Chapter Eight:

Tuesday, March 16: Later in the Afternoon

John stood on the football stadium as Claire began heading in the opposite direction. Maybe it wasn't her. Maybe it was another girl dressed in the same exact clothes as she had been wearing that morning.

If she was going to stand him up, he was going to have to hear a reason why.

He jogged towards her, "Claire?"

Claire kept walking. John figured she didn't hear him and kept his speed towards her until her finally caught her elbow and turned her around.

"Oh... hey John," She said almost shyly.

"What's up Claire? Did you not want to talk to me?" He looked at her, but she didn't seem to want to meet his eyes. "Did something happen?"

She said nothing, just shook her head.

"What the hell? Are you a mute now?"

"I didn't see you standing on the football field, so I figured I'd just get going. I have a ton of stuff to do anyway."

John shook his head. Something was up and he didn't feel like dealing with her shit. "Whatever Claire. Go home to your rich daddy and wonderful life."

Claire finally met his eyes but she wasn't happy at all. "You're jealous of me and my life aren't you?"

"Wha-"

"So your whole vendetta is to try to ruin my life. You know... get me attached to you then go find some hooker to cheat on me with. Beat me… It's crap!"

He had to hold himself from laughing for a moment. Where she formulated these ideas, he'd never know. "That's exactly it Claire." He was sick of being badmouthed by everyone, especially the one girl he had feelings for. He felt unworthy enough in front of her without her chiming in to make it worse.

John started past Claire. He didn't even look at her as he started towards the school.

"John," Claire said softly.

He quickly spun around and without thinking said something he was sure he'd regret. "I want to take you to prom, Claire. Really scare the hell out of everyone! I want to make us official on prom night."

"I d-" Before she could say another word he stepped into her, put his arm around her waist and brought her into a kiss.

Her lips were soft and sweet. He moved his up the back of her shirt to feel her smooth skin, pulling her into him deeper. She parted her lips and allowed his tongue to snake past them. Still under her shirt, his hands worked to her sides and trailed upwards. He was awarded with a soft moan.

Did she know what she did to him? He wanted her here. Now.

It was her that pulled back. Her face looked flushed. It was a beautiful sight.

She smiled a tiny smile and walked away from him.

Allison walked home with Brian. She had come to a conclusion. The only people who didn't care about what group of people they were in or the people they hung out with were people like her who had nothing. People like Andy and Claire had a reason to be scared because they did have everything to lose.

"I was thinking Allison. If you have no one to go to Prom with. I'd like to take you." Brian said happily.

"I'm not going."

"Everyone in Junior and senior years goes. I will take you. Not as a date, just for fun."

"I'm not going."

"Alright," His voice trailed off slightly. "Is it because of Andy?"

"I'm just not going Brian." They were edging closer to her house. She couldn't wait to be alone in her room. Alone sounds so good right now.

The sophomore boy said nothing more about prom, but switched the subject entirely. "This weekend there is a comic book convention in town. You are welcome to go with me Larry and the gang."

"I'm not going." Allison stepped on to porch and without turning around said "Goodbye Brian" and then disappeared into her house.

Her mother was sitting on the sofa wrapped in the arms of her father. She didn't bother to say hello. They wouldn't hear her anyway. They never did.

Claire sat on her desk that night looking blankly at the Geometry book in front of her. She couldn't believe she was going to prom with John Bender. This was ridiculous. A small part of her felt happy about it, but there was a large chunk that wasn't so sure this was a good idea. She had decided, only moments before the kiss that, he wasn't worth the trouble. Yet here she was going out on the biggest date of her life with him.

She reached over her books to the phone and picked it up, ready to dial Kelly's number. She wanted to see what her only friend had to say about this. Instead she hung up the phone and pulled open her desk drawer and dug inside it for the school directory. She looked up Allison's number and dialed that instead.

"Allison, phone!" A voice called from downstairs. Allison was surprised to recognize her mother's voice calling up to her. Those two words were more than she'd said to Allison in a week.

Allison sat up and hoped down from her bed. She slowly walked downstairs, wondering who the hell would be calling her. She hoped to god it wasn't Brian pestering her about something stupid like who died in his Spiderman comic.

Please let it be you, she let herself hope.

Allison put the receiver to her ear, "Hello?'

"Hi Allison," The voice was familiar. "It's Claire."

Damn.

"Hi,"

"How are you doing?" Claire asked. Her voice sounded extremely sweet.

Allison rolled her eyes at what appeared to be some sort of pity or sympathy resonating from Claire. "Fine."

The two were silent for a few moments. Maybe Claire had figured Allison would make some sort of huge conversation. Anyone with half a brain cell would know that wasn't Allison's style.

