John Bender was standing by his locker smoking a cigarette when he noticed Allison walking up to him.
"Hey, Kook! How's it going?"
"Bad," She said in a serious tone.
"What happened?"
She told John the gist of the story from what Brian had told her.
"And your girlfriend just sat there and watched. She could have offered him a ride at the very least! I ended up driving him to school."
"I'll go have a talk with Sporto and his buds."
"You sound like you care," Allison noted sarcastically.
"Look, no one deserves to be pushed around by a Jock!"
Allison looked worried. She remembered how Andrew and Bender fought in detention on Saturday, she feared for the worst.
"Don't do anything crazy, okay?" Allison knew that was hopeless. Bender and crazy were quite synonymous.
"I won't hurt them. I'll just talk to Sporto about it in private, okay?"
Allison just sighed in resignation.
"Fine. I hope he's alright."
"He's probably in the crapper. I'll go talk to him. I need to finish this butt before Vernon gives me another Saturday." Allison just smiled and waved. As she did, she noted there was about 20 minutes before homeroom would be called. She had enough time to start on a new sketch. With that, she walked off to vacant corner and got out her art supplies.
Brian sat in his stall and had just thought about how terrible today had already been for him: school hadn't even started and he already wanted to just leave. Andrew wouldn't help him from getting beat up, Claire wouldn't even ask him what was wrong. He figured all he had left from the Club was Allison and maybe Bender, knowing what a jerk he could be.
Just then, a knock at the stall door was heard.
"Occupied." Brian tried to make it sound like he was fine.
"Come on, Ralph! Get out here!" Brian left the stall and saw it was John Bender, as he figured it was.
"Allison mentioned what the Sports did to you before school."
Brian just lowered his head in shame.
"Look, not even you deserve to be hassled by the jockstraps. So, I'll make it up to ya."
"How?"
"I'll eat lunch with ya on the steps out front."
Brian looked up with a smile "Really?"
"Yeah. Now I'll invite Ally, and we'll talk later, I got stuff to do."
"Like smoking pot?" Brian asked rhetorically.
"Just a few puffs before History. Now get outta here."
Brian shrugged and walked off with at least a chance to talk it out with people who would listen to him. He turned left and headed into his homeroom.
In homeroom 107, the popular girls at Shermer surrounded Claire. They were in the midst of their usual morning gossip.
Amy Adams started the conversation: "Ugh. I can't believe Blaine fell for that loser Andie Walsh!"
"She dresses like my grandma! I can't believe he brought her to Steff's party last week!" Heater Blake noted.
Bennie, the tall blonde girl, observed Claire looking up as Brain Johnson walked in at sat next to Cameron Frye. Brian looked over at Claire and gave her a subtle wave. Claire gave a smirk and returned it. Bennie then interjected:
"Did you just smile at Brian the Brain?" she asked incredulously.
"Oh. Why do you ask?" Claire sensed this conflict would happen if she had been seen even acknowledging Brian's existence.
"Because, he's a nerd!"
"He's in Latin, Math and Physics club!" Amy added making a gagging motion with her finger. Brian started walking over to the table and with his eyes down cast muttered: Hi, Claire."
"Hey, Brian" She slightly smiled.
"I thought you might…you know.. want to hang out at the arcade this weekend if you aren't too busy?"
"I'll have to think about it. I might be busy."
"The whole weekend?"
"Yeah.. We'll see."
"Oh, okay, well call me." He slid her a folded piece of paper with his number on it. Brian went to walk off as Bennie stuck out her foot and tripped him and Brian fell flat on his face. The room erupted with laughter as he got up and the bell rang for first period. Cameron walked beside him as they strode of to Physics class.
"Nice move on Claire." Cameron spoke up.
"Yeah, she's just an acquaintance."
"I really don't think girls like arcade games, dude." Cameron said matter-of-factly.
"Hey, it won't be so bad, right?"
"Yeah, guess not."
A thin, bespectacled figure walked up to them. He was dressed in what looked like a prep school uniform: a navy blue blazer, tie, khakis, and white sneakers.
"Howdy, gentlemen!" He said gleefully."
"Hey, Fischer," they both replied in unison. Max Fischer was president of the Latin and Math club, not to mention, astounding playwright for Drama. He was a true, blue friend of the geeks and misfits at Shermer High.
"Ready for Latin today, guys?" He asked with a tone of excitement.
"Semper Paratus" They all said as they did every morning before their first period Latin class. Before they knew it, Mike Dexter, Chet Donnelly, and Brian McAllister all surrounded the trio.
"Hey, dorks!" McAllister laughed and stole Brian's backpack, hoisting it above his reach.
"Give that to me, Brian!"
"Make me Brainy!"
McAllister held it over the trash barrel trying to make him reach for it.
"No! That's mine!"
"Hey, lay off!" They all looked over at Ferris Bueller, Easily the coolest guy in school.
McAllister reluctantly tossed Brian's backpack to him.
"You're lucky Ferris was here!" The jocks just walked off as the late bell rang for first period.
"Thanks, Ferris! You bailed me out again!"
"Anytime, Brian, anytime at all. Let's get to class!"
With that the group walked off towards Latin in room 120.
Claire thought back to what happened in homeroom and just sighed. She looked at the paper that read: "Brian 587- 2397" and put it in her back pocket. She figured she owed it to him after all that happened today; She figured she would let him know of her decision at lunchtime.