A/N Not really happy with this chapter but I guess it will do. I don't when I'll be ready with the next one. I have a busy next couple days but will try to get it done ASAP.

Bender was constantly surprising me like showing up in Phys ed and attempting to participate. Even though it didn't really work out he was there. Then when I walked into the cafeteria and saw him sitting with Andy and Brian like they had been best friends forever. I had to smile at that. It was pretty cool. I would never have spoken to them if I hadn't cut class to go shopping. Yeah I would have talked Andy after all this morning my friends were talking about setting me up with him. He is a nice guy and I probably would have gone out with him just for appearances sake, they are right we would look great together but looking good together does not a relationship make. He and Allison on the other hand, I can see them together.

While Andy was comfortable with me Saturday because our social circles are pretty similar I did catch him glancing at her. At first I wasn't sure if it was because she was so odd or if it was something else. I'm a pretty romantic person; believe in monogamy, one guy one girl, a steady relationship. So it was easy to see that he was interested in her because she was different and she could see something in him that those of us who were in the same circle can't. I knew that while he liked her he was still a guy and a pretty popular one at that so there was still an ego thing going on so I thought I'd give them a little push in the right direction and give her a slight makeover. I only hoped that he would talk to her on Monday I never thought they would be going out. I'm sure no one would ever think that Bender and I would be a couple either. Are we a couple? I'm still trying to figure that out. I hope he can see that I would like to be. I've made all the effort and am waiting for him to give me a sign that he might want the same thing.

As I got into the lunch room I spotted the guys sitting at a table toward the back. I saw Allison start to head over there and then Marsha trip her. God what a bitch. Everyone started laughing. Maybe Saturday made me more sensitive to others? I don't know but I couldn't help but wonder if they would be laughing if they were the ones on the floor in a puddle of chili. Shoving my way through the crowd I helped her up. Marsha then had the nerve to tell her she should watch where she was going. "You really are a bitch. Do you know that?" That wiped the smile from her face and I helped Allison to the bathroom.

Allison was embarrassed. Of course she was. She just fell with everyone watching and was humiliated. Her shutting Andy out like she did I think was uncalled for but I can't blame her. When she told him to leave her alone I was surprised. Allison said she didn't want to see him but I thought once he was in the bathroom and she saw he still liked her and would regardless of what happened she would come around. It didn't work out that way. Allison locked herself in a stall and Andy stormed out. The remaining three of us didn't really know what to do. So I looked at John hoping for a little help and he said, "I'll talk to her, you talk to him and Brian go to class." Bet Brian was relieved. It was surprise to me that he chose to talk to Allison over Andy but then I realized it was probably a good call especially since I had German with him next.

Walking into Frau Möller's class I saw Andy sitting at the back in the corner. He was flipping through the text and rapidly scribbling out last night's homework. "Hey there."

"Hi," was all he said. Then the bell rang cutting me off before I could say anything else to him.

Frau Möller waddled to the front of the room. It was so quiet you could hear the fabric of her cord slacks rubbing together. A few people laughed. I'm sure she was oblivious to the reason. She was very punctual and strict. All she had to do was give us her infamous stare with her one good eye and the class would fall into line. "Guten Tag Klasse"

"Guten Tag, Frau Möller," we all sang in Unison.

„Today I want you to break off into pairs. You will write a short story with your partner. It's due on Friday. Now no loud talking, but first pass up your homework." I dug my German folder out of my bag, found my assignment, and passed it forward. "I wish I would have taken French." I had French my sophomore and junior years but this year French 3 was full and I still needed a language credit to graduate thus German. Oh well I would work out well when I tour Europe, which my mom already said would be my graduation gift.

"Want to partner up?" Fanny, a girl who sat on my other side asked.

"I'm with Andy," I told her and she just smiled and moved her desk over to partner with the girl on the other side of her. Then I noticed she whispered to the girl and both looked at us. I pushed my desk closer to his and said, "She is probably telling them we are a couple." He disregarded what I said and asked, "So what should our story be about?" I could hear that he was still angry.