Claire broke the silence. "That's good. I'm glad you are doing fine. Any news from Andy?"

"No,"

Double damn, she thought sourly. How pathetic am I?

Allison heard Claire sigh on the other end of the phone line.

"What do you want Claire? You're never this nice without something tied to it, I'm sure." Right when she said it, Allison felt a little guilty. This snippiness wasn't her style either, but for some reason she felt very bitter towards Claire and Andy. True to their social status they had hardly looked her way since that detention except out of pity.

"That's unfair..." Claire's voice trailed off.

"Then tell me what you want?"

"I just wanted to see how you were. I was going to ask you to hang out sometime."

"I can't believe the prom queen has time for a lowlife like me." Allison glared into the living room at her parents. They didn't even take notices to her towering voice.

"I-"

"Let me guess who you are taking to prom... possibly the captain of the football team? The homecoming king? Can't break the social structure, can you?" Allison was on a roll now and couldn't stop.

"You-"

"I don't want to hang out with you Claire. I have enough of people who ignore me," With that, Allison hung up the phone. She entered the living room, stepped right into her parent's view of the TV and said, "I'm moving out."

Her parents didn't seem to bat an eye, probably because she threatened this at least once a month. This time, though, she was pretty sure she meant it.

Brian walked home alone, kicking his feet into the pavement in a very angry fashion.

He didn't understand the world. He didn't understand girls. He didn't understand school. He couldn't even understand himself sometimes. He tried very hard to be nice to Allison, to be her friend, but in the end, it was as if she could give two shits who she hurt because she was miserable.

He was probably wrong in offering to take her to prom. Besides, he was only a sophomore and sophomores typically didn't even go unless they were the "super popular" sophomores. In other words… not him.

Despite her demeanor, Allison didn't live in a horrible part of town. They were nice houses, small double houses, but nevertheless, very humble and newer. As he walked a few blocks from her house, he looked down Corri Drive. John Bender lived off of Corri Drive. It was the dirtiest part of the neighborhood.

Without much thought, Brian turned down Corri Drive and prepared to say hello to his old detention companion.

Allison pulled out her black dufflebag from under her bed, tossing it on her bed and making her way to her closet. She pulled out three shirts a pair of jeans and an old trenchcoat she had lifted from some second hand store. She stuffed the clothes in the bag, but left the coat lay on the bed.

She then went to the dresser and pulled out several pairs of socks, bras and underwear and put those in the bag as well. With the thing properly stuffed, she zippered it shut and pushed it to the side.

For a moment, her emotions overtook her and she collapsed on the bed, crying harder than she had in a long time. She couldn't stop. She hated herself for it.

Allison stayed that way, sobbing harshly, face smashed against the bed and her parents never even noticed. No one ever noticed.

Except my Saturday detention friends. The thought made her want to punch something. She lost those friends as soon as she had made them.

She finally stood, pulled her secret stash of money she had been saving for a time like this. She had it planted under her bed in a shoebox that contained her report cards. She knew her parents would never check under the report cards because they rarely even looked at the reportcards themselves.

She pocketed over $200, grabbed the duffle bag, her trench coat and a sweater then headed downstairs. Her mom's keys and purse sat on the table by the door. Allison smiled a little. Someone would finally notice her. When her parents realized the station wagon was gone, Allison would be the star of the house.

She grabbed the keys, the purse, left the house, and left the neighborhood.

John answered the door, barely looking as his drunken father and mother, sprawled across the couch. It was probably for him anyway.

He did not expect Brian to be at the door.

"Uh... hey?" He said questioning the younger boys intentions.

"Hi John, can I come in?"

John shook his head, pushing his way past Brian and onto his dead-looking lawn. "The old people just laid down for a nap."

Brian just stood there for a few moments, looking at John.

"What did you want?"

He shrugged a little. "I just wanted to see how you were doing. Have you talked to Allison lately? She's been a bit depressed."

"Are you asking me to score her a bit of something?"

Brian shook his head. "No... not at all. Just making observations. Have you talked to Claire?"

"Not lately," John lied.

Suddenly Brian's eyes went wide as he looked down the street, over John's shoulder. "Allison?" He asked to no one in particular.

John turned around just in time to see a station wagon flying past him. The girl inside it may have been Allison for all he knew. He could barely could make out a black blur. The car was moving at at least 60.

"Allison doesn't have her license..." Brian said slowly.

John shrugged slightly. "I'm going to get going. See you around." He walked back inside of the house without another word. He wasn't much up for the antics of Brian or listening to Allison's problems. At present moment he felt like being selfish and drowning himself in his own problems.

Such as... what was he going to do about prom now?

