FicWad

Brian nearly fell out of his seat when Vernon burst into the room. Although he was semi glad for the interruption, he kind of felt sorry for John at the very moment. Sure, the school criminal had been saying some pretty derogatory things, but they all knew very well the extent of Vernon's hate for one John Bender.

"Bender! What the hell are you doing out of your seat!" Vernon roared.

"Well sir, I was just commenting on how well that hair dye suits you this time around. I think you have found your perfect look sir."

Vernon seethed and his face turned an unnatural shade of red. "Sit your ass down in that seat now, or you'll regret it! I'm on my last straw already with you five!"

Brian just exhaled deeply and shuffled in his seat. Sure, he could probably say he developed a back bone of sorts in the last twelve months or so, but that didn't mean that he enjoyed getting into trouble.

There was definitely something about Vernon that intimidated Brian; something that he could not find in his parents. He could easily stand up to them knowing that they would still accept him no matter how much he made them angry or disappointed. With Vernon, all Brian could think of is threats and bringing people down with the authority of a warrior. No matter how cheesy Vernon was he still held a great deal of authority and superiority over them all - even Bender.

He remembered the smug look on Vernon's face when he was brought into his office for possession. It was a look that was all too familiar; that same look was the one that triggered feelings of dread when he remembered back to the flare gin incident and his first ever Saturday detention. Of course the current topic of conversation also brought up some familiar feelings of both amusement and nervousness.

"I mean it Bender, I can squash you like a bug. You know, I don't even know why you waste your time," Vernon folded his arms over his chest and gave him a smug grin. "You're just a bum! You'll never be any better than your old man!"

Brian winced and knew that last comment had to sting Bender in a way he could not relate to. Bender however just stood his ground, although his eyes were dark pools of fury. "Well if that is the case you can expect me in school with you for another two years; what do you say, Dick?"

Vernon clenched his teeth. "That's it! I'll see you here next week! And the week after that!"

Brian rolled his eyes and knew that Vernon always threw the detentions at Bender when he had nothing better to come up with. Bender leaned back in his seat and propped his hands behind his head. "That's okay, we'll just make sure that Mr. Ryan is sick, and Ms. Tomlin can't get her car started. I'm looking forward to the quality time Dick! You being VP and all, we need to get caught up!"

Vernon walked a few steps towards Bender. "Yeah a criminal like you could probably get his whole gang to sabotage my employees!"

Bender snorted. "Yeah we'll just get our capes and chains and come after every Barry Manilow wannabe in town."

"That's it! You have another one!"

Brian sat back in his seat waiting for war to engage. It was quite obvious at this point in time that some things never change.

"Good, maybe I can get caught up with my studies."

"You have one more right there! You want another one!"

"Sure...I'm sure your cock gets rock hard knowing you'll have me all alone to yourself for nine hours."

"Three more! Are you finished, trailer trash?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?"

"Another!"

Bender rolled his eyes. "Let's see if he can do the math this time..."

Vernon looked at Brian fierily. "How many was that?"

Brian's eyes shot up wide and he shrugged. "I-I'm not too sure sir..."

"Well what good are you, pee-wee?"

Brian narrowed his eyes and was almost - almost - ready to retort when he stopped himself. He saw no sense in getting himself into any more hot water because Bender couldn't keep his mouth shut. It wasn't his problem and he knew no matter what he said Vernon had already garnered the satisfaction of insulting him. Brian just sat back in his seat and shrugged. Vernon shot him a glare and turned back to Bender. "This is your last warning Bender! I will not be made a fool of anymore! One more strike and you're out buddy!" With that he turned his back to the Breakfast Club and stocked out of the room. Brian let out a breath and watched as Bender casually flipped him the bird and pulled a pack of cigarettes from his pocket.

Brian pulled his jacket off and set it on the back of his chair. He knew from the very moment he witnessed each one of them walk through the library doors that it was going to be an either overly stressful or a very interesting day.

As much as he didn't really want to admit to himself, he was starting to get this odd feeling deep within himself that something extraordinary was going to happen today - again. Maybe today they can figure out what happened between them all those months ago. Maybe it would be a chance for them to save that short lived friendship they had once shared.

Better yet, maybe he would have his chance to show them exactly what kind of friend they had missed out on.

... ... ...

