A/N: I'm sure you couldn't care any less, but I changed the times around a bit because things weren't adding up, but only in the last chapter. Sorry if it confuses anyone.

Chapter Nine: Best-Laid Plans

1:13 P.M.

"This is very serious, sir."
"Yes, indeed."

"And it isn't the first time that something like this has happened. We have to keep that in mind."

Principal Geller nodded solemnly and leaned forward in his seat. "Yes, yes. We should."

Vernon let out a sigh of relief. "Well, then I recommend we suspend him. Two, maybe three, days. Give him time to think about what he's done."

Principal Geller frowned. "Well, I think that's going a bit far, don't you think, Richard? I don't think he was trying to hurt anyone."

Vernon shook his head emphatically. "Whether he was trying to or not isn't the issue, sir. Fire alarms are serious business, and they're not to be toyed with. He needs to understand that."

Geller glanced out of the window leading to the main office, where John Bender was leaning back in one of the small plastic chairs, his hands tucked into his jacket pockets and his eyes cast upwards at the ceiling. If Vernon didn't know any better, he might have thought the kid was praying. The bored expression on his face succeeded in removing any further doubts he might have had.

"I think a detention will be sufficient this time."

Vernon glanced over at the principal, eyes wide with fear. "A detention?" he echoed.

Principal Geller nodded. "I think a suspension is taking it a bit far. A few hours at school on Saturday will give him some time to think, as you put it."

Vernon could have kicked himself. "But, sir, don't you think that will be sending the wrong message to the other students by giving him such a light punishment?

"Light? I don't think detentions are light punishment at all. He certainly won't have any fun, if that's what you're thinking."

"Well, no, of course not." Vernon wiped a bead of sweat from his brow and tried to keep his voice even. "I just think that, uh, suspending him will be a much more effective, uh…deterrent."

Geller frowned thoughtfully and looked back outside at Bender again. For once, Vernon actually wished Bender would do something stupid like pull out his lighter or flick off the secretary, just so Geller could see what he was really like. Sitting there staring at the ceiling…he looked almost innocent.

"I think he's learned his lesson, don't you? Most students don't realize the consequences of their actions until afterward." Geller smiled benignly. "No need to torture the poor boy."

Poor boy! Who the hell was he talking about? Surely it couldn't have been John Bender, the Devil Incarnate? Vernon cleared his throat. "But, sir, if you-"

"Detention," Geller said firmly, indicating that the issue was no longer up for discussion. "Tomorrow morning." He stood up from his chair and started for the door, shooting him an apologetic smile. "Looks like you'll have to be here after all."

1:14 P.M.

Bender stared up at the ceiling, trying to figure out how a piece of chewing gum could get stuck up there without falling…and if he could do that, too.

"Excuse me, Pam?"

Mrs. Norris, the secretary, looked up from her typewriter and glared at him.

Bender smiled apologetically. "Sorry, Pamela. Do you have any gum?"

Mrs. Norris didn't say anything, just looked back at her typewriter and continued what she was doing. Bender shrugged and looked back up at the ceiling. He'd save that for his next trip to the principal's office.

A few seconds later, the door to the principal's office swung open and Mr. Geller and Mr. Vernon walked out together. The principal stopped at the secretary's desk. "Could you write up a detention for Mr. Bender here? I would appreciate it."

Mrs. Norris nodded, and Geller turned to Bender. He smiled hesitantly and adjusted his glasses. "Well, Mr. Bender, I'm afraid you'll have to be here early tomorrow."

Bender nodded sadly, hoping he looked contrite. "Yes, sir."

"But I think we've all learned our lesson for today, haven't we?"

Bender nodded again. "Oh, yes, sir. I feel so gosh darn rotten about that fire alarm. If I'da known it was going to cause such a mess, I never would've done it."

Geller nodded, but Bender could see Vernon standing right behind him, looking completely horrified. Bender did his best not to burst out laughing.

"Well, everyone makes mistakes, but there must be consequences for our actions."

"Yes, sir."

Geller nodded and turned to Vernon, who looked as though he was about to strangle both Bender and his principal. "Well, Richard, shall we?"

Vernon didn't answer, just followed Geller out into the hallway, where students were rushing by on their way to sixth period. Vernon shot Bender a nasty look as he passed by, and Bender smirked and pretended to tip his hat at the older man as the door closed.

"You can go back to class now."

Bender looked up at Mrs. Norris, who was staring at him over the top of her spectacles. He stood and took the detention slip she was holding out for him, gave it a cursory glance, then reached into his pocket for his pack of cigarettes. He removed a stick and looked back over at the secretary, who was watching him with narrowed eyes.

"You wouldn't happen to have a light, would you, Pam?"

1:15 P.M.

Claire stood in the exact center of Shermer Mall, clutching her purse with one hand and looking out at the stores around her. The mall was sub par when it came to quality and quantity, especially when she compared it to the shops in Chicago, New York, or even Paris, where she and her parents went on vacation the summer before. What she wouldn't give to be back in France, wandering around in little boutiques, trying on outfits she wouldn't see in Saks for months, and buying whatever she wanted…in brown and black.

