Claire took a deep breath as she slammed her locker door shut. Today was B day. She'd declared war on Benny and it was time to face the consequences. So with a determination she didn't feel, she began the long walk to class.

She saw former friends huddled in groups whispering and girls who had worshipped her staring silently as she passed.

It had been like that all morning. Jessica and Paul had ignored her during English Lit as they talked about a party at Stubby's over the weekend. Earlier, she could have sworn she'd heard someone say "loser" as she walked by. Entering trig, Claire made her way to her usual seat. As students trickled in, they glanced at her but said nothing. Kate Trombley, tall, thin, blonde, and one of Benny's crew reached out her hand and knocked Claire's trig book to the floor as she passed.

"Freak," Kate said under her breath, loud enough for Claire to hear as she took a seat across the aisle from her.

Claire blushed profusely as she bent down to pick up her book. She didn't know how much more of this she could take. But she bit her bottom lip in an effort to hide from them how much they were beginning to upset her.

A few minutes later, Mrs. Miller, the trig teacher, entered the room and began writing equations on the board. Claire tried to concentrate, but was disturbed when a balled up sheet of paper hit her in the side of the head.

She turned around.

"Bitch," Kate mouthed to her.

"Is there a problem Ms. Trombley?" Mrs. Miller asked.

Oh shit, Claire thought as she turned to face the math teacher.

"No," Kate said.

"Claire is there a problem?" the teacher asked her.

"No."

Mrs. Miller gave her an uncertain look, but returned to writing on the board.

"Slut," a voice said from behind her. Then someone kicked her chair. This went on all period. Needless to say, Claire was relieved when the class ended. As she stood to gather her things, Monica Capshaw, a petite cheerleader and another richie bumped into her.

"Excuse you," she said bouncing out the door.

"Stop it," Sloane Peterson said as she followed Monica out of the room. As she passed, she gave Claire a sympathetic look.

No way was she going to the cafeteria; there was no telling what humiliation awaited her there. Instead, Claire inched along until she reached the auditorium where she quietly slipped inside and took a seat in the back … way in the back.

She'd never hung out here before. She'd never had to. But today had been proof of Benny's power. People she'd known for years acted as if she didn't exist … or worst. She wasn't sure she could get through the rest of the school year like this. How would she fill the time she was destined to spend alone? She really didn't have any hobbies except for shopping and that was no fun alone. She liked music – The Rave Ups, Blondie, Elvis Costello, but she couldn't walk around with headphones on all day. She sighed as she reached into her bag and pulled out a copy of Vogue.

"I thought you'd be here. Here or the library," a male voice said from behind her. Startled, she looked up. John Bender stood over her, a smile on his face. She smiled back. He jumped over the auditorium seats and landed with a thud in the seat next to her.

"How's it going?"

"Lousy," she said.

"That good huh."

"Well when you cross Benny Hanson …"

"You did the right thing. I know you could never have done such a shitty thing to Allison and Andy."

"Thanks for the vote of confidence," she said, bumping her shoulder against his.

"Look, you can't hide out here forever. You can't let Benny win."

"I'm like a leper. No one would be caught dead associating with me."

"Why don't you sit with me and my friends tomorrow in the cafeteria?"

"Thanks, but …."

"I see, we aren't good enough for you," he said standing.

"No," she said jumping up. "Benny's my problem. You'd be crazy to make her your problem too."

"Unlike you, I don't give a damn what Benny Hanson thinks." With that, he gave her a wink and a smile then began walking away. "See you tomorrow at lunch Claire," he said over his shoulder.

Man, that woman has me twisted, Bender thought as he eased down the hall toward the stairs that led to the shop classrooms. Benny wasn't his problem per se, but he'd been tired of her and her kind for quite a while now and it was past time to scratch that itch.

But first, he had to talk to his friends.

The next afternoon, Bender made his way to the lunchroom. As planned, Dez, Marty, and the other guys had snagged a table in the center of the room. The richies, who sat at the next table, glared at them for invading their territory but said nothing.

He hoped Claire showed. He knew she was scared, and he wanted to protect her, to be there for her if only she would let him.

"Bender, this is the best idea you've ever had. The preppies are pissed," Marty said as Bender slid into the chair next to him.

"Yeah, but I'm still not sure we should have gotten involved with Benny Hanson and this girl Claire. It's none of our business if two richies want to go at it," Dez said from across the table.

"Man, aren't you tired of Benny and that whole crew acting like they're the shit?"

"Yeah but …."

"But nothing. Did you guys do what I asked?"

All around the table, the guys shook their heads yes.

"I don't know how many will show up though. Where's this chick Claire anyway?" Marty asked.

"She'll be here." I hope, Bender thought.

