A/N: Sorry for the wait. I'm doing my best to keep up with this story as I am also working on other stories at the same time. Here is chapter 9.

Sunday/ Monday

Claire and Andy stood frozen solid and staring in shock at John Bender. They wondered how much of their conversation was heard by him. Andy had the wherewithal to move in front of Claire. Bender jerked his head and cracked his neck. Andy gulped. Claire tried to compose a sentence in her head.

"Bender. I can..." Andy began to say but was cut off by Bender.

"Shut up you jock shit!" he shouted.

"John..." Claire tried to say but was cut off too.

"Don't Princess! Don't! The fucking truth finally comes out! It only took a damn week. I'm surprised it took you longer than fag boy to come out about it. Glad to know we're done. Wish you had been grown up enough to tell me to my face. Not while crying to him about it," Bender said in a stale tone.

Claire's eyes widened and an offended expression took over her face.

You're the one the one who has been acting fake and trying to impress everyone. Making them think you've changed. Now you're here and eavesdropping on our conversation! How is that being an adult and coming to talk asshole?"

"Doesn't matter anymore cherry. I heard what you said. Now I'ma give you what you want. Don't bother condescending to talk to me anymore. Both of you just go and fuck yourselves and go back to pretending that I don't exist or matter. Alright? Good bye!" Bender ranted in a cold tone and walked away without another word.

Claire and Andy just stared at him in disbelief as he lit a cigarette and walked down the street. Andy and Claire stared at one another and back in Benders direction disappointed. So much they both wanted to say, only to be put in their respective places. She turned and went inside and he got in his truck and left. Neither of them would speak to each other for the next few days. Bender couch hopped for those days.

Sunday

Alice woke up after hearing an odd noise. She looked around sleepily and found where it was coming from. She walked over to his window and saw Bender throwing handfuls of pebbles at it. She smiled slightly when she saw him standing on her lawn. She also was slightly nervous. She remembered their last encounter.

She took a deep breath and exhaled slowly before she opened her window.

"What are you doing here? It's eight in the morning?" She asked.

"I'm a morning person. Since you're up, you wanna come hang out?" He answered.

She smiled and answered,

"I'll be right down Bender!" she answered excitedly.

She put on a black t-shirt, pants, coat and her converses. She grabbed two sodas out of the fridge and then went outside. She ran up and hugged Bender. He returned the hug and gave her a kiss on the cheek. She handed him the Coke and shrugged.

"It's not alcohol but I thought you would like one," she joked.

"You're too kind Ali. This will do fine for me later," he replied and stuck the Coke in the pocket of his gray trench coat.

She noticed he was wearing a blue flannel shirt with a red t-shirt underneath, blue jeans, his boots and a blue bandana wrapped around his boot. She noticed that he wasn't wearing his aviators. She didn't ask any questions though. She noticed quickly that he was upset about something. The way he was walking gave it all away.

"So you're not gonna ask why I'm turning up at your place at an ungodly hour of the weekend?" he asked passively.

"I figure that if you want me to know, you'll tell me whether or not I am to ask," she answered.

"I like that you look at things like that. You're not so nosy unless you're really wanting to know," he said with a smile before looking at the convenience store. "Want some drinks and eats?"

"Uh hm, sure," she answered with uncertainty.

They walked into the store and Bender walked to the far back aisle. Alice quickly realized what Bender ws doing. Against her better judgment she decided to distract the clerk. She approached the clerk and asked him how he was doing. The clerk checked her out She smirked and leaned against the counter. Her hair falling alongside her face.

"How has your day been?" she asked.

"Good. You look familiar," the clerk replied.

"I come in here from time to time."

"I know faces. Yours is kind of familiar. I'm not used to seeing you without all that eyeliner."

"Hey, I like having all that black shit on my eyes."

"You look better without it."

She let out a chuckle when he was trying to flirt. She glanced at his name tag and back at him.

"Thank you Tim. You're too kind," she said sarcastically.

She then saw Bender leave the store. She gave the clerk a wink and left. She caught up with Bender down the street. Eventually they ended up at the park. They stood over by the platforms and slides. He reached inside his coat and pulled out a Yoohoo. He handed it to her with a pack of gummie worms.

He pulled out and cracked open a beer and set a package of Cupcakes next to him. There was a little bit more silence before he let out a sigh.

"Me and Claire broke up yesterday," he said and lit up a cigarette.

Allison's eyes grew wide and shook jerked her head to Bender.

"Wha... what?" she asked in shock. "Why? What the hell for? What happened?"

He let out a chuckle and handed her a cigarette when she pointed at his pack with a questioning expression.

"I went to her place to talk to her and come clean about my child and what happened. Andy was there. She was talking to him and she said she couldn't handle not being popular and that she didn't really want to be with me. So I ended what wasn't meant to be. She can go be with Andy or some other popular guy now. I don't give a shit anymore," he answered.

"That's so sad though Bender. You really liked her. I'm sorry that happened," she replied sorrowfully.

"It's what I had coming. So I'm not too disappointed. Did I like her? Sure I did. Did I deserve her? No. Did she deserve me? No. Why you ask? Cause Neither of us were in it a hundred percent. She just wanted the hard ass criminal body guard to get back at her parents. You obviously know that I my desires are somewhere or, Hell, with someone else," he ranted.

"If I may ask, who are they with?" She asked.

"I honestly don't know. It's between two and I want it to just happen with the right person. So I'm choosing not to give names right now," he answered.

She looked away almost heartbroken and changed the subject.

"John, I have a serious question that needs a serious answer."

"Depending. What's the the question?"

"Am I someone you call your friend?"

He turned toward her and then turned her to him. He lifted her head by her chin and stared her in the eye.

"Don't ever question that again. Understand? Of anyone I have met throughout the years, you are the most real person I have met and who has seen past what I put out and seen me for me. I couldn't ask for a better friend," he answered her.

"What about Brian?" she asked.

"He's not a bad kid either. Someone I can hang out with during school or at places. He'll just need to come to me is all," he answered and pulled out a bag of chips from his coat.

She took a deep breath and asked him,

"What would you say if I told you I can help you get visitation of your child?"

"What the Hell does that mean?"