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"I never wanted to change you, you know." Claire pressed the large purple nail file against her middle finger nail and eyed Allison carefully. They had gone to the foreign languages department for a chat session.

Allison only shrugged at her statement. "I know that, the whole thing just felt rushed."

Claire bit her lip and set her nail file down. Changing the girl was not her intention at all. She thought that Allison was beautiful and unique, and that the world should be able to see her for who she really was. Allison had a sort of bravery about her that Claire didn't have. She didn't realize that Allison had social fears too, and Claire should have thought about that.

Allison picked at an invisible piece of lint on her skirt and frowned. "But you did do a good job."

Claire let out a short laugh. "I wasn't worried about that."

Allison smirked. "So you know you did a good job?"

Claire shook her head amusedly. "No one ever said I was bad at it." When Allison laughed, she shrugged. "I just thought it would help make you a little more confident in yourself."

Allison nodded her head and seemed to contemplate what Claire was saying. "I felt good. I just didn't want him to think I was ready for a life changing sacrifice."

Claire nodded. "I think he really did like you."

Allison shrugged uncomfortably. "How's that...?"

Claire smiled a bit. "I could just tell by the way he looked at you. Besides," she adjusted herself to a cross legged position on the floor. "I've seen some of the girls he's dated - I'm friends with some of them - he was never quite as...passionate about it."

Allison swallowed hard and scrunched up her face wildly. "You think Sporto is passionate?"

Claire could have laughed at the look on her face. "Believe it or not, it's possible."

Allison just snorted and blew her hair out of her face. "I don't know what to do; I still think it's fucked that we're all here in the first place."

Claire frowned at her awkwardness. She hated the fact that Allison seemed so confused and self conscious. It was obvious that Andy liked her, and that the breakfast club was ready to patch things up - she really must have been serious when she had said that she had no friends; it was almost as if she didn't know how to act around them. "You can start by going out there and fixing things."

Allison cocked an eyebrow at her. "And what about you?"

Claire narrowed her eyes suspiciously. "What about me?"

Allison's face dropped as if Claire had just said the stupidest thing on the planet; which Claire semi agreed that she just did. Allison was a pretty keen observer; there was no point in trying to lie to her.

"Well, if you're gonna send me marching out there, then I think you should go too." She placed her hands on her hips and jutted her chin out defiantly.

Claire snorted. "We're talking about you here, remember?"

Allison actually yelled out a loud 'Ha!' at that. Claire grumbled at her. "Don't pull that shit with me," Allison shot back.

Claire sighed. "He's just impossible! Do you know what it's like trying to have a decent conversation with that...guy!"

Allison crossed her arms and smirked. "I try to refrain from doing that."

Claire snorted and smiled. "I don't blame you."

Allison smiled crookedly. "But a wise, cheery girl once told me, 'don't be afraid'...maybe if you aren't afraid, you guys will be okay."

Claire laughed at her reasoning. "Now who's stuck giving advice?"

Allison rolled her eyes. "Maybe they can give me a column in the school paper."

Claire snorted in disgust. "The school newspaper is so lame! Have you ever seen those kids?"

Allison cocked an eyebrow. "Don't you hang out with those kids?"

Claire rolled her eyes. "No, I hang out with the year book committee."

Allison raised her eyebrows. "Those kids are even worse! Now I know why you're on every single page..."

Claire threw a tube of mascara at her. "Hey that's not true!" She smiled mischievously. "They did a whole multi page section on the athletes."

Allison shook her head and smiled. "Yeah, because you know everyone is interested in them."

Allison chucked the mascara back at her and she easily caught it with her left hand. "I think people are a little more interested than they let on." Claire tucked a strand of hair behind her ear and smiled. "I just think you're too chicken to admit that they look hot with their tights on."

Claire laughed out loud at the blush that deepened in Allison's cheeks. The girl was so blunt and careless, yet at the same time so shy at the topic. Allison shook it off and mockingly glared at her. "Is it four o'clock yet?"

"Why don't you go out there and check?"

She unzipped her sweater and tucked her hair behind her ears. "I need to get the hell out of this school."

Claire shoved her lightly towards the door. "Good, go, and take 'sporto' with you."

... ... ...

Carl turned the corner as he pushed his broom out on front of him. It was a quarter to four, and in fifteen minutes he was free to go home. He didn't mind working Saturdays; in fact, he was glad that he wasn't stuck with the Sunday shift - the head custodian got those duties. Carl was preparing himself for the next two days off.