Allison pulled into a gas station. She slammed the car door shut as she stepped onto the gravel and looked into the tiny shop. She had reached the end of town, but now she needed gas. She sighed, hoping this wasn't a sign she should turn around.

"Aly?" Allison spun around when she heard her name, seeing Arthur coming up to one of the pumps. He wore a pair of overalls and a sleeveless shirt that showed off his muscles. His arms and clothes where messy with grime from what Allison assumed came from fixing cars at the station.

When she didn't say anything he gave a small smile and said, "Need some gas or a bag of chips?"

She just shook her head and got back into her car. She felt ashamed looking at him. Before she could close her door, Arthur's hand grabbed her arm.

"Come into the shop for a little and keep me company. It's getting late. I still have 3 hours and only an oil change to do."

Allison shook her head again. She didn't know how else to respond.

"You are a great girl, Aly. I like you and you have nothing to be afraid of with me." She looked up at him to see his face smiling down at her.

Finally, she opened her mouth and responded, "Ok." She got out of the car with Arthur still holding her arm. He closed the door for her and led her into the garage. He pulled a chair from behind a desk and set it by an old station wagon.

"Make yourself comfortable." He watched her until she took a seat and then proceeded to do work on the station wagon. "How are you doing Allison?"

She shrugged. "Ok."

"Where were you heading off to?" He asked softly.

She sighed, "I was running away to join the circus."

He smirked a little, giving her a quick glance. "Running away? You should have invited me."

Allison's eyebrows rose at him.

"You know, no one's life is perfect." It was as if he could see her expression without looking. "Everyone has something they want to run from, but sticking through it is what makes us strong."

"What do you know about it sport-o?"

"I know a lot more then anyone gives me credit for." He paused before turning from his vehicle and kneeling in front of Allison. "I live across from John Bender. Basically in the house that long past due to be condemned. The biggest death trap ever created!"

Allison shook her head. From outer appearance, Arthur looked like the perfect jock with the perfect family and home life. She wasn't typically this stereotypical, but the past two weeks had shown her what life was really all about when you're a teenager.

"You're a Junior? I assume from you being in a few of my classes." He asked.

She nodded as he stood back up in front of the opened hood of the car.

"So what are your plans for prom? Everyone is going you know. Going to be the prom of the century or something."

"I'm not going."

"Everyone should go to prom." He stood up and closed the hood of the car.

Shrugging, Allison stated to feel uncomfortable.

"I have to go," Allison got up and started for the exit.

Arthur shook his head watching her open her car door and then sit there for a few moments. He walked up to the car and waited for her to roll down the window before asking, "What's up?"

"I need gas."

He chuckled a little, went for the pump and popped open the cover for the gas. "I'll only give you gas if you do two things for me." Allison said nothing, simply looked at him, waiting. "Drive me home. The walk is a killer. I'll let you know the other thing later." He smirked a little.

Allison frowned, ready to turn on the car and attempt to make it to another gas station. Arthur was bent through the window within seconds, grabbing her keys and pocketing them.

"What the fuck's your problem?" She asked harshly. "I'm not having sex with you if that's what you think."

Arthur back away from the stationwagon laughing. "Sex? I'd never dream of it."

Allison narrowed her eyes, just starring at her steering wheel for a while. That comment for some reason, really offended her. She looked up at Arthur seeing a weird look on his face. Did he pity her or something? Was this all just a pity party for her?

Why does everyone pity me?

"I didn't mean sex with you would be particularily bad, so don't think that." He quickly tried to regain grounds with her. "I would just never try to bribe you into doing it. I just wanted to know if you wanted to go to the prom with me."

Arthur watched Allison. She looked at her steering wheel, looked at her hands and even at his face, but she never looked him in the eye. There was something oddly sweet about the girl. He remembered her in his classes, always alone and always quiet. Oftentimes, he'd offer to be her partner because under her sarcasm, she was a pretty and funny girl. She had so much more emotion than most of the girls at school.

"I said I'm not going to prom." She spoke sternly. "I will not be the pity whore to a pity pimp like you."

"It's not that I pity you," He was getting a little cross now. Why did he even bother with a girl like Allison? Girl's like Allison were probably better off on their own.

"Forget it, Allison." Turning back to the back of the car, Arthur unscrewed the gas cap and began pumping. He topped off the tank before recapping the tank and slamming the cover shut. "The gas is on me." He was pissed although he tried not to show.

"Let me give you a little advice." When she didn't respond he continued. "Chill out on people. How can you make friends if you don't let people come around you. Everyone has insecurities. Everyone has problems." Putting the nozzle back in it's slot he added, "Get out of here" before stomping back into the garage.