I went to school the next day, and once I walked in the door, I heard whispers. Andy was there waiting for me.

"What's going on?" I asked him looking around at everyone staring.

"Well, someone saw you walking home with Bender last night," he responded.

"Yeah. So?"

"So, Claire, people like you don't talk to people like him, just like guys like me don't date girls like Allison,"

"Well, then I guess it's good people don't know we have a date Friday night or the world would really fall apart,"

"You and Bender are going on a date?"

"You told me to take a chance, so I did. When we got to my house, I asked him out. I've never done that before,"

"It looks like you are full of surprises," he told me.

"Well everyone likes surprises," I said with a smile.

He looked at me and smiled, and he knew I was for real. I could tell by his face that he was proud of me, and I was proud of me too.

I couldn't spend all my time worrying what everyone else would think. I had to live my life for me.

I smiled and waved at Brian when I got to trig. Everyone saw, and Brian turned bright red. After class I walked over to him and asked if I could eat lunch with him again.

Brian and I walked into the cafeteria, and everyone stopped talking. Kara got up and started walking over.

"Brian, go sit down. I'll be there in a second," Brian did as he was told. I didn't want Kara to say anything mean to his face.

"Claire what the hell are you doing? Yesterday you ate with him, fine. You're going to eat lunch with a nerd? And you're walking home with John Bender? What the hell are you doing?" Kara yelled.

"You also forgot that I went to coffee with Brian, John, Andy, and Allison yesterday, and I have a date with John on Friday," I replied as calmly as possible.

"You are going on a date with that delinquent?"

"Yeah, I am. What's wrong with that?"

"What are you going to go to dinner and skipping out of the check?"

"No, I don't really think that's part of the plan, but I'm up for anything," I said getting bitchier as I spoke.

"Seriously Claire. You are too good for these people. Come back and sit with us,"

I looked over at Brian, and I could tell he thought I was going to ditch him, "How am I too good for them?"

"What?" she asked confused.

"You heard me. What makes me any better than Brian Johnson or John Bender or Allison Reynolds?

"You are Claire Standish. You are pretty and popular, and you have money, and you hang out with us. You are the prom queen," Kara said very seriously.

"Well, the prom queen has decided to end her reign," I said, and I walked over to Brian.

"Claire, that was amazing," Brian said.

"I'm working on it," I said with a smile.

Brian and I talked for the rest of lunch, and we made plans to go to my house after school to work on trig.

Brian then went to shop class and was surprised to actually see Bender there already working on Brian's makeup assignment.

Brian walked up and said, "So I hear you and Claire have a date Friday?"

Bender just stared, "How do you know?"

"You should have been in lunch. Claire's friend Kara was going crazy saying Claire was too good for you and me, and Claire yelled back and told everyone you guys had a date Friday. It was great. I guess I knew Claire could be a bitch, but I didn't know she could be a bitch for a good cause,"

John smiled, and Brian told him all about lunch.

The rest of the week went by a lot like the first two days; a lot of whispers, a lot of dirty looks, a lot or rumors, but Friday night was only a few hours away, and I couldn't wait.