But she wasn't in France; she was in Shermer, Illinois, the most boring place on earth and home to one of the smallest malls she'd ever seen. Usually, Claire did her shopping in Chicago, just a thirty minute drive from her house, but she didn't have the time for that since she wasn't supposed to be shopping in the first place. She glanced at her watch. 1:15. Her fifth period class was over already and she was due in Physics in four minutes, but she didn't really care since she didn't really like Physics. She took the honors level courses because her mother wanted her to get good grades and go to a good college, but grades weren't her top priority. She didn't really know what her top priority was, actually…just that it wasn't physics.

Claire sighed and looked down the aisle. There were only four department stores at Shermer Mall, and only one of them, Saks Fifth Avenue, was worth her time; the other three sold cheap, disposable clothing that she wouldn't wear if someone paid her. Outside of Saks, there were only a couple of stores that held any interest for her. One was an upscale shoe store where Claire bought most of her sandals and summer footwear and the other was a jewelry store.

Claire skipped the shoes and jewelry that day, heading straight for Saks. She'd seen some pretty sweaters at Neiman Marcus when she was in Chicago the week before, and she was hoping that Saks would have something similar. She took the elevator up to the second floor and started walking towards the ladies' clothing department.

Twenty minutes later, she was the proud owner of three cashmere v-neck sweaters, two turtlenecks, one white silk scarf, one long brown skirt with a tasteful slit up the front, and one butter-soft brown leather jacket. She hadn't planned on buying a jacket, but it was warm and beautiful and it looked great with her hair.

Claire took the escalator back down to the first floor, which was mostly accessories and cosmetics, and started wandering around the perfume counters. She stopped at the Yves St. Laurent counter, where they were advertising and special on Opium, which Heather called 'sex in a bottle'. Claire took a whiff of the strong, spicy scent and decided that it wasn't really something she'd wear. She moved on to the Nina Ricci counter, where she found L'air du Temps, a fragrance she already had a lot of at home. The small sign next to the sample tray advertised a free bottle of scented body powder with a purchase of $30.00 or more. Claire already had the perfume and the body powder at home, and she wouldn't need any refills for a long time.

But she wanted them. She didn't really know why, but she did. There was something very satisfying about buying things, whether she needed them or not. She couldn't say exactly why it made her feel better, only that she liked how exhilarating it felt to be able to pick up something beautiful and expensive and claim it as her own with nothing more than a signature and a smile. It gave her a rush and filled a void inside of her that she didn't know how to fill by herself.

"Can I help you, ma'am?"

Claire looked up at the speaker, an older woman with elegant jewelry and a pleasant smile. Claire nodded and pointed at the bottle of perfume in front of her. "I'll take one bottle of L'air du Temps. The perfume, not the cologne," she added, referring to the more expensive of the two.

The saleswoman nodded. "I'll wrap that up for you, along with your gift."

"Thank you."

"And how would you like to pay for this, ma'am?"

Claire pulled out her wallet and removed the credit card her father had given her that morning. She handed it to the clerk, heart pounding in anticipation, and smiled. "I'll charge it."

1:16 P.M.

Brian stood in front of his locker, staring at the small metal box he'd stuffed in the back behind a row of textbooks. When he'd stored it there in the before his first class that morning, he'd done it because he hadn't wanted anyone to see it and recognize it for what it was--a dangerous weapon--and report him to the principal, who would probably expel him for bringing it on campus.

But Brian wasn't really thinking about getting caught just then. Instead, he was thinking about the fact that he was supposed to be in Mr. Willis's sixth period shop class in exactly three minutes, ready to receive his next assignment. Obviously, he didn't want to go, and he knew that there was a way out, if he wanted to take it. The problem was that he just wasn't sure anymore, and probably hadn't been in the first place. He remembered standing in front of his locker right after the fire alarm went off, imagining what it would be like to…well, to use the gun. It had scared him so badly that his hands wouldn't stop shaking for a long time, even after he'd stuffed them into his pockets and rejoined his classmates outside.

Brian reached behind the textbooks and brushed his finger over the top of the box. A chill ran down his spine, and suddenly he felt very young and overwhelmed, like a child watching an R-rated movie. He wasn't ready to make decisions about…about that. It was bigger than he'd realized, and he wished that someone would come along and talk to him and help him figure out what he was supposed to do.

The warning bell rang, telling him that he had one minute to get to his shop class. Brian felt a wave of anxiety flow over him, and he just kept staring at the box. He had to make a decision. The gun or class. The gun or class. The gun or class. The gun or-

Hands trembling violently, Brian pushed his locker door closed and started walking down the hall.

A/N: I won't be posting review replies anymore since we're apparently not allowed and have this handy private messaging thing now. If you review (and are signed in), I will do my best to reply, even if it isn't for every chapter. However, if I don't, please forgive me and know that I appreciate your review anyway. Thanks for everyone who has dropped me a line so far. You have been very encouraging, and I appreciate your thoughts. Please let me know what you thought of this chapter. Thanks. : )