A/N Hi, I'm very pleased with this chapter. Hope you all like it as well. I won't be updating for awhile. I leave Monday for my vacation. Malta here I come! I'll definitely work on this more when I return. Thank you for your kind reviews so far.

What can I say? The weekend was hell at the 'ol Bender household. My pop decided to lay down new linoleum in the kitchen. Why he actually decided to do it after five years of my mom bitching about it I don't know. Of course he picked Saturday. Started it while drinking a beer, ended it 2 six packs and a screwed up mess as I entered the door. Course it was my fault because I wasn't there to help. Wasn't there to take out his frustration on after his messing up the measuring and not buying enough? I came home on time for him to take out his frustration on afterwards though. Too bad he didn't pass out before I go there.

I only set one foot in the door. "There you are you good for nothing, lazy, shit head! Where the hell were you?"

"Not like you care," I said stepping past him and heading to my room. That is when I felt him grab the back of my coat. I shrugged out of it leaving it in his hands. Although he was drunk he was still fast. Turning around to face him had been a mistake. His fist connected with the side of my face knocking me off balance causing me to fall on the stairs. My back still hurts. He stormed out and told me I could fix the floor he was heading to Bob's Brewhouse. I grabbed my coat and headed out the door too. No point in staying around even if he wasn't there. The colorlessness of the brown rug, furniture, and walls was pressing down on me. I walked staying out all day and stayed out all of Sunday too. Too esing there- depressing and oppressing.

I'm late. Nothing new there. Can't believe how many of these dweebs come here on time just to be bored out of the minds. Trying to become better citizens I guess. The clock in the main hall says 10am. I've missed first period and homeroom. I've always wanted to know what the point of homeroom was. Seems like nothing happens there except the princesses gossiping and preening. Guess it's a lot of work to look like that. Hate to see them without their make-up.

Second period is gym. Thrill. Only reason to show is to smoke pot behind the bleachers with Spike and Boomer. As I enter the gym I hear Coach calling my name. Screw him I'm here he can mark it in his little book that I actually showed up for once. I flick him a bird and then I saw her, Claire.

What's your name?

Claire.

Claire?

Claire. It's a family name.

It's a fat girl's name.

Never knew we had gym together. She was sitting on the floor with a couple of the other princesses stretching. Couldn't help stopping to watch. She was wearing the "required uniform" for PE, blue shorts with white piping and a white t-shirt with "Shermer" screen printed on the front. One of her friends said something and looked up laughing. Then she turned, looked at me and smiled. I gave her a small one back. I'd have to duck behind the bleachers soon or the coach would make me play Red Rover, or Duck Duck Goose or whatever baby game they was planned for today.

"Who are you looking at, Claire?" I heard one of the other girls ask her. Think her name is Amy Jo but since they would never give me the time of day or the other way around no point in knowing it. Right? Then Claire, not answering her stood and started coming my way. "Claire?"

"Hi," she said as she came closer.

"Hi Princess. Slumming?"

She got a look on her face as though she wanted to yell at me. To walk off but then she stood her ground. "Just wanted to say hi." She was making the effort. I'll give her an A for that.

"Well hi then." We stood staring at each other.

"Okay everyone get in line today is volleyball," Coach announced.

"I better get going," I told her as the others started to line up. Needed to make sure I was out of sight.

"Get going where?"

"Hey Bender," yelled Spike from behind the bleachers. As I started to head toward my friend I heard Coach call my name too.

"Since John Bender has decided to grace us with his presence today I think he will be captain of the red team." The rest of the class was in shock. I looked back to Spike but he had already ducked behind the bleachers. Claire started towards the others and tugged my shirtsleeve.

"Not my thing man," I called to the Coach. A red vest thing flew through the air landing on my head. Those goodie goodie dorks started laughing. "What the fuck are you dorks laughing at?" Most shut up pretty fast others tried hiding their grins behind their hands. Those were the ones whose asses I wanted to kick. I tossed the red vest back to him. "I told you not my thing."

"Well it better become your thing Bender because if you fail this class you will be taking it with me again next year. No gym, no graduation."

"Come on John," said Claire looking at me. "It will be fun." That girl has one weird idea of fun. Nothing is fun about hitting a ball over a net. Then she grabbed a red vest for herself. Amy Jo pulled her aside and whispered something in her ear. Claire shrugged and got in position. Everyone was in position, waiting for me.

"What the hell." I stood on the court next to Claire. Looking around I realized no one on this side of the net, besides yours truly was male. Great. Fabulous. "Is this the girls' team?" I asked her.

"It's the red team."

"I know that but from where I am standing red means girl and blue means boy."

The other team served and I didn't notice. The ball hit me in the head. More laughter. What the fuck? That guy who did that is toast. Storming to the other side of the net I stood in front of him. "You think that is funny?"

"Not like anyone will notice with that bruise you already have." The guy remarked.

I pulled back my fist, it was just itching to make contract with one of these morons' noses.

"Mr. Bender what do you think you are doing? Get back on your side of the net. Want detention on Saturday?"

"I'm not through with you," I said poking the guy in the chest and heading back to my place on the girl's...excuse me, the red team. "I'll be there anyway so go ahead and give me detention."

"What an ass!" Someone said. Teaches me to come to the gym but it was snowing. It's too fucking cold outside to hang out behind the stadium bleachers. Forget it. I'm out of here. Not much they can do. Instead of going back to the red team I left leaving Claire to stare after me.