He had been working as a custodian at Shermer High for over nine years. He had also attended the high school when he was a teenager, almost sixteen years ago. He had never expected to be back there, and he wasn't at all surprised - when he did come back - to learn that Vernon was still teaching there.

He had Vernon for a teacher in his junior year; he believed it was history, but it very well could have been geography. It was Vernon's sixth year on the job then, so his freshness with his job had long since been gone at that point. He was able to catch them every single time they had tried any sort of prank or practical joke, and never fell for anything. Vernon was a tough ass then.

But he wasn't anything then compared to what he had displayed today.

Carl knew exactly how the students were; they were snotty, selfish, self-absorbed, hormone driven kids, who usually over analyzed things - drama queens of sorts. He knew because he listened to them everyday. He knew what the girls were like that Claire Standish hung out with; he heard them complaining and whining on more than one occasion. He had also heard them rip - not only other girls - but each other apart behind their backs. Girls like them were hell bent on maintaining their popularity statuses and they would stop at nothing to do it.

The same could be said about the jock kids. They were always competing and bragging about who is stronger than whom, and who could bang which chick first. They seemed to have lost a lot of respect for their peers, and made no effort to cover it up.

Then there were the 'losers', who loved to hate everyone else who they thought they were 'better' than them; when really those losers were just as bad for ripping up the popular kids behind their backs.

It was a hellish game that they all played year after year after year at Shermer High - and most definitely at other high schools around the country. Things were bad - but not as nearly as bad - when he was a kid. Kids teased each other and talked behind their backs, but in the end he had no problems being friends with whoever he wanted to. Sure there was peer pressure and name calling, but at the end of the day, people respected him more for standing up for himself than they did the people who let others walk all over them.

It took a lot more guts to shatter someone with strength than it did to shatter someone with no self esteem.

He knew that those kids in the library had the potential to be like him. If they got a push in the right direction, he honestly believed that they could make their friendships work. Shermer High was 'cliquier' than ever, but he knew damn well if they would just stand up to the flow of the school, then things wouldn't be so bad. The other students would realize that there isn't anything they could do to stop it, and they would eventually let it go.

But like all teenagers, that damn breakfast club just had to over analyze everything.

He turned another corner and shook his broom in the air to collect the dust in a semi-large pile. Even for a Saturday, the floors were still damn dirty. He scooped up the dust bunnies and deposited them into a nearby trash can, and pulled the last bag out of the container.

He knew for sure that they had the potential to be strong, because he saw it when they teamed up against Vernon this afternoon. Vernon...well he just summed up the evil villain in the fucked up fairy tale of alliance they had going on.

He could see why Vernon would get upset, having to deal with the brats on an everyday basis; he could even understand why he would want some sort of redemption for what those kids had done to the library last year. Vernon had gotten in a lot of trouble for that.

But to put your hands on someone else - especially a child? There was no excuse good enough for that.

Those kids had enough problems with adults at this point in their lives; they didn't need a crazed vice principal threatening to kick their asses just four months away from graduation. Carl had seen Vernon do some pretty fucked up things, but he could place a million dollar bet that the afternoon's activities took the cake.

He was pretty sure that the kids were going to keep their mouths shut. He was pretty sure that Vernon was going to let them off. Vernon had even paid off Carl to keep his mouth shut. But what was Carl to do? He knew that what he had seen would be an automatic termination in Vernon's case. He also knew that he walked in before Vernon had done any physical harm. But where should he have stood in that case?

Would it be appropriate for him to keep quiet about it? He knew that Vernon would not go near those particular kids again, but who was to say that he wouldn't do it to another student, or group of students? Carl knew that Vern wasn't a horrible guy, but he did have a shitty temper. He didn't want to be pulling his foot out of his mouth if another incident were to happen.

Would it be appropriate for him to stick up for the trouble causing students and cost a man his job? Vernon's house, salary, car, and life would be taken away from him in an instant over something like that. Carl would have that guilt weighing on his shoulders.

He sighed and pushed his cart back towards the broom closet. The day had been damn long and he wanted nothing more than to grab a twelve of Bud and to sit in front of TV for the rest of his night watching Saturday Night Live reruns.

He turned his head around when he heard the library door crash open behind him. Bender laughed loudly, and Carl was almost positive he had heard the words "Well we had to break something before we left!"

Vernon was going to flip.

On the other hand, the five students were once again leaving the library together. Once again, Brian gave him a nod of acknowledgement, even going as far as saying, "See you later, Carl." With that new found confidence, Brian was once again able to put Bender's asshole remarks behind him. And once again, the quiet artsy girl had a big grin on her face, and wasn't hiding behind her hair. And once again, the school's criminal and the student council president were walking arm in arm.

