?"
"I've had girls. I've considered them."
"What do you mean, consider?"
"Consider if I want to hang out with them."
"Do you consider me?"
They stopped again as John looked at her before responding. He felt like she was testing him.
"Do you want me to?" he replied.
Claire pursed her lips.
"I think so."
"Not while you're wearing trousers covered in puke."
It didn't take much longer until they were stood outside of Claire's house. John looked up at the home, half aware that his mouth was slightly agape at the sight of it. She definitely was a princess.
"Thank you for walking me," she said.
"Thanks for the company."
"Will I see you at school?"
"Well, Shermer's only so big.".
"I'd like to. No joking around."
"You see how you feel about that tomorrow morning."
John pressed his lips together in the form of a smile, and then began back walking in the other direction. By walking her home, he had only distanced himself further from Jev's garage, which he planned to crash in tonight. For some reason, he didn't mind too much.
Claire watched him walk away, stumped for what to say in the moment of time. He knew, just as she did, that it was illogical for them to be friends, never mind consider each other. As far as anyone else was concerned, their conversation hadn't even happened.
"John," she called after him, running down the street to catch up with him. "I know you're probably thinking that I'm only talking to you because I've been drinking, but you have to know I'm telling the truth when I say that my mind won't change in the morning. But if yours does, I don't mind. If you want to forget that we ever became friends, spoke, whatever this is, you can. But I wanted you to know that about me."
Bender was just about to protest that she seemed to assume the worst of him, that he would do something as mean as that, when she took ahold of his face and locked their lips together, almost as if sealing some sort of deal. And despite knowing that maybe it was sick and twisted, considering the fact that just an hour before she had been crying over another guy attempting to do this with her, John kissed her back. He wrapped his arms around her waist, felt where her shirt was tucked into her trousers as she wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling how his hairs were standing up after being exposed to the cold night air.
When they broke away, Claire's face was flushed red and smiling, bashfully, like she'd never done something so daring before. Maybe she hadn't.
They said their goodbyes again, but John Bender walked slowly now, looking back over his shoulder every few seconds to watch her going into her house.
