I don't own the Breakfast Club

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In just forty-eight hours, she felt that her life had been destroyed. Everything that she had done to have reached the point to where she once was, was gone. Claire Standish didn't know how she was going to be able to face the remainder of her time at Shermer High. The day that she had yelled at Katie was the day that she knew she was going to be kicked out of the group. There was a good reason why she didn't meet up with her so-called friends during these past couple of days. She didn't want to face Jennifer's judgement on the way that she acted. Claire would be lying to herself if she said that she didn't miss the group. Regardless of how mean those girl were, they were in a different class than the rest of the students. Now that Claire had been stripped away from that, she felt like an average student. People still knew her, but they would forever know her as the 'princess that lost her power.'

Claire didn't make an eye contact with any of her classmates as she made her way to her locker. She couldn't tell whether anyone was looking at her or just going about their business. She hoped that it was the latter. The last thing she wanted was to be ambushed by questions.

"Hey," a voice said beside her, causing Claire to flinch. Claire whipped her head around to see Allison Reynolds, in all her dark attire. At least Claire was able to see her eyes through the curtain of her hair. "I didn't think I'd see you without your posse."

Claire let out a sigh at that comment after she recovered from the slight fright. "Get used to it," Claire said in a bitter voice. She slammed her locker shut and leaned against the well. "I suppose you want to say 'I told you so?'"

"I don't need to," Allison immediately answered her, "you saw how it was…you knew what to do."

Claire wondered if she had done the right thing. Eventually, her 'friends' may have found out that Claire had been friendly with students whom the considered as 'losers.' Living up to Jennifer's expectations that she had for the group was suffocating. There had been only a small number of times that Claire had overstepped in the clothes that she wore and the boys that she talked to. Anything that Jennifer didn't approve of Claire made a mental note to not do it again.

Now she wondered how it was going to be with this new group. Claire knew that Allison was not going to conform to any rules, if they were to put any in place. Who was going to take what position? If they were to do that, would it this new group that she was overpower all the other cliques in school? It was a delightful thought, even to see Jennifer trying to get her crown back.

"You still miss it, don't you?" Allison asked as if she had been reading Claire's thoughts this whole time.

Claire threw her hands in the air and let them fall to her sides. She had said to Allison that Claure had been friends with those girls for a long time. "I guess," Claire answered her, "especially the sleepovers, parties, events."

To Allison, those didn't sound like people but superficial events. Those girls that Claire had sleepovers with may have made it fun, but the toxicity they exuded was not with it.

"It just sucks," Claire finished and let out a sigh.

Allison leaned close to Claire and she was glad that Claire didn't take a step back. Whenever Allison passed by a group, she noticed that people would step back as if she was going to put a spell on them. "You shed your old skin like the rest of us did," Allison told her, "it doesn't matter what happens from here."

Claire gave Allison a curious look. "What to you mean?" she asked her.

"We've got your back," Allison told her.

Claire couldn't believe this. She remembered having that power where she felt that she was on top of the school hierarchy, regardless of if Jennifer considering herself to be the ringleader. It was interesting how things were spun. Now it was Allison who felt like she had the power and Claire wondered if it was because she had Andrew close to her.

Speak of the devil. "Ally, Claire!" Andrew called to the two girls as he approached them.

Ally? Claire thought. The week wasn't over and Andrew and Allison were already smitten with one another that they were calling each other nicknames? "You guys sure move fast," Claire commented. She smiled at them but couldn't feel slightly envious. Aside from Andrew and Allison, even Brian and Susan were going steady. Then why did she feel pressured from something that was normal?

"I had to," Andrew answered and hung his arm over Allison's shoulders, "otherwise I would be fighting for her."

A blush came over Allison's cheeks when Andrew said that. Allison never considered than anyone would be chasing after her with the way that she dressed and how she talked. If Andrew hadn't taken that step, would she still find someone that was just as kind as Andrew was?

"Ready for your meet? It's in two days," Allison reminded Andrew.

Andrew let out a puff of air and leaned against the wall. "Coach is making us do these insane extra drills. My whole body is pain." Andrew was able to handle it, but the aftermath of all that training, he felt the pressure on his shoulders…literally.

