A/N: Hey guys! I hope you're well. I am right as rain. My name is Bambi, and I am very happy that you're here. Welcome back to chapter ten of "The Gossip Around Shermer". As always, I do not/ have not/ probably nor will I ever own the rights to "The Breakfast Club" or any of its characters and themes. Those belong to the estate of John Hughes and Universal Pictures. I do own Xia Hart. Now, onto the chapter. Enjoy!
CH. 10
In light of a very recent altercation, Xia's investigation into the whereabouts of her notebook were on hold. Currently, she was standing in a semicircle with Brian and Claire. All threes of their eyes were glued to the scene above them. "What do you think they're saying?" Claire asks in a whisper. Xia leans forward with her eyes squinted. Hopefully, she can catch a glimpse of what Andy and Bender were saying to each other.
"I can't tell." Xia shakes her head as she steps back into the semicircle. She turns to Brian thinking maybe he'll be some sort of help. "Brian, can you read lips?" Xia asked. Her question goes unanswered. She calls out his name a few more times. "When did you get hard at hearing?" Xia asked, annoyed. That question went unanswered as well. "He's not gonna answer you." Claire warned. "And why not?" Xia questioned.
"I'll show you." Claire nods as she's gently placing her hands on Xia's shoulders. She proceeds to pull Xia into her eye line. All Xia could see from this vantage point was quiet girl. "Okay, I'll bite. Why is he staring at quiet girl?" Xia asked. "Ask him." Claire shrugs with a knowing smile. Xia taps Brian shoulder. "Why are you staring at quiet girl?" Xia wonders. Brian snaps quickly around to face Xia.
"Allison." Brian corrects. A confused expression appears on Xia's face. "Huh?" Xia sounds off. "Her name is Allison." Brian corrected her again. That girl hadn't spoken all day, with exception to that sound she had made. There was no way Brian knew her name. "How do you know that?" Xia questions. "Oh you missed it! They had a moment." Claire told her. "A moment? What kind of moment?" Xia questions. All these guessing games were starting to upset her.
"Bender was getting on him for being a virgin and she kind of spoke up." Claire explained. "That's it? All she did was speak?" Xia scoffed. "No, she smiled at him too." Claire added. "It wasn't a moment." Brian dismissed. "Then why was she smiling?" Claire pointed out. "You know, she was looking at you when you got in between Andy and Bender." Xia informed him. Brian's eyes go wide as tea saucers and a tiny bit of blush creeps on his pale cheeks.
"S-she was?" Brian asked sheepishly. "Yeah." Xia nods. "See! All we're saying is that there could be something there." Claire encourages. "You really think so?" Brian wonders. "Worth a shot." Xia shrugged. "Thanks, Xia. Oh uh could you not write in your column that I'm a virgin?" Brian begged politely. The tiny smile turned to a slight look of hurt on Xia's face. He really thinks that lowly of her. "Sweetie, it's low hanging fruit. I would never." Xia promised.
Xia would write about a lot of things, but a person's virginity was not one. That was something that wasn't anybody's business. Besides, anybody could take one look at Brian Johson and know he's a virgin. "Speaking of moments. What happened between you and Andy when you went to get sodas?" Claire grilled. "Something happened between you two in the teacher's lounge?" Brian gasped. Xia turned to Claire, glaring at her. "Thanks, Claire. And for your information nothing happened." Xia lied. "Uh huh. That's why you looked so dejected when you came back, right?" Claire rolled her eyes. Xia decides to focus on the two guys above her. She really hopes that they can't hear this conversation.
"Did not." Xia retorted weakly. "Did too! You looked like a sad puppy." Claire noted. Xia sighs knowing there was no lying to Claire. "If I tell you two, you have to promise me that you won't tell anyone. And I mean it. No jokes, no holding court, no anything." Xia demands. "Promise." Brian and Claire quickly assure her in unison. "We kissed, we talked, we argued, and now he totally hates me." Xia admitted.
"You guys kissed?" Brian repeats, surprised. "Why did you two argue?" Claire gasps. "We were talking about my column, he said it made me miserable, I got on him about wrestling, we started going back and forth, and he stormed off." Xia explained. "You should tell him you're sorry. You guys clearly miss each other. Especially if you were kissing." Brian suggests. "Brian, did you miss the part where I said we got into an argument?" Xia asks.
"So what? You two kiss. You clearly still have feelings for each other." Claire reminded Xia. "d-" Xia's cut off by Brian's tapping and pointing. "Hey! Hey! Look! Look!" Brian tries to get the girl's attention. "What?" Claire snapped as Brian's finger pointed upwards. Xia, more happy to welcome a distraction, looks up to see Andy standing over Bender with his hand extended. "Did he just offer Bender his hand?" Xia asks in a whisper.
