WE DO NOT OWN THE BREAKFAST CLUB. SHOUTOUT TO POPPY471.

Friday. April 13, 1984. The Standish Family Home

(Claire)

When Daddy picked us up from school, he reminded me we were having dinner at Ichiban that night.

"Luke, you are invited to join us. Have you had sushi before?"

Luke gave me an alarmed look. "No sir, I haven't."

"It will be an interesting experience for you. It is a special treat the whole family enjoys once a month."

"Thank you, sir."

Luke still looked alarmed, so I reassured him, "Not everything is raw. The eel is cooked, and that's really good." He now resembled a character in a horror movie. "The shrimp tempura is cooked, and other things," I hurried on. Maybe mentioning the eel wasn't a good idea.

When we got inside and dumped our bags on the dining room table, Luke whispered, "Do I have to go?'

"I think so. Daddy and Mother would be offended if you refused the invitation." Luke looked like he might totally lose his head and run out of the house. I tried to calm him.

"Sushi really is very nice, and I'll help you pick something that is cooked. Something normal, like fried shrimp."

He seemed less alarmed as he said, "Alright, that sounds ok. I can handle fried shrimp."

I kissed his cheek. "You'll be fine. It's all delicious."


Ichiban restaurant. Later that night.

Ichiban was a bit dressy, so Luke had to borrow Chip's clothes again, this time just a dress shirt, no tie. Good thing they were the same size. I put on my pink dress with lace at the collar, and we were ready to go at 6.

Red dragons topped with a Japanese-style roof flanked the door to Ichiban. As we mounted the shallow steps up to the door, I looked over at Luke. He had a set face, as if walking to his own execution, or getting ready to walk on a bed of coals. I took his hand and gave him an encouraging smile.

When we were settled into a booth and picked up our menus, I scanned mine to find cooked sushi rolls.

"Maybe you'd like a spider roll, here." I pointed. "Or maybe a dragon roll. The spider roll has fried crab, and the dragon roll has regular cooked crab. Or, look, the tempura roll has fried shrimp."

Luke looked dubious, but muttered, "Maybe, that one, with the fried shrimp."

"Daddy, I want the rainbow roll and Luke will have the tempura roll."

"Good choice, Luke. I'm sure you'll enjoy it." My father seemed to be trying to be extra pleasant with Luke. "It's always good to broaden your experience of the world. We started coming here after my business trip to Tokyo, when Claire was 10."

Luke merely nodded.

"You have to work tomorrow morning?" my father asked. To my mother he said, "Luke landed a job at the mall, Helen."

Mother looked like she just bit into a lemon, but tried to pretend to smile. It didn't work very well.

My father continued, asking Luke, "How do you like working at the art store?'

"It's ok. I mean, I like it. The manager is sort of… blunt, but she thinks I'm doing well."

I was happy Daddy was warming to Luke. Luke getting a job seemed to impress my father. But what was he doing now, being so ultra nice? Mother seemed to be left out of the conversation. In my parents' cold war, my father could be doing this to make my mother feel outnumbered, 3 to 1. I hated that nothing could just be normal, without this constant trying to get the upper hand. I wished I could think my father warming up was entirely due to Luke's getting his job.

Our food arrived just then. I had fun showing Luke how to use the wooden chopsticks, and he caught on pretty quickly. I watched carefully as he chewed his first slice of sushi. His face lit up, obviously enjoying his food. I relaxed.

Mother and Father talked about church friends, their vacations and cars and houses. When Mother mentioned the Clarks, I remembered our party invitation.

"May Luke and I go to Andrew Clark's birthday party tomorrow night?" I asked.

"You'd need to be home by 11:30," my father said.

At the same moment, Mother said, "Well, I don't know, dear…"

"The Clarks are a fine family and I'm sure they wouldn't let anything happen to Claire," my father reasoned.

