Chapter Four: The Party

Friday, March 05

John and Sal sat in the Living room of John's house.

"I'd pay to see that girl de-virginized,"

John looked up at his friend. He was about to wipe the smirk right off his face. John had been thinking so much about Claire lately that he brought up the subject of taking her out in a joking way so his friends didn't think he was serious.

"I heard she was going to prom with that sissy boy…The all star wrestling freak..." Sal started. He brushed his long black hair back and thought for a second.

"Andy?" John asked.

"Yeah, that's the one," Sal laughed and fell on John's couch. He laughed uneasily and closed his eyes. He was stoned.

John had chosen to pass for the day, but this was enough to make him want to just forget it all. His dope had always been the answer. How could Andy and Claire have planned to go together? What does she see in that little turd, he thought harshly. I could kick his ass with my eyes closed. He's barely as tall as my mother. "The guy wrestles other midgets for fuck's sake."

Sal fell into a fit of laughter. He was only silenced for a moment when he fell of the couch and face-planted into the hardwood floor.

It was Friday. In six days Claire had forgotten about him.

"The proms a drag anyway," Sal said. He didn't open his eyes. John had thought and hoped he'd fallen asleep.

"Yeah it is,"

"Want to crash a party tonight?" Sal said, suddenly fully awake and sitting up. "The jocks are having one at that guy's house… The one we were just talking about. The midget wrestler."

"Andy?"

"Yeah…"

"Do you know where it is?"

"I got a flyer that someone threw away," Sal reached in his pocket and pulled out a fluorescent green paper that had been crumbled into a ball. He tossed it to John who caught it with one hand.

John unscrambled the paper and read the directions.

He would crash that party tonight and possibly Andy's skull.

Andy stood at the door and smiled at a few of the members of the wrestling team as they walked into his house. This would be a lame party, he knew. It was thrown by his parents and only a select few had been invited. Basically it was to congratulate the wrestling team on making finals.

Claire and a few of her friends walked in. Claire gave a small wave as she passed him, following the crowd into the dining room where the tables were set for thirty to forty people. Only a few moments later, as he went to close the door, a group of five people who weren't invited, threw the door open and walked in.

John stood in front of the small group. He gave Andy a smile and walked right up to him. "How's the girlfriend?" He asked.

The four stood behind John looking confused. "I thought we were here to crash the party... not say hi to the jock's piece of ass."

"What are you talking about, John?" Andy asked.

"Andrew?" What John assumed to be Andy's parents stood in the hallway looking at them. "Is everything ok? Did you invite these people?" The woman asked with a disgusted look upon her face.

"Yes,I did." His parents seemed to think that was enough and walked away.

"Now Andrew," John mocked the tone of Andy's mother. "Where's Claire? I hear you two are going out now."

Andy looked at John and frowned. "I don't know where you heard this, but Claire and I are not a couple. We are friends. I am not dating anyone."

"Mmmhmm...well then, you won't mind if we stay for dinner,"

"Come on man. Let's just waste the place," one of the guys behind John spoke again.

"Shut up," John turned as if he was ready to pound them, then turned back to Andy. "So how about it? Can we join to party?"

Andy shook his head. "I have no interest in Claire, John. I swear. You are welcome to stay. Just throw those goons out."

"Hey!" John barked, "Those goons are my friends." He turned and opened the door. "Get out, goons." He pointed to the outside. They snickered a little, thinking it was a joke until John's face remained serious. The four of them left reluctantly.

"Please don't embarrass Claire or me,"

John smirked." I wouldn't dare!"

Andy shook his head and led him into the dining room where everyone sat at the three tables that were set up. He was annoyed at the fact that John had no sense of manners, but more upset at the fact that there were rumors about Andy going out with Claire. If these rumors caught up with Allison… What are you going to do, Andy? He thought to himself. What you've been doing? Nothing?

Claire was sitting with her back to the hallway between her friends. She was smiling at something someone said. There was an empty seat straight across from her that Andy was sure John would go for. Grabbing John's arm, Andy repeated "Please don't embarrass her,"

Claire noticed Sandra's disgusted face as she looked across the table. When Claire looked she could see why. John pulled out and seat and sat down, giving her a little wink in the process. Her stomach felt like it had butterflies in it. She could feel her face turn flushed.

