I don't own the Breakfast Club

Enjoy!

Claire wished that she was in France. Far, far away from her parents' problems. She had hoped for a quiet evening but her parents' discussion had erupted into another full-blown argument. Claire couldn't take it anymore. Out of everything that they talked about, why did it have to be about Claire's future and which college they wanted her to go to. Claire's father wanted her to stay close to home. Her mother insisted on the college where she graduated from that was known for a great sorority. What they didn't know was that Claire wasn't planning on applying to any of those schools. Her plan was to apply to a college away from Shermer, Illinois and hopefully study abroad in France.

Claire took a deep breath as she pulled her silk pink robe close to her frame. The night air was starting to get cold, but there was no way that Claire was going inside that house. She turned her head to her mother's screams coming from inside the house. There were times when Claire wished that they would divorce, just so she could be at peace. Other times, she regretted ever wishing that. Why couldn't they just pretend to be happy? They did a mighty fine job during the dinner parties that they attended. Just one big happy family. The doting wife, the hard-working husband, the perfect daughter, and the invisible big brother of the family.

Claire couldn't remember the last time her brother had called. There were some things that she didn't quite know the story to. One of them was why did he rarely call his parents? Why were they always the ones reaching out to him? Claire never bothered to ask this question to her parents. The last time she had bought up her brother's name, she saw the forlorn look on her father's face and her mother pouring another glass of wine. At least that was one rare occasion where her parents didn't fight with one another.

Just then, the house fell into complete silence and Claire didn't know whether she ought to head in. They would probably go at each other again the moment Claire stepped inside. Even if that was the case, there was something calming about the night air. Claire didn't want to catch a cold but the air was soothing to calm her nerves.

It was funny how things had a way of working out. Normally on a Sunday evening, Claire would be over at Jennifer's house along with Katie, Jodie, and Christina. They would just sit in the Jennifer's bedroom, gossiping about the school week and the upcoming prom night; a discussion that they've had since the beginning of the year. Even if Claire had been nominated as the Prom Queen, it seemed like such a miniscule title. Was such a title going to matter five years from now? Or when she was in college? It was highly unlikely. Yet, she didn't feel motivation to pull out from it. There was something that made her want to run up against the other nominees. The thrill of it, the fun of it, or the fact that she could look at Katie's and Jennifer's faces and say 'HA!'

Wouldn't that be quite the pleasant sight? With Katie being the nominee and losing against her ex-friend.

The house continued to remain quiet. Claire looked over her shoulder and through the curtained windows, she noticed that her parents weren't lingering about. Her father was probably in his study and her mother engaged in a late-night soap opera on television. Deciding that it was best to head inside, Claire got up from her seat and was about to head inside. Before she did, her attention was diverted over to a figure that was walking down the street. Claire squinted at whom it was and her eyes widened.

John Bender walked past her house with various supplies in his arms, trying his best to balance them before they fell to the ground.

Claire wondered why he was carrying so many supplies, until her mind made the connection when John had asked Allison about using her garage for his Shops class. Claire's mind told her to stay put, but her feet told her differently. Before she knew it, she was making her way down the stairs of the porch and over to where John stood with the supplies in his arms. "What are you doing here?" she asked him. Out of all the neighborhoods, she had never seen John pass by here before. It was a rare sight to see someone like John passing by a neighborhood that was well kept by the families that lived in the area.

John was caught off guard by Claire's voice. He didn't expect to run into anyone in this part of the neighborhood but it happened to be the Princess herself. John turned his full attention to Claire and let the items drop on the floor. "Wouldn't you like to know?" he asked her. "And what are you doing out here?" he asked her, "or are you on schedule for the night patrol?" he looked at her up and down, taking in the silky pink robe that looked both soft and sophisticated, "not in that getup I assume."

His voice dripped with condescending sarcasm but Claire was not going to let that get the better of her. His teasing had gone far too long and Claire, and she had told him, she didn't want to ruin what they had after Saturday detention ended. "No," Claire answered with a shake of her head, "I just needed to get out for a bit."

John glanced over at some of the houses. One house was as perfectly maintained as the others that surrounded them. John knew that the further he walked down the street, the less sophisticated the houses would look…but in the end, it was what was on the inside that mattered. His eyes fell on Claire as he continued to maintain that rebellious demeanor, "then get inside. We wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

Claire let out a gentle sigh. "It's impossible to have a decent conversation with you, John," she told him.

John let out a scoff as he looked up at the bus stop sign that he was leaning onto. "What's there to talk about with you?" he asked her, "I don't know much about nail polish."