"He did." Claire confirms. "And Bender's accepting it. Oh my god." Brian gasps as Bender rises to his feet. The two boys start walking down the stairs. "They're coming! Act natural." Claire commands. The trio separates. Brian, to his table, staring at his essay. Claire, off to the side, checking her nails. Meanwhile, Xia was very enthralled by the back cushion of her chair. When the boys make it back downstairs, they eye the three strangely. "The fuck is a matter with you guys?" Bender asks. "Uh nothing. Are we good?" Claire deflects. "Yeah. Actually, we're gonna go on a little field trip." Bender broadcasts to the room. "Field trip?" Andy raises his eyebrow. "Yup. Come on. It'll be fine." Bender assures as he starts ushering them to the door.
"Wait! I know I've already asked you guys, but have you seen a heart shaped notebook? Was it up there?" Xia asked. She had a feeling it wouldn't be, but you never know. "Nope. Sure it'll turn up though. Come on." Bender continues to usher the group out into the hallway. The group begins to walk. Claire walking beside Bender, Xia hesitantly walking beside Andy, and Brian walking next to Allison.
"How do you know where Vernon went?" Claire questions. "I don't." Bender replied. "What's the point of going to Bender's locker?" Brian leans forward to ask Andy. "Beats me." Andy shrugs. "Why are we risking getting caught?" Brain asked another question nervously. "If you ask me another question, I'm beating the shit out of you." Andy threatened, earning him a hit on the chest from Xia.
They finally make it to Bender's filthy locker. "Slob." Andy taunted. "My maid's on vacation." Bender quickly retorts. Bender starts rifling through his locker until he pulls out a worn out rolled up brown paper bag. If that was what Xia thought it was, she's about to be giddy. It has been almost a year since Xia stopped smoking weed. A promise she had made to her mother. The habit itself is something she slipped into during her dad's trial.
It had helped her cope, helped her momentarily forget about the hell her life had turned into. In any other set of circumstances, Xia would turn it down. Then again, she's got nothing better to do. Might as well blaze. Everybody had started walking away from Bender's locker except Brian. He was in shock after seeing the bag. "Drugs! In his locker!" Brian exclaimed. "Live a little." Xia shrugged before running off to join the others.
"We'll cut through the lab then double back." Bender instructed. "You better be right." Andy warned. The walk starts out normal enough. Until they spot Vernon. A cat and mouse game then ensues as the six try their best to avoid him. Sometime during the chase, Bender stops them. "Hold it! We have to go through the cafeteria." Bender broadcasted. "No, the activities hall." Andy suggested.
"You don't know what you're talking about." Bender dismissed. "No you don't know." Andy snapped back. Allison squeaks in fear. "Uh I don't speak squeaky toy, but I agree with Allison. Figure something out." Xia urged worriedly. They've come so far, she didn't want to get caught. Andy grabs Xia's wrist. Xia's eyes go wide. "Uh Andy what are you-" Xia's cut off by Andy making a declaration.
"We're through listening to you." Andy laments. "Andy, we really should listen to Bender. He's probably done this a million times." Xia suggests now terrified. "I can do this." Andy shouts at her. The two begin to race through the halls, slowly followed by the others. All the roaming comes to a screeching halt as the group comes face to face with an iron gate. Xia immediately shoves Andy off of her roughly.
"Stupid! Don't you ever grab me like that again!" Xia yells. "Fuck you, Xia. I tried to save you." Andy fought back. "Yeah some fucking hero. Look where we are." Xia scoffs as her hand hits the gate. "Way to go, jagoff." Bender snipped. "Fuck you." Andy sounds off again. "Fuck you. You should've listened to John!" Claire jumped in. "We're dead." Brian whimpered. "No, just me." John speaks up.
"What do you mean?" Brain asks. "Get back to the library and keep your unit on this." John commands as if he's the general of a special forces operative. Suddenly, he grabs the front of Brian's khaki's and stuffs the weed down them. With that, he sprints down the hallway screeching. "I want to be an airborne ranger", at the top of his lungs. Allison, Andy, and Brian had taken off.
Xia was about to until she saw Claire just standing there. She was staring at the direction John had run down. "Claire? What's wrong? We gotta go." Xia urged. "He's gonna get in trouble." Claire remarked softly as she turned to Xia. There was this nervous gleam in her eye. "Claire, I'm sure he's gonna be fine. He knows what he's doing. He'd probably be more upset if we got caught. Let's go." Xia tries to comfort her.
Xia couldn't believe she was defending John Bender, but here she was. "I guess so." Claire nods. Together, the two girls go back to the library. One feeling very worried. One feeling exhilarated than she has in a while.
A/N: Wasn't fun? Who doesn't love the chase chapter, right? Anyway, thank you so much for reading. I really hope you liked it and I'll see you guys next Friday. Have a great weekend. Bye guys!