As if on cue, Claire stepped into the cafeteria looking nervously around. At last, she spotted him and quickly made her way over.

"Hey," she said quietly, sitting down across from Bender. If anyone had told her a few month ago that she'd not only be having lunch with the burnouts, but that they'd be the only friends she'd have, she would have sworn they were doing some serious coke.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Claire," Marty said extending his hand. "Not too many people have the guts to stand up to Benny."

She shook his hand. "I'm not sure guts have anything to do with it. I think I may be crazy."

The guys laughed.

Claire began to calm down. They were here because of John; she knew that. But she was grateful just the same.

"The key to Benny's power is her ability to get other people to go along and do her dirty work for her," Dez said next to her. "We just have to show her that enough people don't give a fuck what she thinks."

"Thanks," Claire said to Dez while looking at Bender.

"I guess we should eat. It is lunchtime," John said.

Self-consciously, Claire took out her lunch. The guys had bought food from the cafeteria – burgers, fries, pizza. She imagined she looked like a prissy princess with her salad and Diet Coke.

Benny had told her she'd be down, out, and alone, but she wasn't. She had John and his friends.

"Is this seat taken?" a voice asked. Claire looked up to see Andie Walsh staring down at her, a smile on her face. Next to her stood Blaine.

"Sure," Claire said looking around uncertainly.

Claire shot Bender a look. He looked away, but not before, she noticed a smile playing on his face. She knew that Benny and Andie had exchanged words, but she never would have guessed the other girl would stand with her. And Blaine. She'd stopped associating with him after he'd fallen out with Steff. Yet here he was.

"Room for one more?" Amanda Jones asked, stopping at the table.

"Hell yeah," Marty said looking over at Amanda and giving her a big smile. Then he pulled out the chair next to him for her to sit down.

"Thanks," she said.

"Hey Bender, what's up?" Keith Nelson said walking up, his arm around his girlfriend Watts. "Amanda," he added.

"Nothing man. Have a seat," Bender replied. "The party's just getting started.

A low hum emanated from the nearby preppy table. Benny didn't look pleased.

"Move over Dez," Jeannie Bueller said pulling up a chair next to him.

"What's up guys?" Ferris said followed by Sloane and Cameron Frye.

"Hey Ferris," everyone said in unison. Benny may have been Queen Bitch but Ferris was King Shit. Everyone liked him – the jocks, preppies, burnouts, punks, and nerds.

"Wow," Claire said amazed. "Thanks so much you guys." She felt as if she were about to cry she was so overcome.

"Don't thank us," Dez said as he stuffed a fry in his mouth. "Thank Bender. He put this all together."

"Thanks John," she said, smiling shyly. She tapped his foot under the table.

"Whatever," he said.

"What's going on over there?" Larry asked, craning his neck to get a better view of the burnout table.

"Beats me," said Bryce as he took a bite of his cheeseburger.

Brian remained silent. Yesterday as he was leaving physics club, he'd found Bender waiting for him. He hadn't spoken to John since Saturday detention.

"Hey man," Bender said running his hand through his brown hair.

"What's up?" Brian said shooting him a quick glance and heading down the hall.

"Wait up Brian; I need to talk to you. Look," Bender said clapping him on the shoulder. "Claire's in trouble. I know. I know. I know," he said holding his hands up in supplication. "She acted like a bitch that day in the cafeteria, but she could use your support."

Claire. He was tired of how the world seemed to revolve around her. "Look Bender," Brian said, his voice shaking slightly. "I know you care about Claire, but I just want to leave that whole detention thing behind."

"I understand. But Benny Hanson asked Claire to sleep with Andy as a fucked up way to punish Allison and tomorrow a few of us will stand with Claire, show Benny that we don't give a damn what she thinks."

"You're telling me this because …," Brian said then he turned to leave, but stopped. He was tired of being intimidated by the John Benders of the world, tired of not mattering. "Why haven't you said anything to me until now?"

"What?"

"You've spoken to Allison, and I assume with Andy, and obviously Claire. Why haven't you spoken to me until now?"

"I don't know man," Bender said leaning against the wall as he stuffed his hands in his front jeans pocket. "As hard as this may be for you to believe, Claire and Andy needed me. Allison, I kinda think of us as the same, both outcasts. Besides, what would we talk about?" Bender said with a small laugh.

"You know my life isn't perfect; I tried to kill myself for god's sake."
"Dude, it was a flare gun."

Brian smiled in spite of himself. "Still."

"Look, even though we aren't buddy buddy, I still consider you my friend."

"Thanks Bender."

"Whatever," John said hoisting himself up then sauntering down the hall.

A few minutes later, Cliff breezed over and plopped into the seat next to Bryce.

