I don't own the Breakfast Club

Enjoy!

A half-finished cigarette hung between John Bender's lips as the plume of smoke circled in the atmosphere. Sneaking into the movie theaters had become a nightly Friday ritual for him. Instead of hanging out with his group, which he believed have grown to be annoying especially with Mitch bragging about his new relationship, or heading home, John found solace by sitting at the projection booth.

The same film had been playing for the past four hours. Some action/drama film that John found exasperating rather than intriguing. Even if he had found the movie intriguing, it wouldn't have stopped the thoughts that consumed his mind. Then again, he didn't mind thinking about Claire.

Tuesday was the second time that John had seen Claire's father. He didn't have a conversation with the man, but John could tell what thoughts were going through his mind at seeing his daughter with someone like him. The following day, John and Claire were outside for lunch and they talked about her father's opinion of him.

"He doesn't get it," Claire had told him with a dejected sigh. "None of them understand. They're both screwed." She then let out a chuckle and looked at John with those dark and innocent eyes of hers. "He even asked me what was up with the James Dean guise."

Yeah, well, his life was anything but the movies and John was certain that an actor with a short-lived career didn't have the life that he had. In fact, John thought it would be nice to have some the same amount of money that James Dean had before his untimely death.

"James Dean guise?" John smirked, finding the comparison that Tim Standish made quite amusing. "You sure your old man wasn't trying to complement me there, Red? What did you tell him?"

"Nothing," Claire answered and she smiled that the nickname that John had given her. "He didn't give me a chance to talk. He is too afraid of having the family name tarnished."

These people had to be joking. 'Tarnish' the family name? So a family name was more important than someone's happiness? "What about you?" John then asked her. "Are you willing to take that risk?"

At those words, Claire had remained quiet. She was conflicted with what she deeply desired and living up to her parents' expectations. No matter what choice she took, it would be a lose-lose situation. Have her parents be disappointed in her or have herself be unhappy for the rest of her life. She looked at John that Tuesday and said, "I have already made my decision. Someone is always going to be disappointed in the end."

And just like that Tim Standish had caught Claire again on Friday with John. That time, John could easily see how irked he looked past the windshield. John found it amusing how his mere presence was able to vex any figure of authority. When Claire had gotten in the car, John could only imagine what he was scolding Claire about. If she had already made her decision, so what? Screw the family name and let the girl live her life!

John would not admit it to anyone, nor Claire, but he feel remorseful for the mistreatment that he placed on her. Seeing her out of her comfort zone with her group of zone and now her family, John realized what type of pressure she had been referring to. Everyone in the library felt some sort of pressure, but all in different ways.

John plucked the cigarette from his lips and threw it on the ground. He put out the cigarette with his foot, hearing that satisfying crunch. A scene in the screen caught his eye, showing the leading actor and supporting actress as they partook in an argument with one another, which later developed to a love scene. John found it ironic how it was slightly relatable…just without intense car chases and people shooting at one another. He glanced at the clock behind him and saw that it was starting to get late. The thought of going home, John wished he could avoid it.

The past couple of days had been nothing but his father raging. John had done as much as he could to avoid his father's arbitrary wrath and when he did, his father would unleash his temper on his mother. Through the number of years that she had with this man, John felt that she had become immune to his abuse…but the damage was still there. There were times when John felt he should intervene but why would he if she never stood up for him? She always seemed to support his father's verbal abuse than defend her son.

John leaned back against his chair and stalled for a while longer, thinking the more he delayed the better it would be for him. When the end credits appeared on the screen and the lights in the auditorium, John took it upon himself to leave before he was discovered. The past few times, John had been lucky sneaking into the projection room without anyone suspecting that he was hiding there. John blended with the rest of the crowd as they filed out of the room. It was another successful attempt, which made John wonder if any of these ushers even knew how to do their job. Then again, they were just a bunch of high school students wanting to make a quick buck.

As John was ready to head out of the building, his eyes narrowed when he noticed two familiar figures heading outside. John resisted the urge to yell Mitch's name and make him look foolish in front of Jennifer…or as he liked to call her 'Cleopatra.' John had his share of suspicions about this 'relationship.' Not only did he find it to be out of the blue, but why would Jennifer go for someone as dimwitted as Mitch? Consumed by curiosity, John followed them and kept a good distance so they wouldn't suspect anyone following them.

John watched as Jennifer stopped walking and placed her back against the wall. Mitch interpreted that as an invitation to glide his hand up her arm and under her chin.

Well look at that John thought as he rose an eyebrow at Mitch's attempt at flirting. He then saw Mitch stop when Jennifer held her hand in the space between them. She grabbed Mitch's arm and disappeared in the side yard between two buildings. Damn! John thought. First Mitch putting on the charm and Jennifer taking initiative. Just what the hell was happening with these two?

John slowly walked towards the side yard. He kept a good distance, enough where he was able to pick up some words that Jennifer said to Mitch.

"If you would this to work, I need you to do a little something for me," Jennifer said to Mitch.

There was a moment of silence as Mitch looked at her. John shook his head at Mitch's silent obedience. "Of course anything for you," Mitch said to her.

Yeah just worship the ground she walks on John thought. He strained to hear what Jennifer was saying, but her words were in hushed whispers. He could just imagine Jennifer's breath against Mitch's ear, giving him goosebumps and him probably melting at that sensation.

"Are you sure?" Mitch asked her.

"More than ever," Jennifer's flirtatious voice answered, "and if you do this for me, I will make sure to take you to prom."

John bit his tongue. So whatever job Jennifer had given Mitch to do, she was going to pay him by taking him to prom? No money, no expensive article of clothing? Man, this girl was cheap! Who cares about prom?

"You got it princess," Mitch answered Jennifer with a smirk upon his lips. He was willing to do anything to please this girl, especially if it meant partaking in a task that could be considered precarious.

"I knew that I could count on you," Jennifer said as she leaned forward, just enough to tease him. "And I want proof when you do."

Proof? John thought. Just what could those two be getting into…unless Ms. Perfect wasn't as perfect as John originally thought. John wanted to stay a little longer to hear what they were planning, but the longer he stayed the more he risked on being discovered. Before either Mitch or Jennifer came out from the side yard, John took his leave.

His road back home had been quiet. Usually most neighbors would be having a get together at the start of the weekend and they would be loud enough that the whole street could hear them. John found it to be a good change for once. He felt he needed some sleep, especially on having to wake up early tomorrow for Saturday detention.

John walked around his home only to discover that the window from his bedroom had been closed. Great he thought, suspecting that the moment he walked through the front door, he was going to meet his father's fist. It was a risk that he was going to take. Walking back to the front door, John slowly turned the doorknob and it slowly opened. At least they had been kind enough to let the door open. John sneaked inside and as he was about to walk to his bedroom, he noticed an his mother sitting the living room with the lamplight shining on her hair and his father lying on the sofa.

There was a faraway look in her eyes as she sewed a hole from one of her husband's shirts. The bruise from the side of her temple that she had received yesterday had become more darker that not even her hair could hide it. She sensed a presence in the room and slowly looked up when she John standing there. "You're back," she told him in a voice that was above a whisper.

John held his arms up before letting them fall to the side. "Not like I have a choice. There's nowhere else to go." That was part of the truth. John had places where he could go but it involved him sleeping under the bleachers, especially on a particularly cold night.

She nodded her head and went back on her sewing. John couldn't tell if she had been hopeful of his arrival or just disappointed. However, he wasn't going to hover in the living room any longer, especially when he noticed his father stirring awake from the sofa.