I DO NOT OWN THE BREAKFAST CLUB. SHOUTOUT TO POPPY471.

Allison and Luke's Apartment. Later that day.

(Allison)

Friday was my early day. I was done with class, studio time and work study by noon. I assumed Luke would be out when I got home, but he was sitting on the couch watching TV when I opened the door. He looked awful, bruised and beaten.

"No work today?" I asked, as I let my book bag slip off my shoulder and onto the floor by the door.

"I had to talk to the police this morning and my boss gave me the day off."

"How did that go?"

"I dunno, I don't know how these things normally go. I guess it went OK. I didn't mention Claire."

"That was good of you."

"I guess. I didn't tell her I didn't mention her though."

I laughed. "Let her squirm for once."

I headed for the kitchen, planning to tidy up. But there was nothing to tidy up. The plate I'd used for toast and the glass I'd used for milk were washed. The note I'd left for Luke in the morning was still on the table, and that plate had been washed, too.

"Thanks for the help, Luke. You didn't have to clean up after me."

"No problem."

I peeked into the living room and Luke had his sketchbook out. He looked distracted, so I started putting away the clean dishes. It was so nice to have help, rather than having to do everything myself. Bender had expected me to do all the housework just because I was a woman. I was working just as hard as he was, yet he sat around doing nothing but bitching all evening. I did all of that and he still found reason to bitch! He tried to make me out as a nagging harridan, but he was the one full of unreasonable complaints all the time. The more I thought about it, the more incensed I got. I attacked the kitchen counters with a cloth and some cleaner.

My hands still smelled strongly of 409 when I jumped to answer the phone. As if I had called him up with my thoughts, it was Bender on the line.

"Allison? Honey? Is that you?"

"Yes, who the hell else would it be?"

"I'm sorry, Allison. I really am."

"What, exactly, are you sorry for?" I was curious what he felt his sins had been.

"All that drinking and fooling around. I swear, I'll quit going to bars all the time. Please let me come back."

"I'll let you come back long enough to get your stuff and then get out for good."

"That was pretty shitty, locking me out."

"You drink too much and I didn't want you coming back, weeping to me in the middle of the night. Or shouting. Actually, I don't want to see your face ever again. You can come at three today, get your shit, and leave."

"Baby, look–" I hung up before he could complete his sentence.

Luke was watching me as I hung up. "Bender?"

"Yes." I was too mad to elaborate.

"Coming for his stuff?"

"Yes." I returned to the kitchen.

Luke followed me, but didn't enter the kitchen. "At three?" he asked.

"Yes." I was scrubbing at a bit of jam like it was Bender's face.

"Need me to leave while he comes?"

"No." I turned away from the jam and tried to calm down a bit. It wasn't Luke's fault Bender was such an ass. "You can stay. He won't be here long."

At three, I heard a knock on the door. When I opened it, Bender looked pretty pathetic. His clothes were wrinkled, and he hadn't shaved in days. He had circles under his eyes and a sort of greenish tinge to his skin. Had he been on a drinking binge this long? He smelled like stale smoke.

I stepped aside without a word. Luke faded into the background.

"Allison, please–"

"No. I don't want to hear it. Get your shit and leave." I glared at him.

"What did I even do? Why are you so mad at me?"

"Get your shit. Leave."

He stomped back to the bedroom, obviously mad rather than contrite. That hadn't taken long. His repentance had not lasted even an hour. Good riddance. I followed, to prevent any destruction of my property. I stood in the doorway, arms folded, while he angrily threw his clothes into his suitcase.

"I can't believe this, Allsion. After all I've done for you."

"All what you have done for me? All the dishes you washed? All the clothes you ironed? All the toilets you cleaned? Or maybe all the money you handed to me for your half of the bills? Because it was HALF! You weren't doing me a favor or supporting me, you were paying your fair share. What, exactly, have you done for me?"

"Dishes? What does that have to do with anything?"

"Everything!" I screamed. I couldn't stand it any more. I pushed past him to the closet. I pulled a uniform shirt (ironed by me) off its hanger and threw it at him.

You!" I threw a pair of pants.

"Never!" I chucked some socks at him.

"Did!" I sent a pair of jeans flying.

"ANYTHING!" I followed this up with his boots.

"You never did anything to help me at all. You couldn't even hang your towel up to dry, you threw it on the floor."

"Jesus, Allison, don't get so upset, it was just a towel."

"TO YOU IT WAS JUST A TOWEL! To me, it was a big fuck you that said you expected me to do everything!"

"Allison, honey, I'm sorry. I didn't know you were so mad."

"Well now you know." I kicked his boots. "Go on, get out of here!" I kicked his boots again.

He resumed packing as I looked on. When he closed the suitcase and picked it up, I followed him into the living room. I opened the door wide. He stepped out into the hallway, then turned back as if to say something.

"Don't come back!" I slammed the door in his face and locked the door.

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