Monday morning has arrived, will The Breakfast Club stand or fade away...
"Why do you always park by this big, smelly dumpster?" Claire grumbles as they exit the BMW. It was early, and Claire was already having a rough day. Exhausted from lack of sleep, her hair a mess, and having forgotten her lunch, she was off to a rocky start.
"No reason," Angela quipped, as they both spotted Bender strutting across the football field toward that dumpster by the bleachers and they both laughed. Their laughter echoed through the halls of Shermer as they made their way inside. Claire had eloquently described the dynamics of the Breakfast Club, tracing its evolution from resentment to respect and finally to admiration. Angela felt a sense of renewal, sensing a new journey unfolding before them, even though the destination was not certain.
In first-hour class, Angela's warm greeting put Allison at ease, and she joined them at the front of the room. Claire felt a pang of shame for not noticing that Allison had always sat nearby, just a few desks away. Mrs. Sobolewski's lecture on military leaders and global conflict became background noise as Allison doodled a Viking warrior that bore a striking resemblance to Andrew Clark, much to the amusement of her newfound friends.
But Angela, despite being awake, found her mind drifting back to the events of last night and a certain John Bender. As she fidgeted in her seat, she pondered the nature of her obsession. Was it fueled by fantasy and passion, or was she just being crazy?
"I'm an obsessive person," Angela reasoned with herself. "Obsessed with everything that makes this world good – nature, poetry, and art. Obsessed with social equity and a healthy society. Obsessed with science and ecosystems. And yes, obsessed with John Bender too. I hope that's okay."
Andy furrowed his brows when he looked at the time, he had Mr. Emerson in the second period. Andy was hanging up his letterman jacket in his locker, ignoring the question from Chet about where the hell his patch had gone when someone ran into him.
"Allison," he said, her name hanging in the air. She remained silent, her glare challenging, daring him to reject her yet dreading the possibility.
He hadn't lied when he'd mentioned seeing Allison around. She always seemed to be alone, even the bullies avoiding her. But not today. A group of freshmen, giggling and taunting, surrounded her, labeling her "Queen of Darkness."
She appeared distant, and removed, making it hard to believe she could be prey to common vultures. Chet walked away nonchalantly, but Andy's eyes were fixed on her, attuned to her signals. She seemed unaffected unless one noticed her grinding the sharp corner of her locker door against her palm or the shuffling of her feet.
"I'll be sure to add you all to the freshman hunt list," Andy scowled menacingly, causing the group to scatter. He grabbed her hand, slammed the locker shut, and led her outside, both of them silent, his blood boiling in his ears, alarming him. As they pushed through the front door, he gasped as if he had been the one escaping.
"They're horrible, but they're right about one thing," he said, turning to her. "You don't need that thing on your head or the stuff on your eyes." He removed her beanie, hearing her soft gasp, and attempted to soften his tone by ruffling her hair, letting her auburn mane fall over her eyes.
"The world has to earn your eyes," Andy said before kissing her forehead. Her hair smelled of strawberries. She gazed into his sea-blue eyes as he leaned in, her dark gaze drawing him in deeper. The sweet scent of cherries wafted from her lips. Allison burned with desire, never wanting anything so fiercely in her life.
They kiss and Andy slowly wraps his hands on her waist. Her body feels slender under those heavy layers of clothes. She shivers at his touch, then relaxes.
"C'mon, I'll walk you to class," He gently kissed her cheek and they walked hand in hand.
Bender was feeling slightly anxious when he strutted into Shermer High on Monday. He crept through the halls, wondering what a girl like Angela would take for 2nd period. He knew a guy who could hack the system and find out, but it was short notice and low priority to bother.
He'd chanced upon her in the middle of the busy stairwell. For a moment, their eyes met, and he saw only her. With the sexy little quirk of her smile, he watched her climb the stairs, he heard the strut of her heels click against the floor.
"Hi John," She said in that harmonic voice when she was an arm's reach away, "You're in my science class right?"
He watched her, his attention drawn to her pretty face rather than the pink blouse that hung low, noticing the way her white teeth grazed her mocha lips, a shade of raspberry pink. Slow to catch on, he trailed after her like a wolf pursuing its prey. She was headed to 2nd-hour Science with Mr. Page, a teacher who didn't fuss much about attendance, making it an easy choice to follow her. As he shuffled into the classroom, his gaze lingered on everyone before he settled into a desk at the back, his mind already wandering towards the football field.