A look of concern came over Allison's eyes. Andrew was going above and beyond and she wondered if his coach or even his family appreciated him for the hard work that he was putting into it. She took in the tired look in his eyes, the slouched shoulders that he rarely displayed. He looked like a boy that was lost. Even if he wanted to breakout of this mold, he was kept on it like a leash.

From afar, Susan halted in her steps when she saw Andrew, Allison, and Claire by the wall. With a smirk, she took out her sketchpad and began to sketch them before they considered moving. Once she had the base of the sketches, she approached the group with a smile upon her lips. "Good to see you guys here," she said to them. "Anything interesting I missed?"

"Other than me being sore? Absolutely nothing," Andrew answered her as he leaned forward and tried to stretch his back. "But speaking of 'interesting,' how was that date with Brian?"

Claire looked from Andrew and over to Susan. "You guys are dating?" Claire asked her. She suspected that something was going on, but it was too fast.

"It was a meeting," Susan told them, "Brian wants to go on a date after his two weeks are up."

Brian could call it a meeting all he wanted to, but Andrew could tell that it was a date. "You know we should all go to that diner sometime," Andrew proposed to the group.

Claire knew what diner they were talking about. She used to pass that diner mostly during the weekends to go to Jodie's house. The aroma of freshly bakes desserts, brewed coffee, and every item that they served was enough to make her curious to check it out. According to Jennifer, however, it was forbidden to the group. It's a place for losers and truck drivers Jennifer had said to the group. If they had seen Andrew in there, would they place him under the same category? Claire was not going to voice to the group that she had never been there before, but she was more than willing to sit with her new friends. "Sounds like a good idea," Claire agreed.

"Saturday After my meet," Andrew said.

"About that," Susan said, "I'll take a rain check. Got detention."

Allison and Claire turned their eyes on Susan and Andrew stifled a laugh. "What did you do?" he asked her.

"Me and John got carried away in art class," Susan answered him.

Claire didn't make a comment but stared at Susan. How was it that John was able to get along with some people but not her? Another pang of envy came over Claire as she continued to look at Susan. Maybe there were some people that John felt he could connect with. With Claire, she didn't know if they had anything in common with one another other than the mutual attraction when they shared the kiss. Claire wanted to ask Susan if there was something more going on. She had seen girls who had more than one guy around them, and they didn't have quite the kind labels.

"We had to clean it up after but," Susan shrugged her shoulders, "it's fun spending it with a friend."

A friend? That was it? Susan wasn't dumb to openly admit to the group about her feelings for John but Claire couldn't let that go. Eventually, Andrew and Allison dispersed from the group to go to their classes. Before Susan left, Claire reached out and gentle grabbed Susan's arm. "You and John?" she asked her, "what's going on?"

Susan was caught off guard by Claire's question. "What do you mean?" she asked her.

Claire rolled her eyes. "Come on Susan," Claire told her. "Aren't you dating Brian?"

It took a moment for Susan to connect what Claire was asking her. "You think…me and John…no!" Susan exclaimed, "no, we're just friends."

Claire wished that she could fully sigh in relief. She couldn't believe that she had asked such a question. Now she wondered if Susan was suspecting that she was earnestly interested in John. At least, it was good news that John was available…she hoped. After all those pictures of the girls that she had seen in his wallet, she wondered if there was someone else that he had added. She expected Susan to prod her with questions, but when she didn't say anything, Claire wasn't going to push her for any more questions.

Just then, Claire looked up and noticed her group, which had been diminished to only three girls walked past the hallway. Jennifer still held that air of dominance in the group while Katie and Jodie nipped at her heels. Claire's averted her eyes from the group and looked elsewhere. This time, she was thankful that was Susan was here to block them from seeing her. Claire then looked up and once she did, the group had disappeared. "I gotta go," Claire said to Susan and gave her a subtle smile.

"Me too," Susan said. "I gotta take a test in algebra. Numbers and letters…what fun!"

Claire was glad that at this hour, she had study hall. A perfect time to finish the homework that she had neglected last night. The girls then parted ways. Claire had to admit that for a social group like this, she hoped that it would be less pressure than what she was used to.