chapter 8 : the morning after Claire.
Claire awoke to a strange room. It was darker, and very plain. So different from her room at home. She had a terrible pain in her arm, and her face was throbbing. It hurt to open her one eye. She smelled like beer also. As she sat up in the bed, she suddenly remembered everything. The party. She was at Allison's house.
Claire laid back down and began to cry. She couldn't believe she had been so silly. She had willingly went into the bed room with him. Even sat down on his bed. She should have seen it coming. She was always so trusting and naive. Her favorite pink shirt was torn. A permanent reminder of the night before.
At least it was just her shirt. Thank god Andrew came in before he raped me she thought. She would have hated to lose her virginity in such a horrible way.
Suddenly like a tornado, the door swung open, and in rushed John Bender. She jumped in surprise. He flung himself down next to her and took her in his arms. She began to cry again, but he still just held her and whispered to her, showing a gentleness she would have never thought he could possess.
The others stared at them a moment before shutting the door and returning downstairs. "He was a mess the whole way here, Brian said, like a bomb, getting ready to go off. "I have never seen him that wired."
"Lets leave them for awhile. I think Claire needs him" Allison said leading them to the kitchen.
"John you were right, she cried into his shoulder, I am just a tease, everyone knows it." Claire tried to push him away.
"No princess, never, he shouldn't have hurt you, god I will kill him, who was it. Sporto wouldn't tell me. Who did this to you?" He gingerly reached out and caressed her swollen cheek.
"It doesn't matter, it will just make things worse. He was drunk, and I was stupid . . . "Claire began.
"How bad did he hurt you sweetheart, did he. . . ." Bender couldn't bring himself to say the words.
"No, Just roughed me up, Andrew stopped him."
"Claire." He whispered her name as he pulled her close, his arms going protectively around her. He kissed her hair and ran his fingers up her back. He wondered just when did this silly girl find her way to his heart. He had never felt this way about any girl before, and certainly not one like her.
Suddenly he was aware of Claire kissing him. Her fingers began to unbutton his shirt. "Claire what are you doing?" He asked surprised.
"I don't want to end up losing myself to a drunken guy at a party." She sighed looking down.
"There is no way we are doing this now. You deserve better than me. Someday some guy will by you diamonds, and will cherish you. You can lose yourself to him." John tilted her head up till she looked him in the eyes.
"Maybe that guy will be you?"
"Silly girl, were you not listening. You deserve better than me."
"John. . ." she said slowly. God he loved how she said his name, his first name, John, not bender. She said it all breathy and quiet. Like she shouldn't be saying it.
"Yes. What."
Again she looked down. Suddenly interested in a string on his shirt. "Did you think of me this week. Any at all."
"You were the first thing I thought of when I woke, and the last thing before I slept. You were the only thing I thought of this week." He said softly.
Claire began to cry again. How had things gotten so confusing. The good guy had tried to rape her, but here she was in the arms of a criminal, feeling more loved than she had ever felt in her whole life.