Bender's presence in the back of the class irked Angela. She preferred sitting in the front, maintaining a half-focused attention to be ready to answer questions efficiently. But whenever Bender appeared, she found herself stealing glances behind her. Sometimes it was his torn attire that caught her eye, but other times, it was the unsettling expressions that flickered across his face, from annoyance to disinterest to something deeper. Angela sensed there was more to him than met the eye, but she pushed those thoughts aside, unwilling to dwell on them.
"Angela …" the teacher began, snapping Angela's mind back to class. They were pairing up for a group assignment. "And John."
Angela's friend Tia Russell whispered a remark under her breath about how unfair it was to have to partner with that loser. Angie exchanged a tight nod with John.
"I don't think it will be all that bad."
After that fateful Saturday afternoon, Brian Johnson anticipated that the following Monday would be transformative. Despite their heartfelt discussions about Shermer High School's social dynamics and their candid confessions, he harbored hope. Hope that "The Breakfast Club" would catalyze change, serving as a beacon of unity and an exemplar for others, shattering the status quo. Sunday night bolstered his optimism, bringing his vision within grasp. But today, Monday, brought a sobering dose of reality and with it, clarity.
That is until Claire Standish appears in the classroom doorway of Mr. Griswold's 3rd-hour shop class. Brian's mouth opens in shock as she moves across the room. She sits up on the table next to him and smiles. His toes curl in his Nike's.
"Hi," she says.
"Claire?" still in shock, he says. "What are you doing here?" Chet Donnelly notices her presence and whistles at her, Brian glances with a look of utter disdain in that bastard's direction.
Claire laughs it off and whispers, "I'm here to rescue you." She wishes she could kiss his crimson cheek.
Before Brian can ask her for clarification, she slides off the table and walks over to the nearest workbench. She glances at the board again and begins to organize the pieces of wood on the tabletop.
"What are you waiting for?" Claire asks, not looking up from the table.
Brian, still very much confused, stands up, "Uh, Claire? What are you doing?" and shuffles slowly to Claire's side.
"I'm helping you build a seat." She says candidly.
Brian glances at her, then checks to make sure Mr. Griswold isn't watching over them. He doesn't want to get caught cheating. He doesn't want to have to deal with the repercussions of that.
"But why?" Brian asks, still blushing and in disbelief.
"Because I want to show off my skills," she says, lining up pieces of wood as indicated on the drawing on the board. "Also, I have a trig exam tomorrow and I need your help. I figured if I helped you with this, you'd help me with that." she winked flirtatiously.
"I would have helped you anyway, if you had asked," Brian says, his heart flutters slightly.
"I know," she says with a smile. "Now, let's get you an A."
Brian just smiled. Things might be going exactly how he'd envisioned it.
Claire and Angela retreated to the girls' restroom before the next class, where Claire's fiery locks needed some attention. They were pleasantly surprised when Allison walked in, asking for help to recreate her Saturday look.
"I gave you the makeover so we could get to know each other," Claire admitted, "not because you needed one." She wanted to ensure it was what Allison truly wanted. Angela, however, thought she looked cool just the way she was.
"I think the world has earned my eyes," Allison smirked, pulling out an impressive makeup palette from her bag, surprising her new friends once again.
Claire agreed, "Makeup brings out my more feminine self and boosts my self-confidence too."
"Totally," Angela added, "It raises my self-esteem and sets me upright for the day ahead."
"Ugh, if only I had some hairspray," Claire huffed, examining her limp crimson hair in the mirror.
Allison came to the rescue, producing a whole bottle of Aqua-Net hairspray, leaving the girls speechless. Angela then asked for deodorant, and of course, Allison had that too. As they refreshed and beautified themselves, they felt a sense of awakening, like the arrival of spring, bringing brightness and light to their souls. They realized that one Saturday had opened their eyes to new possibilities, offering them a chance to start anew and define who they wanted to become.
Meanwhile, Brian paced by Claire's side, his mind preoccupied as they prepared for their fourth-hour Trigonometry class. Observing his friends, he noticed Andy's nervous fidgeting and Claire's tense demeanor. When Allison confidently entered the room, transformed from the girl he once knew, Brian smiled, feeling a sense of pride in their newfound camaraderie.
For Claire, the first half of the day was surprisingly great, despite her nerves about lunchtime. She avoided making eye contact with the popular kids, knowing they were likely curious about her newfound friendship with Allison. Angela, sensing Claire's tension, offered a reassuring smile, silently affirming their pact to stick together and navigate this new clique, even if Claire felt unsure about taking the lead.
Claire had never led anything before, but with Angela's support, she was willing to give it a try.