"Dudes, the fit has hit the shan."

"What?" Bryce asked.

"Benny Hanson has declared war on Claire Standish."

"Girl fight," Larry screamed laughing.

"Apparently, Claire slept with Andrew Clark. Sorry Larry, he who must not be named. This friend of Benny's likes him and Claire slept with him just to piss her off."

"No way," Bryce said.

"Way."

"That's not true," Brian said, putting down his chocolate milk.

"I don't know Brian," Larry began. "You know how vicious the popular kids can be. I wouldn't be surprised …."

"No," Brian said emphatically, cutting Larry off. "Trust me; Claire wouldn't do something like that."

"How do you know?" Larry challenged.

"I just do. Look, you know that Saturday I had detention."

"Uh huh," they all said in unison.

"Claire Standish and Andrew Clark were there."

"Man why didn't you tell us?" Bryce asked.

"I don't know. But my point is they have some serious problems."

"Puleez," Larry scoffed.

"No listen Larry," Brian said turning to face him. "I know you hate Andrew and you have a right to."

"I don't hate him. I just think he's a stupid, lunk-head, jock asshole."

"Larry, you don't know how lucky you are. The relationship you have with your dad. You guys get along, right?"

"I guess."

"Andrew doesn't have that. And neither does Claire."

"That still doesn't explain how you know they aren't doing each other," Larry replied.

"Because Claire likes someone else. And you know Allison?"

"The girl who walked down the hall naked?"

"Yeah. She likes Andrew and Andrew likes her and Claire knows this."

"Maybe this Allison is the friend Benny was talking about."

"Get real. Benny Hanson and Allison. Friends. Please."

Though pandemonium surrounded her, Claire was very much aware of Brian sitting a few tables away. She owed him an apology. Big time. Quietly, she slipped out of her chair and away from the lunch table. No one was paying any attention to her anymore. They were too busy having fun and pissing off Benny.

Slowly she made her way to Brian's table. She didn't know what to expect from him. He had every right to tell her to go to hell.

"May I sit down?" she asked softly, looking pointedly at Brian. She couldn't help noticing that all conversation had stopped when she'd approached the table. Not only that, she had three pairs of eyes staring up at her, as Brian looked conspicuously down.

"Sure," Cliff said breathlessly.

"Brian?" she asked.

"Go ahead."

She sat.

"I just wanted to say I'm sorry for the way I treated you that Monday after detention. It was a cowardly, shitty thing to do."

"Forget it."

"No, I can't. I shouldn't. I hope that someday you can forgive me."

"I've been thinking a lot since that day, and maybe you were right about me and my motives. Maybe I did want to hang with the popular kids."

"That still doesn't excuse what I did."

"No one's perfect Claire," Brian said, finally looking up.

Allison climbed out of bed and stomped to the bathroom. Today was day three of her suspension. The first two days she'd moped around the house watching daytime TV. Today, she was going to go to the beach. Granted it was the end of March and there was still a definite chill in the air, but the lakefront was bound to be empty and that was just what she needed.

After dressing and putting on her coat, she grabbed a bagel, rushed out the door, and climbed into her red Honda Civic. She drove around the deserted streets of Shermer until she found Lake Cook Rd. then she drove east toward Lake Michigan. When she reached the nearby suburb of Glencoe, she turned left at Park Ave. and jetted toward the beach. The parking lot was empty. She climbed out of her car, swinging her big black bag over her shoulder and followed the ramp down the ravine, then she raced down the stairs to the beach.

This time of year, the concession stand was closed. At the far end of the beach, she saw some workmen, at the lake's edge was a woman running with her golden retriever.

Allison walked along a path until she reached the dock. She made her way to its fenced off edge. Placing her hand on the railing, she looked out at the choppy, grey waters of Lake Michigan. The sky was stark white; the wind blew hard.

She hadn't spoken to her parents since their big blowup Friday afternoon. It had took some time, but she'd finally calmed down. It was no use fighting them. They just didn't understand her.

She refused to hate herself. That had been her reasoning when she'd walked down that hall naked and it was her reasoning now.

"Fuck you," she screamed into the wind. "Fuck. You." It felt good to let it out, to act weird. She wasn't hurting anyone; she wasn't a criminal. She just wanted to be free to be herself. Sure, having people accept her for her would be nice, but she'd be damned if their acceptance became like food and water to her. Besides, she now had people who cared about her. She had Brian and Bender. And though she had no illusions that they'd ride off into the sunset together, their tenuous friendship was a start.

She turned and plopped down on a bench facing the water. Sighing, she reached into her bag and pulled out her sketchpad and Walkman. As she clicked the play button on the cassette player, John Lennon's "Imagine" flooded her ears.