Claire rolled her eyes at his remark. There was more to hear that just a sophistication and nail polish. Why couldn't he see through that? She looked over at the bus stop sign before glancing back at John. "Well, you might as well have someone to talk to if you're willing to wait for half an hour for the bus."

That had been a miscalculation on his part. John would have gotten to a bus stop sooner, but the one on Allison's street had already left after John and Brian had finished up for the night. John had taken a shortcut and had wound up in this deluxe neighborhood. He would have continued his way back home but holding onto all these supplies had proven to be a challenge the first time around. Working on that bookshelf with Brian had made him exhausted and he didn't know if he could continue holding onto these supplies the rest of the way home. "Great," John said, "stuck here with Rapunzel."

At least it's me and not anyone else where they'd call the police Claire thought as she gave John a cold glare. Her eyes then fell onto the earring that she had given him. Regardless of his attitude, that earring was enough to show Claire that there was still some meaning behind the moment they shared. Claire looked down at the supplies that stood between them. Wooden boards, boxes of nails and screws, and a toolbox. "Wow," she spoke up, "looks like you and Brian are working well together."

John let out a scoff. "He doesn't what the hell is going on." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a carton is cigarettes and placed one between his lips. He struck the match against the bus stop sign and lit up the cigarette. "We would've been done sooner if he didn't accidentally break one of the boards."

Claire visibly flinched at that imagery. She was surprised that Brian didn't break along with board considering his physique. "Poor Brian," she lightly chuckled. "What are you guys working on?" she asked him.

"Just a bookshelf," John answered her, "what's got you so interested in our academic studies?" he asked her.

Claire shrugged her shoulders. "You did mention at lunch going to Allison's with Brian so…"

"Wasn't anything special," John cut her short. It had been a productive yet dull day. While he and Brian worked, Allison would take their supplies every now and then. John had tried to remain vigilant but Allison was very quiet when she approached them and John wasn't quick enough to catch her. Another reason as to why he had finished later than expected.

"How was it?" Claire asked him, "being at Allison's?"

John rose an eyebrow. "Gonna have a slumber party there, Princess?" he asked Claire, calling her the nickname that she didn't appreciate. "How am I supposed to know? We only used the garage."

Claire didn't know if she would want to pay a visit at Allison's home. After they had gotten to know one another, Claire didn't consider her as close as she did her other friends…ex-friends in this case. During those moments where Claire felt vulnerable at school, Allison had been there to help her through it...and Claire thought that it was best to at least give Allison a chance. "You never know John," she said to him with a smirk upon her lips, "I have my own surprises up my sleeve."

"Yeah, like that lipstick trick," John scoffed once more. He'll believe it when he sees it. Just having her sitting with them at the lunch table was not enough to show him that she had fully stepped out of her conformity.

He had humiliated her in front of everyone when she had done that trick. Claire folded her arms across her chest and looked at John, undeterred by his comment. "You know, you never told anyone of us any of your talents during Saturday detention. What can you do?"

"Who me?" John asked and pointed to himself, "you're looking at it. Survival of the fittest."

Claire hadn't expected such an answer. Her mind reeled back to the moment where John displayed the cigarette burn on his arm at Andrew. A chill ran down her spine at the image of it. "I'm sorry," she said to him.

"I don't need your pity," John said as he plucked the cigarette from his lips and threw it on the pavement. He stepped on the cigarette and rubbed it against the pavement as if he was stepping on an insect. He then looked up as he saw the headlights from the bus approaching from the distance. He gathered his supplies in his arms and looked at Claire, "it's a talent that everyone needs. The world isn't as fair as you think."

"I never thought that the world was fair," Claire said to him.

John's eyes darkened as he looked at Claire, thinking that she was referring to her social life. "There's more out there beyond high school and your precious social clique."

One that she wasn't part of anymore. "And what makes you the expert on this?" she haughtily asked him.

The bus stopped by the stop sign and the door opened. John turned his head and looked at Claire one last time before he headed inside. "Because I am not some stuck-up pampered girl who thinks she's better than everyone."

Upon his words, the doors closed and John took his seat by the window. Damn it he thought as he tried to calm himself from lashing out. Why did she have to be so arrogant about it? That was one of things that irritated him about her. Even if she had stepped away from her social group, which John had to give her credit for, she was still so arrogant with him! He glanced at the window and saw her still standing there, looking at him as if she wanted to reach out. There was a look of defiance on her face mixed with melancholy.

What was the reason for this? John thought. Did she think that he was going to be elated to see her and grab her in his arms and spin her around? Even though the idea sounded tempting, there was no way that John was ready to fully open to her.

John suddenly felt his body lurch forward when the bus continued down the street. He turned around and looked at the window, only to see Claire still standing there. Her figure became smaller in the distance, enough to be out of his reach.