"But Mr. Clark is so… so earthy. I'm not sure Claire should be exposed to-"

I grabbed Luke by the hand and asked, "May I show Luke the koi?" It was just like them to ruin a good evening with such a stupid argument. I didn't wait for permission, just dragged Luke off to the aquarium.

As we watched the giant red-gold fish drift about, I said, "I hate it when they do that. And the only argument Mother can come up with is Andy's dad being 'earthy.' How ridiculous."

I looked over my shoulder and saw my parents were not speaking. I took that to mean a decision had been made, and returned to the table.

"You may go, as long as you are home by 11:30. The teen curfew is midnight, so I want you well home by then."

"Yes, Daddy, we'll be home on time." I smiled at Luke. "What time did Andy say to be there?"

"He said 8."

I opened my mouth to ask permission to use the car, but closed it quickly. Mother would flat out say No. It would be better to ask Daddy by himself, so Mother couldn't poke her nose in. This marriage that was a war was exhausting.


Standish Family Home, Later that night.

I was glad when we got home and Luke and I retreated to the den, to watch TV.

"Are they always like that?" Luke asked. He flipped through a few channels.

"Yes, that was a typical Standish family outing."


Saturday. April 14, 1984. The Clark Family Party

I was right. I asked Daddy when Mother wasn't around and he said yes, I could drive to the party. We had a quick dinner after Luke got home from work and then headed out to the Clark's house. Driving was exhilarating. At one point Luke pointed out I was speeding, so I tried to calm down a bit. But it was so fun. We arrived just past 8 o'clock, and there were lots of cars. We had to park almost a block away.

"This looks like a big party," Luke said. "How many wrestlers are there?"

"I don't know, 10? 12?" I answered abstractedly. I suddenly realized the wrestlers probably brought dates. That meant some of the princesses would be here. I knew for sure Anita was dating Tom, one of the wrestlers. Who else from the elite of Shermer High would be here?

As I was chewing my lower lip and considering these things, I saw Bender and Allison approaching from the opposite side of the house. We met at the neat walkway leading to the front door. After hugging Allison, I turned to the guys.

"I guess we should go in," Luke said. None of us looked enthused.

"Here goes nothing!" Bender exclaimed. As we progressed up the walkway, he muttered, "Any douche bags try to get into it with me, I'm outta here."

I was the one who rang the doorbell. Andy's mother opened the door and smiled when she saw me. Her smile froze when she looked over my shoulder at Allison and Bender.

"Claire, how nice to see you." She shot the others a wary look. "Is this your friend?"

"Yes, ma'am, this is Luke Henderson. And these are our friends, Allison and John." When she looked askance at Bender and Allison, I said, "Andy invited us all."

"Do come in. We're always glad to meet Andy's friends," Mrs. Clark said dubiously.

Andy appeared at her elbow, as we crossed the threshold. His face was alight with pleasure as he shook Luke's hand and received a gentle punch to the arm by Bender. His mother had disappeared and we were alone. I looked around. The large living room was filled with kids from school, with a sprinkling of adults who must be Andy's extended family. I zeroed in on Anita. She was encircled by Tom's arm, and they were talking to- oh no! Michelle and Spanky. They were an item? I wondered how long it would take them to notice me and the rest of the Breakfast Club. Well, they could do their worst, they didn't matter to me any more.

"I'm so glad you guys showed up!" Andy beamed at us. He dipped up a glass of punch for me and handed it over, saying, "I wasn't sure you'd come, Bender."

"How could I forgo such an advantageous invitation?" Bender's impressive vocabulary always came bubbling up when confronted with richies. Bender accepted his glass of punch, a suspicious look on his face. He sipped at it cautiously. "Tastes like Fanta."

I tried my glass and it was pretty good.

Andy led us deeper into the dining room, to a long table laden with appetizers. "Oh, there's Uncle William, I need to say hello to him," Andy said, and strode back into the living room, leaving us alone with the food.

