Disclaimer: The usual. Nothing is mine.
Summary: Claire and John arrive late for school for some very…interesting reasons.
A/N: Thanks to all of you who reviewed, especially stonergirl
Claire Standish and John Bender looked around nervously as they walked into Shermer High School hand in hand. John could care less if he was caught, but Claire didn't want her parents to find out about her truancy. They each tip toed carefully to their lockers, glancing mischievously at one another as they did so. It was almost 11:30. The bell rang, signaling the end of fourth period and students flooded the hallways as they too went to their lockers or made their way to another class. "Where do you go next," Claire asked John.
"American history," he answered dully, "How about you?"
"Trig," she stated with a groan.
He snickered and changed the subject. "Having sushi again for lunch," he asked.
She smirked, remembering his reaction to her lunch on Saturday. "If it will make you feel any better," she told him, "I can think of one guy whose tongue I'd much rather have in my mouth than that stuff." Without another word she flounced off to class, leaving him grinning from ear to ear in her wake. After that, the rest of the day in school almost seemed bearable, despite the conversations that seemed to stop whenever she walked into a room and the viscous whispering that seemed to start.
Just as Claire was getting out her trig book so she could efficiently pretend to be paying attention a piece of notebook paper crumpled into a ball soared through the air and landed on her desk. She turned around and searched the faces of her fellow classmates in order to discover the identity of her assailant. No one showed the slightest inclination to return her gaze, or if they did it was blank, as if they were wondering why she was looking at them. Shaking her head she smoothed out the note on her desk, beside the previous night's homework assignment. It mostly consisted of random answers, considering her rather exhausting and time-consuming activities from the night before, but it was disguised well enough to make it appear as though she'd actually done the work. It was a talent that over the years had proven quite useful.
As Mr. Burnstien began his endless drawling lecture on finding the sum of angle vectors Claire began to concentrate on the distinct scrawl in front of her, which she instantly recognized. Claire, it read, what have you been thinking lately? You and I have been friends for as long as I can remember, and as you know, our mothers are very close as well. If you do not choose to reform your behavior immediately I will be forced to advise my mother to confide in your mother about what you have been doing. You one of the most popular girls in school and you could have a real shot at being prom queen. Why do you want to throw that all away? John Bender is a criminal and everybody knows it, unless you want to turn to a life of crime I suggest you cross back over from the dark side and reclaim your rightful place among us girls. You have until lunchtime to make up your mind.
-Anita P.S. I heard you had a late night visitor yesterday. I wonder how your mother would feel about that.
Claire could feel her cheeks burning as she finished reading the note. Some best friend she had. Against her will she felt her gaze shifting toward her former social circle, specifically Hannah and Anita, who only smiled pretentiously and returned to their work. Deep down she knew she had made the right decision, but it still her hurt her to know that people who, until today she would have considered her friends, could only like her if she was like them. She felt an intense feeling of guilt manifesting itself inside the pit of her stomach as she wondered how many others she had judged so superficially. Hot tears burned the inside of her eyes as she imagined the wrath that would be unleashed upon her when her parents found out about her love life, and since she had no intention of renouncing her newfound freedom there was little doubt in her mind that they would in fact, find out.
The day got worse when in her next period class Claire forgot her book and received a lecture on the importance on being prepared for class, much to the delight of her foes. Things were so messed up that by lunchtime she feared she was in real down of breaking down crying. She almost did when at first glance she thought Bender had ditched and left without her. The only thing that prevented it was the sudden warmth of a strong steady hand on her shoulder and the soft purr of a voice that said, "Hey Princess, got any raw fish wrapped in seaweed for me today?" When she turned around to face him she tried to smile, but was trembling so badly she could barely manage it. Seeing the genuine distress in her eyes Bender put a protective arm on her shoulder and lead her out into the hallway, where she promptly put her head to his chest and let out a frustrated sigh. They stood there like that for a while, him stroking her hair until she clamed down.
When at last she found the strength to lift her head, he asked, "You want to talk about it?" Instead of answering directly she sucked in a huge gulp of air and relayed her entire tale all in one breath. When it was over it bore such a resemblance to the children's book Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad, Day by Judith Viorst, that it was almost worth laughing about. "Well," said Bender, trying to lighten the mood, "At least now everyone will know you're not a tease." This merited a small smile from Claire and seemed to be enough to persuade her to reenter the cafeteria and eat her lunch, or at least half of it.