A/N: It might sound a little strange, a little lifetime like, and what the heck is going on, right? Well, you will see and find out. Read and review I live for them all! Just trust me😉

Onward through the fog!

"I have just as many feelings as you do."

-Claire Standish

Shermer High

8:05 a.m.

Richard Vernon's office

"And just when I couldn't think any less of student propriety around here, I find you bunch causing a ruckus in my school!"

"Well, my mother will certainly want to hear MY side caused by this lunatic. Now I'll have to explain to mother why I can't have my glamour shots this week!"

"You hush, Ms. Marten. You are no more innocent than Ms. Standish here. All actions have consequences and with consequences, you come to learn the meaning of respect. The respect I deserve as your principal. Which includes you paying attention to me, Ms. Standish!"

The sound of wood connecting with steel echoed with a THWACK resounding off the solid walls of Richard Vernon's office. The ruler stick had come down, hard, against the edge of his desk. The small gust turned up a filmy corner off a Farrah Fawcett calendar, revealing the bleach-blonde clad in a one-piece swimsuit on some sequestered beach.

Well then, he should talk about propriety.

Pretty sure that's not appropriate for school.

"Ms. Standish!" came Vernon's sharp voice.

Slowly, Claire's dark eyes slid to his. She kept her arms tight against her chest, face neutral of expression.

In typical fashion, Vernon's lips were pressed in a firm line showing restraint from screaming in her face. His chin was tucked into the collar of the ebony shirt he wore, pressed suit ironed to perfection. Two bone-white knuckles were clenched atop the black surface of his desk. The fluorescents above picked up a few stray white hairs from his head.

No doubt from the stress he put himself under from years at Shermer.

Not that Claire cared, she hardly could stand the brutish guy. "I'm listening." she added, sharp. Already she was in a foul mood since the start of the morning. There was really nothing more the man could do. She'd already lost her temper and now she was reaping the consequences.

For a second Vernon's bushy brows rose in surprise. Before it was covered with a scowl. "I see one detention wasn't enough to cow your attitude, Ms. Standish. Perhaps we should make a refresher of last years."

Claire could feel Stacia's watchful gaze on her as her eyes narrowed. All her anger and hurt inside was now directly targeted on the man in front of her. Let him take the brunt of it. "It really must thrill you, damning other people's lives, Vernon."

The comment alone would've had her mother fainting from such manner. And her father sputtering like a fish out of water. She heard an involuntary gasp coming from the strawberry blonde aside her. But Claire hardly paid attention to these details. Old Claire would've taken the insults, nodded obediently, and accepted the punishments before withdrawing.

But things were different; she was different.

And it was clear Vernon had been taken slightly off guard by her response. He appeared to blink once, then twice, before he gritted out, "Saturday detention for you both. And you!" He pointed a manicured finger directly at her, clucking his tongue with a shake of his head. "You are going to spend every god damn Saturday in here for the rest of your natural born life. You just you keep it up!"

"How thrilling." The words were out before Claire even thought about it, already steamed.

That threw Vernon for a loop. If there was one thing, he hated most in the world, it was backtalk from another student. Especially when there was only one, particular criminal, which raised his hackles like none other. So, it came as a surprise that this young woman with an, otherwise, pristine record, was acting like, like-

A criminal.

"What. Did. You. Say?"

Stacia, who obviously wanted to kiss ass to save her own hide, piped up. "I believe Mr. Vernon, sir, she said she was thrilled with you giving her detention."

Pathetic. Claire's head whipped around to glare at her.

Stacia sat with her legs properly crossed much in the fashion of the social galas their families were partook in. One heel propped on the carpet beneath. Her lips curled as her blue eyes filled of malicious intent. "Am I not, correct?" She added a tap of her nails on the arm of the scalloped chair.

"Sucking up to a principal, Ms. Marten will not get you far in life. Now, go. Leave. Now."

Claire slouched further in her chair, disgruntled. This was going to be a long day.

Stacia looking pleased with herself, popped out of the chair and smiled sickly sweet at Vernon. "Thank you, Mr. Vernon. I promise I will not commit such inexcusable behavior again."

"Ass kisser." Claire muttered.

Stacia's mouth opened in mock horror, very much acting now. "Mr. Vernon do you hear what she called me?! Such profanity!"

"Get out of my office, Ms. Marten." Vernon pointed to the door, shoving the toe of his polished shoes against the stopper so the door fell closed in her face.

"What about a slip for my teacher?" came her muffled reply.

"You get to take the tardy. Detention Saturday."

"But I thought-" she began in a whiney voice.

But she was abruptly cut off with a bark from Vernon, "GO!"

Claire heard her scamper away like a scared rabbit. The action almost made her smirk, almost. However, she was now stuck in these cement, four cornered walls with none other than the devil himself.

Eyeing her, he seated himself on the corner of his desk, leaning over so they were eye level with each other. "Now, Ms. Standish." He began brusquely. "Care to inform me where this hostility is coming from? Or has it become of you?"

Claire refused to answer and turned her head to the side.

"Ms. Standish!" Vernon barked. "Do not try my patients, they are wearing quite thin. And it's only the first day of your senior year."

A minute passed and still, Claire remained silent.

"Ms. Standish, you are disobeying a direct order from your vice principal. That is foolish behavior."

Claire focused on the patterns in the carpet, digging the toe of her boots into the fabric.

"Hey!" Suddenly he snapped his fingers directly in her line of vision. "You will look at me when I am talking to you, young lady!"

Claire turned her head sharply, eyes sending daggers at this abhorrent man. The snapping of fingers was not something she'd let slide. He was acting like a scolding parent to a child. And she would not stand for it. "You are NOT my father."

"No?" Vernon raised his eyebrows, resettling himself. "Maybe that's what you need, a call home to straighten your rear into gear."

"Shut. Up." Claire warned, the anger beginning to surface once more.

"Your moms already taken off for another vacation, hasn't she?" he sneered. "The father on another business trip? With what, that secretary? The whole town knows it. What about your brother? Heard he lives in some crack house as a mechanic. Shermer Highs once former star athlete?"

"Shut your fucking mouth!" Claire's hands began to shake as the scream tore free, barely holding back now as the blood rushed in her ears. She could feel the tips of her ears beginning to warm, her face hot.

"Whoa, Dick, am I interrupting some kinky foreplay here?"

Angry tears burned in Claire's eyes. Quickly she blinked them away, her hands shaking as her head swiveled to the right of her.

There, standing in the doorway was none other than the criminal himself, John Bender. And hand in hand, in tow, was Allison Reynolds.