Chapter Two: Rich Girl, Working Girl – Popular Girl, Lonely Girl

Allison leaned over the counter. She had been five minutes late for work but the girl before her didn't care. She was too stoned to realize. Downtown Music was a two level music store that Allison worked at. The top level had a coffee shop with a few tables and magazines and the bottom level carried all the records anyone could imagine. She loved it here. No one bothered her except to ask about music, and music was one thing she knew. Once in a while she had to work in the coffee shop. Ever since her accident with spilling hot coffee all over a customer they worked her up there as little as possible.

It was empty today. Then again it usually was on Mondays. Mondays were the days that everyone was so sick of school that they just went home and relaxed. She smiled at the empty place and turned for the record player. She grabbed for a pile of records that she had picked out for today. She lifted the top one, David Bowie, and set it in the record player.

She smiled and let the music wash over her. Her eyes closed gently as she nodded her head to the beat.

"Excuse me," A voice came from in front of her. A familiar voice that made her almost swallow her tongue.

When she opened her eyes, John was standing in front of her, leaning over the counter. He smirk at her. "David Bowie?" He asked, amused. "I thought you were a heavier rocker type girl. You know... Def Leppard."

"Looks can be deceiving," She said. She stopped bopping to the beat and just stood there looking at him. Two guys stood behind them. They both wore half torn shirts and tattered hair. She figured them to be his friends. "What do you want?" She asked all too harshly.

He backed off the counter. "Just checking the place out. Picking up some new grooves." The two guys behind him backed away and went off to the top floor. "Actually," He said uncomfortably. "I was wondering about Claire."

Allison's eyes widened slightly at this. "You shouldn't come to me about Claire. I haven't talked to her." She frowned wondering if Andy had inquired about her to anyone. It was doubtful. I'm not memorable. For Christ sakes, my own parents can't remember me half the time.

"Yea. With her reputation and all…" His voice trailed off like he wanted to say something else. His next sentence snapped to something else completely which caught Allison off-guard. "Do you think I'd have any chance with a girl like that?"

"Honestly?"

"Yeah,"

"No," Allison said, quietly. She had been speaking for herself having a chance with Andy almost as much as him having a chance with Claire. "Are you kidding? Do you think Claire or Andy are going to give us the time of day?" Her throat tightened as if she wanted to cry.

John chuckled a little, but Allison could tell that wasn't the answer he had wanted. "So I guess I shouldn't bother asking her to prom?" His voice sounded almost sarcastic, but Allison could feel an ounce of truth to the question.

"I didn't think guys like you went to prom,"

"Well, Ally," He paused and turned away. "Looks can be deceiving." He gave a wave as he went for the stairs. "I'll talk to you later."

Yeah right, Allison thought as she watched him walk up the stairs. In one Saturday she had made four friends and lost four friends. It could have been a record. She turned away from the counter and walked into the back to sit down.

"Dad," Claire said. She rested against the living room wall, looking at him as he watched the television. "Can I go out now?"

Her father smirked. "I told you, you could have gone out hours ago. You chose to do those dishes and vacuum." He looked at her and sighed.

"I'm trying to please you both. I don't want to be in the middle of a feud between you guys,"

"I understand. Don't worry about it, honey. It'll all be ok," He spoke a little too softly and unsure that she didn't think even he knew how it would work out. "It's a Monday," He informed her, changing the subject in the process. "Be back by midnight."

She nodded, grabbed her purse and her father's keys and hurried out of the house before her mother could realize what she was doing. Claire hopped into the car and drove off for the Fifth Street Coffee House, a classy joint where her friends and she hung out sometimes. Tonight she promised she would meet Sandra and a few of the other girls from school. They said they would be hooking one of the crew up with some jock.

The drive was short, but she was happy when she pulled up to the coffee house and parked the car. She locked the doors and went inside.

Her friends were sitting at the normal table in the back corner by a brick fireplace. They had magazines sprawled out in front of them. Each magazine had prom dresses on it. She realized coming here was such a mistake.

"Claire!" Sandra said, her blonde hair bounced as she looked at her friend. "You're late!"

Claire pulled a chair up to the table and sat. "By five minutes,"

Tonya sat across from Sandra. She was the only one who looked like they didn't belong in the group. She was a little big boned and had just about no sense of style. Her hair was dark and often unbrushed, but she was Sandra younger sister, so she had to hang out with them. "Does she know?" Tonya asked.

"Know what?" Claire said, looking and Sandra and then the other girls at the table.

"It's a surprise!" Janice said. She sat by Sandra. The two of them with their perfect bodies, postures and identical hair could have been twins except for the fact that they had different faces and came from two separate families. Janice's bright blue eyes looked above Claire. "Here's the surprise!"

Claire looked behind her. There stood about ten guys, all muscular jocks. She scoffed at them for a second and then focused her eyes on her friends. "The hook up was for me?"

"Don't look so grateful," Sandra said smartly and stood up. "Where is he?"

Claire looked back to the group. They pushed Andy to the front who stood there looking even more uncomfortable and annoyed then Claire.

"Look you guys," Claire rudely said, standing up and pushing her chair in. "I never, ever asked to be set up with anyone!" She hurried for the door, listening to the girls snickering at her and the guys grunting. She had almost made it to her car when someone tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey," A voice said, turning Claire around. It was Andy.

"Hi," She looked at the ground.

"Look. I'm really sorry about this. I didn't want to be set up either."

Claire looked over Andy's shoulder at her friends and his friends who were all circled around the table laughing and chatting.

"It's weird," She said in a near whisper.

Andy smiled a little. "What's weird? Us being set up?"

"Well," she shrugged and focused on Andy's eyes. "A week ago, if I was being set up with you, I would have been all for this. A cute, older jock to go to prom with. It would have been any girl's version of heaven."

"I know what you mean," Andy shook his head slightly. "Everything feels differently now."

"You wanted to go with her?" She asked.

"Allison?" He knew she meant Allison. "I think so. Maybe… I'm not so sure what I want."

"It's so weird. My heart feels torn between some group of people I don't even like and a guy that I'm pretty sure I do." She leaned against the car.

"I know how you feel," Andy told her. He rested on the car next to her and sighed.

"So what are you going to do?"

"I don't know yet. I was planning on just saying 'fuck all of this' and asking her to prom. What about you?"

She gave a small laugh. "I went to him once. I'm not going to do it again. I don't know if I'd sacrifice my reputation for a guy that doesn't even want me. Maybe I just won't go to prom. It doesn't seem worth it."

Andy nodded. "Well, if we are still dateless by next week we should go together. As friends…. Nothing more."

Claire looked at him, smiling for the first time all day. "Alright," She said. "I'm going to get going." She unlocked the door and got into the car. Once Andy had back away, she drove off.