I don't own the Breakfast Club

Enjoy!

Andrew adjusted his body in his bed and let out an exasperated sigh. Not being able to fall sleep was irritating. It was as if his body told him to get out of bed and train around for the sake of getting tired. There was nothing to train for anymore and Andrew realized that if he did that, he would wake his parents. After tonight, was the last thing he wanted to do. Andrew looked at a blank spot on the wall and hoped that the more he stared at it, it would help him fall asleep. On the contrary, it made it worse and Andrew couldn't lie in bed anymore. Letting out an exasperated sigh, he threw his bed covers off him and got out of bed.

Andrew quietly walked across his bedroom and to his closet. The thought of opening the television had crossed his mind, but he wanted to avoid making a noise. He reached for a fresh article of clothing and changed into them before heading downstairs. The table was still set and his father's dinner remained on the plate. It had been one volatile argument to the point where his father had left the dinner table. Andrew had never felt so humiliated before, especially when his father degraded him in front of his mother. Sooner or later, his father was going to find out about what happened on the wrestling team. Andrew had only wished that it would take place on a school week.

"Kicked off the team! Can you believe this?!" his father had bellowed, slamming down a closed fist on the table which caused the utensils to shake. He had gotten a phone call from the coach who had tried to explain the reason as to why he made the decision to take Andrew off the team. However, his father had decided not to hear the coach. "What do you mean kicked off the team?"

"David," his mother had jumped in, hoping to soothe whatever tension was going to erupt in the next couple of seconds.

Andrew remembered how scarlet his father had turned and how dark his eyes were.

"What did you do this time?" David insisted.

"Punched a teammate," Andrew answered.

"And you got caught again?" David asked.

"I did it in front of the coach, dad," Andrew clarified for him. "I couldn't let him get away with it."

He had heard his mother letting out a sigh. Andrew hoped that his mother would go easy on him this time. At least he hadn't taped anyone's backside this time.

"Andrew," Marlene whispered her son's name.

Andrew felt more sympathy for his mother than he did for his father. His mother could care less about Andrew being a winner. She wanted him to be good with his grades and a gentleman to his peers; and this behavior was anything but chivalrous.

"I just couldn't let him get away with it. He insulted my girl…" Andrew's voice trailed off. He shouldn't be ashamed to refer to Allison as his girlfriend. In fact, he considered himself lucky. There was a moment of silence that hovered at the table. Of course, his father knew well whom his son was referring to. He had noticed the brunette that his son had been kissing when he picked him up from detention. His father believed that Andrew never should have stood up for her at the expense of his wrestling career. "Unbelievable," David had said, "he blew his scholarship for a girl."

"She's not just a girl!" Andrew felt his patience wearing thin. "She's my friend…my girlfriend. I wasn't gonna let freaking Rossi get away with it."

"You could have still stood up for her but you got caught," David reminded him as if Andrew hadn't witnessed the whole thing from happening.

"David!" his mother had jumped in, "do you understand what you're saying? You're saying it's okay for Andrew to result to physical violence?"

"What I'm saying is that he should've used his head better instead of blowing his ride, Marlene," his father said to his mother. "Now no college is gonna take him with a disciplinary action on his record, let alone an expulsion from the team." He then turned his eyes and looked at Andrew, "I can't believe this. I have trained you all your life for this moment and what do you? You throw all this away…like a loser."

Andrew could still feel his nails digging at the palm of his hand. He had tried to control his temper upon his father's words. He glanced down and looked at his hand, seeing the half-moon shapes that have left their mark.

"I'm not a loser, dad," Andrew had told him, "the losers were my teammates." He looked at his father who was glaring at him from across the table. "And I am not one of them."

"And you still dared to throw away your dream," David told him.

"It wasn't my dream dad, it was yours," Andrew told him.

The moment that he had said those words, his father had slammed his fist on the table and had gotten up from his seat.

His mother jumped in her seat in fright, but she remained where she was. Andrew looked at her and could see her eyes glistening with unshed tears. She had a long conversation with her husband regarding how he had treated Andrew during their training, but never did she think that Andrew would resort to violence again.

"You don't have to say anything, mom," Andrew told her, "I know I disappointed you too."

His mother took a deep breath and pushed back her seat, taking her finished plate of food and putting it in the sink before heading upstairs.

Then there was Andrew. Misunderstood for his actions.

Andrew lifted the collar of his jacket and walked into the cool night air. The streets were quiet, aside from the buzzing sound that came from a faulty lamppost. Andrew never did this, but he needed to clear his head. There was going to come a time where Andrew wouldn't take any more of this belittlement. He just hoped that he wouldn't lose his temper like his father had. The last thing that he wanted was to disappoint his mother…again.

Andrew felt the cold air touching the strands of his hair as he walked. He let his feet take him where they wanted, no matter how short or long the distance was. What he had said about his teammates was true. They were the losers. Now Andrew could see it. None of them had been supportive of Andrew's decision to have Allison as his girlfriend and none of them had bothered to check in with him after his expulsion. They had immediately turned their back on him just like they had done to Larry.

God, Andrew remembered seeing him in math class earlier this week. That's when it had all started. Just because Larry refused to help Andrew cheat on a pop quiz and Andrew wanting to show him just whom he was dealing with.

Pathetic Andrew thought of himself and took a turn around the block. His guilt about what he had done to Larry consumed him inside. He wanted to apologize to the guy, but he couldn't find the right words for it. How could he after the humiliation that Larry had endured? But he knew that he had to. He must.

Andrew had always looked up to his father when he was younger. His father had taught him values and morals that at the time, Andrew believed were true. Now, they seemed so backwards and Andrew disagreed with almost all of them. A real man was someone owning up to their mistakes. A real man apologized. A real man didn't hide under a tough façade, just to please those around him.

He didn't know how or when he was going to do it; and he didn't care of the consequences that he would face. Larry could be angry with him. He could punch him, kick him, he might even retaliate and tape Andrew's backside!

He let out a sigh and looked up when he heard the same buzzing noise coming from the faulty lamppost. He had just walked around the whole neighborhood until his feet carried him back to entrance of his home.

That was it. Andrew was tired from hiding and letting the guilt consume him. The only way that he could take it away was by facing his actions with the person whom he had humiliated the most.

Because that's what a real man would do.