We got to the school about twenty minutes later. Claire and her friends were all a little pissed off that the limo had run out of gas about halfway there. Chandra had become so irritable and annoying that everyone forced her to switch places with me and sit in the front seat with the driver. Her face was absolutely priceless. The other two girls were amazingly comfortable around me. So comfortable that they were occasionally brush their arm against mine, bat their eyelashes, giggle, and make up excuses to talk to me. If I am not mistaken, in some places that would be considered flirting. They were fraternizing with the enemy! HAHA.

Once the driver had stopped the car in front of the school, the friendly openness towards myself had leveled down a little. Each of the girls, Claire once again being the exception, looked out the window and saw the many students getting out of their cars and into the school. They quieted down and said goodbye to me as they all filed out of the limo. Chandra gave me a dirty glare and slammed the door on me.

I had decided that sitting in the limo until Claire and her posse were inside the school would be best for myself as well as Claire. So I leaned back in the seat with my hands behind my head and waited.

"John," Claire said, popping her head into the open door of the limo. She gave me a tender look, the one that I had grown to love, and smiled kindly at me. "Good luck tonight...with whatever you're here for."

I managed a weak grin and replied, "Yeah, thanks for the ride. Have fun and, uh, be sure to acknowledge me in your acceptance speech as Homecoming Queen. I'd wish you luck, but I highly doubt that you need it."

She rolled her eyes and leaned in to give me a kiss on the cheek. After that, she went to leave but stopped and turned back to me with a confused look.

"Aren't you coming?" She asked me. When she realized that I didn't want to embarrass her by being seen with her, she groaned and grabbed my forearm to pull me out of the limo. "C'mon, I don't give a shit what anyone thinks."

We both got out and walked to the sidewalk in front of the school, the same sidewalk where I had saved Brian's life. Saying it like that made it seem so much more...more significant. It made me kind of proud.

And everyone saw us. Claire Standish and John Bender walking together. I heard whispers from people passing us and saw the most shocked and dirty looks on their faces. For the first time in my life, I didn't expect Claire to get all conscious of this matter. And she didn't. She just smiled and ignored their looks.

Before we reached the stairs to the entrance of Shermer High, I stopped Claire and said, "I better wait here."

"Oh John, how many times have I told you? I'm not embarr–,"

I interrupted her. "It's not that. Just...if you see Riley in there, tell her I'm waiting for her."

Claire bit her lip to suppress a smile and nodded. "Alright. See you around." She gave me another kiss on the cheek before saying goodbye and making her way up the stairs. Once she was inside the building, I saw a flock of girls surround her in admiration.

I grinned slightly, shaking my head, and sat down on the sidewalk with my arms draped over my knees. My head was filled with thoughts, wondering what would happen with Riley tonight. Would she say yes? Would she ignore me? Would she even come out? Wait–what was I going to say to her? My heart was beating about two million beats per second, and time seemed to take forever.

About a half an hour later, I heard a familiar voice coming from the entry doors. I turned my head and saw Brian, wearing a nice suit that was not frilly or blue, walking quickly out of the school. His eyes fell on me, then he started to walk down the stairs. It was like he knew something I didn't.

"Please hurry, I don't think I'm going to make it home!" He shouted to someone inside the school. "I think I'm gonna be sick!"

He gave me another anxious look. What was his deal?

" Brian, I'm coming as fast as I can! Get in the car okay? Damn these fucking heels!"

It was the voice that I currently loved and feared. When I looked at the doors, I saw her hopping down the hall on one foot, struggling to take off her high heel shoes. I couldn't really see her all that well, due to the darkness of the unused hallway, but I saw her figure keel over with a loud, "UGH."

After a second, she got up and threw open the doors to see Brian just sitting on the railing of steps. She raised an eyebrow and dropped her mouth open in angry confusion, ready to shout the most horrible of obscenities when Brian merely pointed over in my direction.

She looked over at me with those brown eyes. I couldn't believe how beautiful she looked. She didn't look anything like Claire's little friends, and that's what appealed to me most. Her hair was curled into spirals and resting on her shoulder. It was a little messy from her fall in the hallway, but it only made her look more adorable. She was wearing a jade green dress that was simple and flaunted her chest, and she wore the slightest bit of makeup that played up her dark, dramatic features.

I ogled her for a minute, then watched as she crossed her arms and looked at the ground. I didn't know if she was acting embarrassed, ashamed, angry, or maybe a combination of all three.

"Brian." She whispered in a small voice. It had came out as a statement, not a whine or a disgruntled threat. Just a simple statement. Seeing her so beautiful and disoriented made me crazy, so I walked over to her without hesitation. She didn't look up at me as she said, "Hi,".

I don't know what was going on inside me, and I can't really explain how I felt. The closest thing I can relate it to is like when you shake up a soda bottle and open it up so that the fizz explodes everywhere. That was how I felt.

Putting my fingers under her chin, I tipped her face up towards me and saw her cheeks blazing a scarlet color. She tried to look away, but found herself staring back at me. I smirked and cocked my head. "Are we blushing because we're embarrassed or blushing because we're trying to hide something?"

She smiled. Yes, that was good! I wanted her to smile. I wanted to see her smile so badly. She wasn't as tense as before, although she still seemed a little reluctant to be near me. I kept one hand cradling her chin and shoved the other one in my jeans pocket. It was now or never.

"Let's just get this straight." I said to her. "I think I might like you."

After I had finished speaking, I realized what Allison had said about thinking you like someone versus knowing you like someone. Before Riley could speak, I shook my head and looked up at the sky. "Uh, scratch that. I know I like you. I mean, I do."

I looked back at her and saw that she was smiling a little more at me. She looked down at the ground, then back up at me, and said, "John...,"

And then I kissed her. It wasn't anything disgusting or way long. It was just a perfect, simple little open-mouthed kiss. It was just...wow. That's all I could think of to say about it. No words could describe it better.

She pulled away, bit her lip, and grabbed my hand. And giving me a sly smile, told me, "Don't be getting all romantic on me now."

I chuckled at her craftiness and was glad that I had told her. So with a squeeze of her hand, I replied, "Maybe later then."

A/N

If you want me to continue Bender and Riley's story, please comment me! I don't want to finish this, but I really liked the ending to it! Luv yah 3 Carlee