Although he had seen them leave the library before in the same fashion, he couldn't help but get a different vibe from them this time around. Almost as if they were ready to go at war with the world if they had to.

Carl smiled to himself and watched them walk out the door. When he came back to work on Tuesday, he would have to see how things work out for them.

He wasn't the self proclaimed eyes and ears of the institution for nothing.

... ... ...

Allison watched as Brian pushed the doors open ahead of her. He was excitedly leading the group out of the school, being followed by Claire and John, and then Andy and herself.

He turned around and gave the group a toothy grin. "Well, I guess this is it, huh?"

They all stopped and stood in a small circle at the top of the school's steps. The cold air whipped around them and the snow blew off the roof in large clumps. But it didn't seem to bother any of them. In fact, the only thing they had seemed oblivious to was the fact that they were - once again - hitting the road and going their separate ways.

Claire sighed and shook a hand through her hair. "It's the end of detention, but it isn't 'it'."

Brian smiled and shouldered his back pack. "I hope not."

Andrew smiled at him and gave him a light punch on the shoulder. "I'll see you Monday, man."

Brian smiled and turned around as a red car pulled up and honked the horn. He turned around to face the group once more and gave them an appreciative grin. "I'll see you all on Monday."

They all mumbled their goodbyes and watched the blonde haired boy bound down the steps towards his father's car. As they pulled away, he placed his hand on the window and held it there until he was out of sight.

"That kid is one funny dork," Bender commented.

Claire raised an eyebrow and began to descend the steps as her father's BMW drove up. "And you are just a peach, John."

He snorted and waved his good bye at Andrew and Allison before he took off down the steps after her. Allison almost burst out laughing when he almost crashed over a patch of ice, and fell into Mr. Standish's car.

Andy reached out a hand to her face and tilted it so that she was looking at him. It was that last moment for them before they tried to make something of themselves come Monday. She was sure that she would see him again - she was almost positive - but she couldn't help but feel that fright and insecurity that came with him the last time they had stood outside those steps. She had been so unsure of him and of herself; she had no idea what was going to happen.

Of course she didn't this time, but at least this time she knew what she wanted.

"So I guess this is good bye?" Andy asked quietly.

Allison shrugged and then quickly shook her head. "How about see you later?"

Andy smiled at her and nodded. "I think that works."

She was glad; she wanted things to work. Hopefully, they could give a potential relationship a second chance, and her a-social ways won't get in her way of happiness. She was ready for him.

She pulled him forward by the collar of his jacket and stood up on her tip toes. He met her half way with a heated kiss, even going as far as pulling her closer by the hips. She felt as if she were ready to burst into flames completely. When he finally pulled away, she let out a squeak of excitement and scurried off towards her car.

She slammed the door shut behind her, and watched as his eyes remained glued to hers until she could no longer see him anymore.

... ... ...

Claire shot her arm out and grabbed John by the coat as he went crashing into the side of her dad's car. And her dad, being the wonderful gentleman that he is, blasted on the horn.

John jumped up quickly and held his hands up as if he was in surrender. "Dammit, I'm sorry! Some people..." he shook his head at the older man, only to receive a death glare. He turned back to Claire and grinned. "Oh yeah, getting between you and your parents is sounding so much more appealing now."

She rolled her eyes and grabbed his hand, depositing the wanted piece of jewelry into it. She eyed him carefully and smiled. "Now I want to know what you can do for me."

His eyes burned, and he smirked. "You think you can get whatever you want, don't you?"

She shrugged, but her eyes never left his. "You promised..."

He shook his hair out of his face and gave her a sultry grin. "Well that only stands if you do that thing you..."

He didn't finish. She wanted to both shut him up before he finished that sentence, and leave on a good note. As much as a pain in the ass he was for using that dirty mouth of his, that said mouth tasted so good. She pulled back and smiled. "So is that good enough to see you again?"

His lips parted slightly and he ran a tongue over them. The action made her want to grab him again - of course if it wasn't for the man in the car she would. He folded his fingers over the small earring and nodded. "I'll see ya Monday, princess."

She nodded and climbed into the car, leaving him behind. She knew that her father was glaring holes through the side of her head, but she didn't care - not right now. She leaned forward and watched through the side view mirror as the resident bad boy tucked the earring back into his ear. She smiled to herself and sat back.

So maybe Saturday wasn't a horror show after all.

TBC