Title: And Then There Were Two

Author: TWBasketcase

Summary: On Sunday, Bender reflects about his situation with Allison.

Disclaimer: I do not own The Breakfast Club or the characters.

A/N: Thank you again KushelKitten for your reviews, they are very encouraging. I'm still having a little bit of writer's block for my other story so I am trying to write as much as I can to get out of it. So here's chapter 3, I hope you enjoy! Please feel free to review!

Chapter 3 – Anger Sets In

I picked up my guitar that was leaning against my night stand and started to play; I needed to do something that would get my mind off everything that was going on. A part of me was still feeling terribly hurt after the treatment I got from my so-called friends in The Breakfast Club – the princess and the sport. Another part of me however, feels kinda good that I know I still have a friend in Allison, and possibly even Bry. It's been six days since Monday and it's only now that the anger is really starting to set in. I turned the small desk lamp on that sat on my old night table and pulled an ash tray closer. I grabbed a smoke out of my pack and lit it as it hung loosely from my lips. I have been smoking a lot more the past couple of days; something's telling me I'm stressed! Ha! That's an understatement!

As I strummed the guitar strings up and down to Led Zeppelin's "Stairway to Heaven," I looked around my room; it was pretty poor looking. My carpet was stained and had gone from white to brown. I had an old desk dresser that had two drawers missing and a cracked mirror on top. My once white walls were covered in holes, cracks, and heavy metal posters, while my bed – if you can call it a bed – was a lone mattress and box spring set that sat on the floor with no frame. There was a spring sticking out here and there – with a matching amount of holes – and it was the only thing I had to sit on. I frowned slightly, no wonder Claire doesn't want a guy like me. What did I honestly think I had to offer her?

Love Maybe?

Am I really capable of loving a girl like her? Am I really capable of loving, period?

You would be if she gave you the time of day!

Shut up brain, you're not making me feel any better! Damn now I'm arguing with myself…I need a joint. I grabbed my pack of rolling papers and the small paper bag I hid in the inside of my mattress. I cut up the leafy bud and sprinkled it into the paper. I rolled it tightly and lit it up…instantly I felt a tad bit calmer. I hated having to resort to smoking up just to keep myself calm, but if I keep up this mood I'm gonna end up with a stomach ulcer. I smoked half of the joint and put it out in my ash tray, then resorted back to playing my guitar. I felt like I was at odds with myself; I felt like I should be moping, but I really don't want to bring myself down…I also feel like I'm stupid for letting them get to me like this. I was John Bender for god's sake! I was the school biggest insensitive asshole, and here I am worrying about a couple of ritchies…and ritchies have never given the time of day to kids like me. So why the hell am I so upset? God dammit, I really wish I didn't have to think like this. I grumbled looking around for something to break…I picked up my ash tray and hurled it against the wall; it left yet another hole and crashed in two pieces to the floor.

"What the hell is that banging down there, boy?" My dad hollered from up in the living room.

Wonderful I pissed off the beast.

"Nothing, I…uh…dropped something, Dad, but I'm cleaning it!"

"Yeah well ya better, I don't want no damn mess in my house, son!" He yelled back with a slur.

You're one to talk ya fucking slob, why don't you try picking up after yourself once in awhile!

I stood from the bed and made my way over to the mess and kicked it into the closet quickly; no use in giving my old man something to bitch about. I frowned slightly as I stood in the middle of the room; I couldn't help but start getting down on myself again. I was poor, dirty, and an asshole with no future. My old man sure as hell wasn't going to pay for any college, and I don't think failing a grade will get ya a scholarship easily either. I'll probably end up working in a Mickey D's for the rest of my life. I scoffed; let's not think about that now…that's well…disturbing.

Why don't ya focus on something that makes ya happy, John?

Like what, I've tried everything!

What about Allison, you'll get to see her at school tomorrow!

I raised one brow and went back to take a seat on my bed. I wonder if this 'friendship' is gonna go anywhere? It'll probably only be until graduation or something and then I'll never see her again, so what's the big deal, right?

Well she does kinda need me right now too, she's pretty hurt just like me, and for all the same reasons too…

Come to think of it, I got a lot more in common with that girl than I thought. We both just got dumped like a bucket of water; we're both pretty self conscious – although she has no reason to be; we both have real shitty home lives and live in shitty ends of town; and we're both lunatics. Maybe this is better than I originally thought! I raised my eyebrows and rubbed my chin, if fact she's a hell of a lot cooler than most of the chicks I've ever dated or was friends with for that matter.