"Hello Claire," He then proceeded to wink at two of her friends. "How are you ladies tonight?"

"What is a lowlife like you doing here?" Tonya asked.

"What's a chunky ass like you doing hanging out with the popular crowd? Do you have a cousin who's part of it and her mommy makes her let you hang out with them?" He looked at Sandra and Claire. "Are one of you her cousin?"

Sandra laid no claim to Tonya being her sister. Instead, she turned her head to the guy that sat at her right and started talking to him. "So do you guys think you will win tomorrow?"

Tonya turned beet red. She said nothing and just stared at her plate.

"What are you doing here?" Claire asked, harshly.

John put a hand to his chest as if he were hurt by her tone. "I was invited Claire. I thought you'd be happy to see me."

A cry suddenly erupted from Tonya. She stood up and fled into the hallway.

"What was that all about?" Andy's mom asked from down end of the table.
Claire looked down at her own empty plate. She wanted no part in whatever John was planning. She just wanted to be left alone.

One of the guys by John looked over at him as if noticing him for the first time. "What the hell are you doing here?"

All eyes were now on John who only had eyes for Claire. He looked her up and down, smirking as he did so. He nudged her foot with his own and when she didn't respond he said," You don't want to play footsie with me Claire?"

She looked up at him, disgusted and annoyed, the butterflies in her stomach forgotten. "You are a pig," She pushed her seat back so quickly and hard that she knocked over the serving boy who was bringing the first course. She muttered, "Sorry," as she fled out of the room.

John heard the front door slam and suddenly he felt uncomfortable.

Claire rushed to her father's car and got inside. She rested her head against the steering wheel, willing herself to gather the guts to yell at John and tell him how she felt. Why did he have to be such an ass all the time? She turned her head towards the house. Three guys were throwing John outside onto the cement walkway. He got up, brushed himself off and sent the middle finger in their direction. Apparently, not liking the gesture, they jumped on top of him and started pounding him harshly.

What a change of events, she thought wryly for a moment. He deserved it. She began to insert the key into the ignition and leave him behind.

"Shit!" She said, grabbing the keys, opening her door and rushing to the four of them wrestling on the ground. "Stop!"

John was being beaten badly. She cringed as his head was smashed against the hard cement; a trail of blood was left there.

"Damnit! Stop now!" She shrieked, trying to yank one of the guys off of him. He backed off for a second and then was right on top of them again. "Get off of him!" She tried again to pull one of the guys off. This time she was hit and sent flying back. She hit the house, her head slamming against the window. The last thing she heard was the sound of the glass shattering before she blacked out.

She woke up suddenly and squinted at the hoard of people that hung over her. Andy's mom was there helping her up right away and his father was trying to break up the crowd and get them inside.

"Oh dear. Are you ok?" She asked. Claire glared at her for a second. She probably had a concussion. Who did the woman think she was?

"Yea..." Claire mumbled. "I just want to go home. Go home and go to sleep," She was standing fully now, her vision blurred and her head spinning.

A figure came in front of her. "Andy?" She asked.

"Claire, are you going to make it home ok?"

"She needs to go to the hospital," A random voice said, which Claire ignored.

"How's John?" She ignored his question with her own. "Is he alright?"

"Don't worry. I'll make sure she gets home ok." A voice came from beside her. She turned towards it, just making out John's face.

"Alright," Andy said skeptically.

Claire couldn't help but feel a tinge of affection towards John. The fact that he stayed there to make sure she was ok meant a lot.

"Are you sure that hoodlum should be taking her home?" Andy's mother asked.

Claire ignored them as John helped her to the car. "My head is killing me." She looked out of the window, seeing Sandra looking at her as if she was a crazy woman. She turned to Andy and slapped him, suddenly yelling about something, most likely, the fact that he let her best friend get into a car with someone like John Bender.

"You took a nasty spill," John said as he took her to the passenger side and helped her in. "I'll drive you home."

"No," John closed the door and went around to the passenger side. The keys were in the ignition from earlier. "Don't take me home John. I don't want to look at my parents right now." She leaned her head back against the seat and closed her eyes.

"Where do you want to go?"

"Anywhere," She said half asleep.