Claire sighed inwardly at Vernon's retreating form. She still had no idea why he was such a tight wad at times, and always looking to get someone in some sort of trouble. In a way he kind of reminded her of her mother. That aura about him that just made him look like a stuck up man who knew he had power and wasn't about to let it go to waste. She recalled the same look on her mother's face one day when they were in the hair salon and she was talking to the other ladies in there. Or the day they drove down Harper Avenue and saw all of the people lined up an hour early for the soup kitchen. Or the day they were in the bank and the teller had let her mother know she had maxed out her third credit card that month. It was a look Claire didn't like to see and it inwardly made her embarrassed. Even though it was just Vernon, she couldn't help but feel that sense of embarrassment when she seen him talking down to John and Brian that way.

Even before she met the Breakfast Club, she always hated seeing people get talked down to; whether it was Pauline Smyth in gym class, or Margaret the maid, she couldn't help but feel anger when people were put down that way. But when she recognized that smug look that said 'what are you going to do about it' on Vernon's face she felt a little horror stricken. Not only did she realize that her mother and Vernon were a lot alike, but she could also gain a sense of understanding of how Vernon looked at himself, and maybe - just maybe - there was something lying under that exterior of his.

She knew in a way that her mother probably only talked that way to hide her own insecurities. She knew that her mother knew about her father's affair, and how sad she felt deep down inside that her older brother rarely visited anymore. She knew her mother had a lot of inner issues that made her feel somewhat vulnerable, so Claire always guessed that her mother treated others that way to hide her own insecurities.

Could the same possibly be said about Vernon?

She turned in her seat to glance at the others; she found it so strange to be in this room with them again. She knew that Saturday that nothing would have ever become of them. It was something she knew in her head and her heart that it just wasn't meant to be.

That didn't mean her heart wanted it that way.

Ever since that day she couldn't help but compare all of her friends to them; she found something in the four strangers she met that day that she had never seen in her other clique of friends: rebelliousness, determination, pride, and brutal honesty. After that day she wondered why she had not been able to find any of those qualities in her clique of friends that she had once thought so highly of. Why were these four so different?

She glanced back at John and couldn't decide if she wanted to smile or frown. It could never be one or the other with him. There were times that he was so rude and obnoxious that she just wanted to kick him square in the nuts with her leather boots. Then there were other times when she just wanted to shriek so girly like at the mere sight of him.

Of course based on what just transpired he obviously hasn't changed much.

She sighed and looked over at Andy, who was currently flicking small triangles of paper - which he seemed to be aiming to get them in the nearby trash bin. "So what's up with you?"

He gave her an uncertain look and just shrugged. "I dunno if I wanna shoot myself or just kick the shit out of everyone here."

Claire nodded. "Oh."

He sighed and leaned towards her so they were out of ear shot from the others. "I mean, what the hell am I supposed to think? I am in here with one guy I hate; one guy that I know hates me to no end for letting him down; and a girl that I have no idea what is going on in her head, and morbidly enough I want to know! You tell me what's up!"

Claire chuckled at his strange, but so very true, descriptions. "Just don't let it get to your head. I'm sure they are over it."

Andy glanced back at the group behind for long enough to catch every single glare. "Oh yeah, I bet they are."

Claire sighed knowing that he was indeed right. "Look, it's not like you let any of them down harshly!"

Andy's stare hardened and his frown deepened; Claire on the other hand just sat shocked. "You didn't, did you?"

Andy sighed. "No, just Brian."

"Then why are the other two so hostile?"

Andy shrugged. "Bender is just a dick and Allison...well let's just say I am still trying to figure that out myself."

Claire nodded. "Well, what did you do to Brian?"

Andy sighed and lowered his voice more. "It's more like what I didn't do. About three or four days after we met him a couple of the guys were picking on him in the hallway over the flare gun thing and shoved him into is new locker. He was looking straight into my face when he was screaming at them to let him go and I didn't do anything. I just nodded my head and went on my way. I was kinda stuck debating with myself for a second there, you know, whether or not I should do anything, I just didn't have the guts; either that or I didn't care."

Claire frowned. "That's horrible..."

"I know I couldn't believe they did it..."

She shot him a glare. "No I mean you! I mean, I didn't stay friends with anyone, but I didn't sit back and watch them get hurt."

Andy narrowed his eyes and was about to retort when he was interrupted. "OH! Lover's quarrel, guys!" Bender said in a lispy voice.

Andy turned around and glared at him. "Mind your own business, faggot!"

Bender folded his hands on his table and shot him a look of mock hurt. "Well, didn't your mama ever teach you that whispering is impolite? If you're being rude then I don't see why I have to mind anything, bitch."