I spotted a chafing dish that held tiny sausages in a barbecue sauce. I grabbed a paper plate and speared one with a toothpick. "Try these, Luke. Mrs. Clark makes the best little smokies in the church. She always brings them to pot luck dinners."

Luke speared one for himself, but his hand froze halfway to his mouth. I turned and was not surprised to see Michelle and Anita. They both had malicious smiles on their faces.

"Here's Luke the Puke," Michelle started. "Standish, you really have fallen low to bring him with you."

Anita laughed as she caught sight of Allison and said to Michelle, "It's no wonder she can't get a decent date, hanging out with such a loser."

Allison looked crushed. Bender quickly came up behind Allison, a thunderous look on his face. I flinched from his intense, hostile gaze.

"Who are you calling a loser?" He put his hand on Allison's shoulder.

Michelle and Anita looked alarmed, and started backing away.

"That's right, little mice, run."

I turned my back on the bitches and said, "Bender, you are the best." I grabbed Allison's hand. "You're the best, too, Allison. Don't listen to them. And you too Luke." I put my arm around his waist. "Let's make the most of Mrs. Clark's cooking."

I turned back to the table filled with delicious appetizers, tid-bits and finger foods and located my punch glass. I beckoned to the others to join me and took a swig of punch. Those little smokies were good, but very salty. I drained my glass and thought about asking Luke to get me more. He was sampling some little crustless sandwiches and Bender and Allison were inspecting the sweets. I heard Brian's voice and turned to see him being led our way by Andy. The group was complete. I put a hand out to greet Brian, but found my world sliding sideways instead.


I opened my eyes, emerging from a deep, dark sleep. What I was looking at didn't make sense at first. I wasn't at home. Luke came into focus and he was standing by my bed. A hospital bed. I must be in a hospital. I looked beyond my Luke and saw my father, and then, strangely, Allison, Bender and Brian.

"Why am I here, Daddy?"

My head pounded and my dry mouth tasted horrible.

"I think I'll let John tell you. He was there."

There? Where? Where was I last? Where was I before I ended up in the hospital?

"Someone slipped you a mickey finn," Bender responded from the foot of my bed. "At the party."

Party. That's right, I had been at Andy's party.

"What's a mickey finn?" I asked.

"Someone put a tranquilizer in your drink," my father clarified. "The doctors believe it was chloral hydrate. John had the sense to drive you straight here and then call us. I'm very grateful he was there to take care of you."

Brian stepped up and said, "Bender caught you when you passed out and carried you to the car."

"Those bit-" Bender looked at my father, and changed direction mid-word. "I mean, those richie girls tried to say you were drunk. I think they thought they could get you in trouble, but I know what it looks like when someone gets knock-out drops."

"And I can't believe it, Mrs. Clark was ready to believe Claire had been drinking," Brian exclaimed indignantly. "I don't know where she thought you could get alcohol from."

"From me," Bender suggested.

I noticed Luke had one of my hands in his and I squeezed it. He smiled down on me, but looked very tired.

"What time is it?" I asked. "And can I have some water?"

Daddy poured some water from a pitcher. Brain looked quickly at his digital watch and said, "It's two fifty seven."

The water was cool and delicious. When I was finished, I handed the cup to my father.

"When can I go home?" I asked my father. Then I looked down and saw I was in a hospital gown. "Oh my god, I look terrible. And my makeup!" I was sure my makeup was smeared all over my face.

Quietly, Luke said, "You look beautiful, Claire."

"Now that the princess is restored to us, I gotta split. Places to go, people to see." Bender took Allison's hand and turned towards the door.

My father stepped forward as he said, "Son, I owe you a lot for taking care of my daughter." He held out his hand and Bender, looking surprised, shook it.

"Hey, no sweat. Just helping a friend."

My father released Bender's hand and Bender slouched out of the room, looking bewildered. Then my father turned to me.

"I have been known to be wrong, Claire, and I apologize for judging John on looks alone."

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