And you did get all soft when she started crying.

Well, I did get pretty pissed…not soft…when I seen her cry, but that was because she was crying over him…and he DOES NOT deserve to be cried over. She was so damn nice to him and he had to shit on her; jocks like him always treat people like that. I think I've lost count of how many times a car full of jocks has pulled over while I'm walking down the street; there would always be like six of them jumping out to kick the shit out me. 6 on 1; they're a bunch of assholes and they don't deserve good people like Allison.

I grumbled silently to myself and sat up against the wall. I began hearing faint yelling from upstairs where my parents were.

Here they go again.

When I heard a loud crash I knew that was my cue to go up there and make sure my ma was okay. I took two steps at time and swung open the basement door. She was on the floor again cradling herself as my old man stood over her.

"Hey Dad, what the hell is your problem now?"

"Stay out of it, boy!" he yelled.

"No, I won't stay out of it, not when my own mother is on the floor pleading for you to leave her alone…what kinda son do you take me for?" I smirked, folding my arms.

"Watch that tone, smart ass!" He spun around shaking a finger at me. This is how these arguments always go; he yells at her for doing something 'wrong'…she 'talks back' to him…he hits her…I have to get in the middle of it so that he won't hurt her…then he hits me, and it ends. My life is just a bundle of fucking joy right now.

"Johnny, dear, stay out of it please!" my mother cried, sobbing into her hands. She hates when I stick up to him for her.

"Dad, just leave her alone will ya?"

Surprisingly he left it at that. He grunted, then walked to the fridge and grabbed his six pack and headed out the door. I approached my mother quickly and helped her to her feet.

"Are you alright?" I asked her.

She quickly tucked her dark hair behind her ears and straightened out her long dress, "Yeah, I'm fine sweetheart…just go back to your room."

I furrowed my brow, "How can you just pretend he's not hurting you?"

Her eyes flew to the floor and she folded her arms across her chest, "When you get older and you fall in love you'll understand better."

I shook my head, scowled and turned to go back down the stairs. She still thinks I'm dumber than a brick. I know damn well if someone treated me like that I sure as hell wouldn't stick around.

As I closed the basement door behind me a realization suddenly came to me; I fell for Claire and she's treatin' me like shit, and here I am all hung up over it. I'm sitting around moping and sulking when there are definitely other people out there who are getting their hearts stepped on and thrown around worse than I am. My thoughts went back to my mother as I continued down the stairs and into my bedroom. She's getting beat up, raped and verbally assaulted on a regular basis and keeps her chin up…and here I am acting like my world is over just because some stuck up bitch doesn't think I'm good enough to talk to her. My stomach turned in disgust; I'm more pissed off now than anything, Claire doesn't deserve to be grieved over. All the sadness and betrayal I was feeling finally left my heart, now I just had to get over being so angry at myself. I was pretty damn selfish, I you ask me. Fuck her, it's her loss…she doesn't deserve me!

Well that's one problem solved!

I smiled happily and lit another cigarette as I plopped down on my bed. There are a whole ton of other chicks out there I could date…cool ones who wouldn't be ashamed of me and would like me for who I am. I was officially over the Breakfast Club. I got Allison, a couple of other friends, and my pride left.

Come to think of it, Allison ain't that bad.

I shifted my eyes around the room and took another puff off my smoke. Nah, she ain't in to me like that…she's my friend. Besides, she's weird.

No, she's an individual.

I gulped, that's true. I shifted my eyes around once again. She did look pretty good when Claire did her up…then again she looked pretty good before then too. I don't know why she said she was invisible, I always noticed her. Even before the detention, during regular school hours I always noticed her. I guess she just intrigued me; she was definitely different, but it's not in a bad way. I grinned half heartedly and narrowed my eyes before taking one last puff off my smoke and put it out. We'll just have to see how it goes I guess. I'll see her tomorrow and we can talk…then again I'll probably see Claire tomorrow too. Dammit Bender, stop thinking about Claire! GOD! Why is everything so fucking confusing?

I grumbled quietly and pulled off my shirt and shoes. While struggling with my pants, I somehow managed to flick my lamp off without falling over. I crawled under my blankets and threw my pillow over my head…I'll figure all this shit out in the morning. I squeezed my eyes shut and pushed away all my thoughts…a peaceful sleep is exactly what I need. And in no time I was in my dream world.

TBC