I pretended to think a moment then said, "What about a guy who after his girlfriend is horribly humiliated in the lunchroom, and gets angry instead of trying to be understanding."

"What about a girl who blew the whole incident out of proportion and then took it out on her boyfriend?"

"Is that really how you see what happened?" I was surprised that he saw it that way. I would have thought that he would be more understanding.

"Yeah."

"Look at it from Allison's point of view a minute. She took a risk, a big one I might add, and changed her look instead of hiding and camouflaging herself in black she made herself a target. You know how Marsha is. When she wants something she goes after it. Currently she wants you."

"Like I didn't take a risk? I've been being harassed all day. Think I have had it easy? Dealing with Bill McKinley has been a pain in the ass. And before you start telling me how I should feel what about you and John? Have you told your friends about him?"

"I don't even know if we're a couple."

"Then you don't know how I feel. Once you stand up and tell people like AmyJo, Lori, and Jenna that you are seeing John Bender then you can tell me how I should react to being harassed."

"I'm not seeing Bender:"

"But you kissed him?"

I looked over and noticed Franny craning to hear our conversation so I turned my desk away. "We aren't discussing me and John we were talking about you and Allison."

"So you didn't kiss him?" he asked again. Still I said nothing and wrote my name at the top of my sheet of paper. "Yet you gave him one of your diamond earrings."

Damn! I forgot about that. "What business is that of yours?"

"Well I don't see how you can lecture me on Allison when you can barely admit you like Bender. I've heard the rumors today about you chasing after him when he left the gym."

"Just a rumor." I said as I carefully drew a heart above the i's in my name still not looking at him.

"So Brian made it up?"

"Brian told you?"

"At lunch before the whole mess happened. Are you going to keep denying that you like him?"

"No. I do like him but..."

"But what?"

I wasn't sure how to answer. I felt like when they got me to admit that I was a virgin. That if I said I was afraid of my friends and how they would react I would be a hypocrite. But if I said anything else I would be a liar. Hypocrite or liar, slut or a tease. Both double edged swords as Allison put it.

"But what, Claire?" He softened his voice the anger gone. "It's hard isn't it? I know how hard it can be. I had to decide whether or not she was worth it. I took the risk and now I'm not so sure that it was the right one."

"Is there ever away to be sure?"

"Probably not."

"So what are you going to do? Talk to her?"

"I tried talking to her. She didn't want to listen."

I felt he was giving up on her way to easily. They had something special. At least it was special to me in the world where we date for appearance sake and popularity. They truly liked and cared about one another. It might not be love now but I could see it becoming that with them. I just didn't know how to make him see it. "You could try again."

"Ball is in her court. What are you going to do about Bender?"

"I don't know. Prom is coming up."

"Have a date?"

"Well I was hoping John would go with me."

Andy smiled, "John Bender at prom? Vernon would be guarding the punch bowl all night long to make sure he couldn't spike it."

"True. But I think he would have fun. If you and Allison made up would you go with her?" I was wondering. Prom could be a marvelous incentive for her to talk to him. At least it would be if she was one of my regular crowd.

"Probably."

"Who else would you want to go with?"

"Haven't given it much thought. Probably wouldn't go. Yeah my mom would give me a hard time and say I was missing on and an important high school experience. My old man would probably be thrilled since I could use the time to practice."

"Well here is an idea. I want to go to prom. If I can't get Bender to go with me and you don't get back together with Allison want to go with me?" He looked at me as though I had grown a second head. "What's wrong? I'm not that bad am I?"

Andy gave a small laugh. "No, It's not that. I just didn't think you would suggest that since your friends have been trying to get us together."

"Well it's not like we would be together. It would be like going as friends."

I didn't even notice that while we were talking Franny had gone behind us to get a German-English dictionary. That would only prove to cause trouble later.