I DO NOT OWN THE BREAKFAST CLUB. SHOUT OUT TO POPPY471.

Allison and Bender''s Apartment. Chicago, Illinois. August 28, 1984.

(Allison)

I was thinking about dinner again, the next day, when Luke knocked on the door. He must have had work after class today, it was almost 6.

"Hi Luke. You don't need to knock, you can come right in," I said as I opened the door. He was dragging his book bag, looking tired as hell. "In fact, I've got something for you."

I pulled out a key on a ring.

"This is for the door. You can come and go as you like, don't worry about me."

"A key?" Luke looked stunned. "For me?"

"Yes, for you. When I had the locks changed, I asked for three copies, one each for you, me and the property manager. He's down in apartment 1 A. If you ever need anything."

"Locks changed?"

"This apartment is in my name, on the lease. I don't want John coming back, looking for trouble. He is locked out. He'll have to call and ask to get his stuff, he can't just walk in anymore. I had to pay for the locksmith, but it is worth every penny. Can't you imagine him coming back here all liquored up?"

"Yeah, I can imagine. Very vividly."

"Anyway, do you want Hamburger Helper or mac and cheese for dinner?"

"Seriously, Allison, thank you. I need a place to stay and I appreciate you letting me couch surf. But really, thank you for trusting me so much." He held up the key.

"I know you, Luke. I like having you around." I laughed. "You don't bitch about the fact that I am kind to you. Bender always manages to make me feel like everything good I do for him is wrong, somehow."

"Managed. Past tense. You don't have to put up with him anymore."

I thought about that. It still hadn't sunk in. I threw him out in the heat of anger. I hadn't really considered what it meant long term. No more walking on eggshells, no more negative energy constantly stewing in the house. No more disrespect. I found I needed a bit of time to adjust to this new way of life.

But life goes on and people get hungry. "So do you want Hamburger Helper or mac and cheese?" I asked again.

After dinner, Luke cleaned up, even doing the dishes. This was a really nice change. I sat down at the kitchen table and got out my art history textbook. I opened it up to the Russian icons section. Some of them were so old! I was loving art school. I read on, taking notes and underlining passages, referring to the color pictures, absorbing knowledge like a sponge. I looked up after a while, and found Luke watching me.

"Sorry, I didn't want to break your concentration. I need to get to sleep. Is it okay to turn the living room light off?"

It was past 11. How had time slipped away from me like that? It was so much easier to study without Bender around, blaring the TV and bitching.

"Yes, of course. I'm sorry Luke, I hadn't realized how late it was. I should be going to bed, too." I packed up my books and rose. "Goodnight."

Allison and Bender's Apartment. August 29, 1984.

Luke was gone when I arose. As I got in the shower, my thoughts strayed to John. I was glad to have him out of my life. He had done nothing but cause me misery, once we moved in together. But I remembered looking for apartments with him. We were looking forward to being together, in this exciting city. It was our dream come true, finding this place. Our hopes and dreams were so high. And now look. Everything ruined, everything over. Where had it gone wrong? Relationships are two way streets, I was part of the equation, I wasn't a passive rider. It was my relationship too. What we did, we did together. Maybe if I had been firmer in the beginning, not just caved every time we disagreed? Maybe.

As I rinsed the shampoo out of my hair, I decided that, moving forward, I would be firm and assert myself when necessary. And not put up with shit.

So John was out of my life, as well as Claire. I had been too passive and submissive with her too. She walked all over me, but I let her do it.

Drying off, I resolved that although Bender and Claire really were shits, people only do to you what you allow, and I allowed disrespect, selfishness, and one-sided relationships. I didn't have to allow that anymore. Having Luke around made me see what a good friendship was like. We listened to each other, helped each other, and respected each other. We were grateful for each other.

Time flew, and by three I was on the bus, going home again. I opened the apartment door, expecting to be alone, and instead found Luke rummaging deep in the fridge. When he heard my footsteps, he pulled his head out. He held up a bowl covered with plastic wrap and asked, "You don't want this anymore, do you?" I put down my books and came closer. Upon inspection, I found the bowl held something fuzzy and blue.

"Yech! No, I don't want that anywhere near me." I watched as he removed the plastic wrap and used that to scrape that science experiment out of the bowl and into the garbage can. "Oh Luke, you don't have to do that!"

"I know I don't, but when I put the groceries away, I noticed some things in here had been, umm, growing and reproducing. I'm just trying to make a little room."

"Groceries?"

"I noticed we were running low on bread, milk and cereal, so I picked up a few things on my way home. I got Cap'n Crunch, your favorite."

"Thank you, Luke. You can't imagine how different this feels. This feels really good, actually. Being treated respectfully, and being helped, not hindered. You're the best."

"Well, I do have an ulterior motive here. I wanted to soften you up for my request."

'Ask away." I smiled.

"Could you pose for me tonight? I was going to draw Claire for an assignment but… well, I can't do that anymore. I got an extension on the assignment and I need to get it in by tomorrow. You'd be doing me a big favor. I don't want to sit in front of the mirror doing a self-portrait."

"Sure. I have homework I need to do later, but that can wait."

"Great. Let me get these dishes done and we can start. If that's OK?"

"I'll take out the garbage. Be right back."

As I washed my hands after the dirty task, Luke was laying out his drawing tools on the kitchen table. Three pencils of different softness, an India rubber eraser, and a sharpener, flanking his sketchbook.

"Sit over here, by the window." He had placed one of the dining chairs by the window. I sat and he handed me a dandelion.

"Why a dandelion?"

"Umm. Well." Luke seemed very self conscious. "Really, it is a symbol. Dandelions are like loving people. They spread love far and wide. It takes root in the most inhospitable places, and persists. They have never looked like weeds to me."

I had not expected such a deep answer, but simply murmured acknowledgment.

Luke further positioned me so that I was holding the dandelion in my lap and had my head bent in a pensive pose. We sat in silence, Luke drawing me, and my mind wandering.

When Luke cleared his throat, I looked over at him. "I'm done. For tonight at least. I might want to make this into a painting. Thank you, Allison." Before I could walk over and look, he had closed his sketchbook. Some people are very private about their art, so I didn't press to see it. I was very curious, though, and hoped he might show me eventually.

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