He said it so casually that it just infuriated Andy to no end, and after hearing about what happened with Brian, Claire for one didn't really care how mad Andy got. She understood perfectly why Andy wasn't ready to drop his social status for the others, but she at least tried to walk away from the ordeal a better person.

"You know Bender; I'm getting sick of your act already."

Bender cocked an eyebrow and leaned back on the back legs of his chair. "And what act is this that you refer to, Sporto?"

"You're asshole act! You know damn well we can see right through your little façade so why don't you just drop it?"

Bender pondered this momentarily with a finger on his chin. "Why don't you go fuck yourself?"

Andy grumbled and turned around in his seat. Claire giggled quietly under her breath and looked back at John, who she noticed was staring right back at her. Her breath caught in her throat momentarily and she wondered for just one moment if he was as captivated with her as she was with him. He cocked his head to the side slightly and the corners of his lips twitched upwards. Her heart fluttered and she returned a small smile.

His smile suddenly turned to a full fledge grin as he put two fingers up to either side of his mouth and flicked his tongue in and out between them.

She looked away quickly and scowled angrily.

... ... ...

Carl opened the door to the library, softly whistling to the rhythm of 'Witchy Woman' by the Eagles. He had been listening to his radio since he got here at 6:30, and he knew that once he had one song rocking his brain he wouldn't be able to rid of it until the day was over and started all over again tomorrow. He stepped inside and looked at all of the unhappy faces.

Another Saturday morning well spent.

He gave a nod to the five familiar faces sitting in front of him and stepped inside the foreign languages room to collect the garbage bin. He found it kind of odd that these kids were sitting in here again - together - all these months later.

He swore to himself that he would never forget the end of that detention; after nine years of following kids around he had never once in his life seen such an odd sense of unification. Not that he was against it or anything, but having seen the strange quiet one all made up and perky, and Brian having the guts to talk to him in front of other people, John Bender farting around with the prom queen, it was definitely out there for him.

All those years of listening to gossip and reading letters lost on the floors of girls looking to strike revenge against each other for this and that; losers getting picked on, and jocks jumping criminals left and right, it was just such a nice...change. To see them all finally realize just how much they are all the same; Carl felt that for once this school would be a little more peaceful and a little less unbearable.

He was kind of disappointed in them when he learned that they just turned their backs on each other and pretended nothing ever happened.

He remembered when he was back in high school that he was the guy always trying to be nice to everyone. No one really gave him any crap. He was on the school debate team, the tennis team, student council, in the math club, the school music and drama department, and the softball team. He was an all around kind of guy where he had made friends everywhere.

That's what got him Man of the Year after all.

Over all achiever.

He frowned slightly and stepped quickly out of the foreign languages department and emptied the trash container into the larger bin on his cart. He looked up at all of the expectant faces in front of him. "What? Do you have any garbage?"

Bender smirked and the quiet girl in the back just tossed a bunch of balled up papers to her side. Carl sighed and made his way to the back of the rows of tables and stopped at hers. "You drawing again, kid?"

She let out a huff of breath and threw - what looked like a ball of hemp string - onto the table. He looked at it for a few moments and cocked an eyebrow. "You making voodoo dolls?" She quickly snatched it back and gave him an uneven, mischievous grin. Bender turned around in his seat and stared at her. Carl just let out a laugh and collected the papers off of the table and made his way back to his cart. "So did you twerps have this shit planned or something?"

"My cape and chain gang sabotaged it," Bender spoke up amusedly. There were a few snickers around the room, but Carl had no clue what the hell they were talking about. He just shook his head and began to wheel his cart towards the door.

"Oh yeah, one more thing," Carl started, and continued once he figured he had everyone's attention. "I think it's about time you guys get your heads out of your asses and kiss and make up."

After a series of groans he laughed and exited the library. He walked the short few feet across the hallway and tapped lightly on Vernon's office door.

"Come in, Carl."

Carl opened the door enough to squeeze through. "Hey Rich."

"How's it going Carl?"

Carl shrugged. "Same shit, different day. How about yourself...?"

Vernon set his pencil down and put his hands behind his head. "Just dandy Carl. With those little punks back under my watch I'll be sure to make sure this day ends on MY terms." Carl just shook his head with a bemused look, wondering just when his co-worker would stop engaging battle against little people more than half his age for the sheer pleasure of it all.

No, some things never change.

TBC