Chapter Twelve: Caught

Claire returned ten minutes later with two plastic bags and a proud smile.

"The triumphant returns." Bender said when he saw her enter through the bowling alley doors.

She walked to their scoring table and sat on a chair next to him. The instant she placed the bags on the floor, Bender leant over and picked them up to inspect what was inside.

The heavenly waft of fish and chips hit his nose and Bender's mouth began to water. In the other bag were two bottles of coke and some napkins.

Claire reached to get the bag with the chips but Bender pulled it out of her reach and gave her a smirk.

"You going to share princess?"

She briefly glared at him, "Well I was but you aren't sharing."

Bender, still smirking, slowly reached towards her with the bag and she took it from him, slightly surprised by how easy he was giving it back.

And so they had lunch.

For an hour they ate, drank, laughed, and continued their game.

It was the best time Claire had ever had in her life.

Unfortunately it had to end and it did when Claire released her bowling ball for the final time and watched it roll down the alley and knocking over the final four pins.

The final score was Bender defeating her by fifty.

But Claire didn't mind.

Someone started clapping and Claire immediately knew it was Bender. She looked at him, still sitting on the chair beside the scoring table. He had both feet resting on the table and he was clapping, but he looked genuinely happy.

"Well done Claire. You did better than what I was expecting."

Claire smiled and shrugged a little before walking over to sit next to him.

"I wasn't expecting to do so well." She admitted and Bender just nodded, grinning at her honesty and humbleness.

"Next time though…" he said and stood up.

"Next time?" Claire asked, interrupting Bender and looking at him with a confused expression.

Bender sighed with frustration.

Why does she have to question everything?

"Yeah next time." He answered.

Before he gave her a chance to say anything, Bender turned around and began walking towards the exit doors. Walking past registration desk, he looked at Rob and said, "Later," with a smile and disappeared out of the door.

Claire quickly grabbed her bag and rushed after him, but waved at Rob before she disappeared out of the doors to.

Outside Bender was walking more slowly and she quickly caught up with him.

He had a blank expression on his face and he didn't even acknowledge her when she looked at him.

Good one Claire…what have I done to you John?

They walked back through the mall shortcut in silence. Claire didn't even glance at the shoe store's window.

He didn't even complain or growl about the change in lights when they stepped outside and back onto the bustling street.

Neither made any attempt of conversation as they walked the several blocks back to school.

Bender didn't even know why he was returning but he felt it was his duty or something to make sure she got back safely.

But why was he going back the whole way?

Stopping in the middle of the street Claire bumped straight into his back, giving a muffled 'oof'.

The force of walking into him made Claire feel a little dizzy when she took half a step back. She rubbed her sore nose and studied the back of Bender.

"Why'ja stop?" she asked, sounding weird because she was still rubbing her slightly squished nose.

Bender turned and looked at her with a mixed expression of anger and shock.

"Why the hell am I walking back to school?"

His question made Claire realize that John Bender had been returning to school in his free unconsciously, willingly.

"I…" she began but her voice trailed off.

Claire didn't know either.

"Claire why would I be going back to school?" he asked, sounding angrier than confused.

Something suddenly occurred to Claire and she looked at him with fearful realization, "Because I'm going back to school."

Fury suddenly ran through him and he found himself unable to say anything else to her.

Without so much as a syllable, he turned away from Claire and stormed into a nearby side alley separating several buildings.

Claire paused for a second, thinking whether she should follow him or not, when suddenly she saw a recognizable dark black-grey head of hair across the street from her.

Even though he had his back to her, Claire recognized the profile pf Richard Vernon.

"Oh fuck!" she hissed through her teeth as she bolted into the side alley after Bender.

Hoping to god that Vernon hadn't seen her.

She raced in-between the buildings, searching frantically for Bender so she could warn him.

Soon a wisp of cigarette smoke hit her nose. Claire followed it and found Bender around the next corned, sitting on the ground and having a cigarette.

The instant he saw her, he looked away but Claire didn't have time for this moodiness.

"John I just saw Vernon!" she exclaimed, very worried and scared.

His moody expression suddenly changed to one of fear, "What???"

Seeing his fear, Claire looked at him with confusion, "Why should it matter fro you? You're on a free."

When he didn't reply to confirm this, Claire instantly realized that he had lied to her about having a free.

"If I get caught I'm gonna be thrown out for good." He said, now worried and scared about what his ol' man was going to do if that happened.

Claire sensed what he was thinking and it suddenly occurred to her what she had to do.

It was going to mean another Saturday detention…but it was going to be worth it.

Bender had noticed her face set into one of resolve and action and he had no idea why.

"We're screwed." He said.

He sounded so sad and defeated that Claire couldn't believe the guy sitting on the ground was Bender.

"John Bender." She said sharply and he immediately looked up at her. "You will not get expelled."

She turned and began walking away without a second glance at him.

She made her way back to the entrance of the side alley and stood there. Looking around for Vernon, she instantly saw him and she gulped nervously.

He still had his back turned to her but now he was on the same side of the street.

Standing only a few meters away from her, Claire went to take a step into the street but suddenly two strong arms seized her from behind and began to drag her backwards.

Claire immediately began fighting against her captor but suddenly a gloved hand clamped itself over her mouth and muffled her protests.

"Shut up cherry! Do you want to lead him straight to us?!" Bender hissed in her ear.

She instantly relaxed against him at the sound of his voice, but they suddenly heard familiar heavy footsteps rapidly approaching them.

Claire wriggled out of his arms and quickly looked around for a hiding spot.

A large dumpster container nearby caught her eye but she was quickly dismayed when she saw the space behind it was big enough for one person.

She didn't even pause for a second when she grabbed Bender's arm and pulled him over to the spot. Forcing him to sit down behind it, hidden from view, Claire had moved so fast that it had taken only three seconds…

But that was all that it took for Vernon to reach the alleyway and enter it.

The instant he saw her, he smiled and cruelly at Claire.

"Well, well, well Miss Standish. I do believe that you are meant to be at school in class at the moment."

Claire didn't reply but she swallowed nervously.

"And that means young lady you are skipping class again," he continued, "I was sent to scout for students like you who can't quit this bad habit."

"That means that now I have to escort you back to school to see the principal." He added harshly and gave her a serious expression, trying to make her feel guilt.

His ploy didn't work though as Claire shrugged with true 'Bender-style' and walked out of the alleyway.

Just before disappearing out of view, she snuck a glace back at the dumpster which was still concealing Bender. Half of his face was partially visible as she looked at him.

Their eyes locked and she was too far away to risk saying anything to him, so she gave him a secret smile before disappearing from view.