Categories > Movies > Breakfast Club > Anneliese

The Bargain

by Sweet_Sadie 0 reviews

Anne makes the offer of several lifetimes...

Category: Breakfast Club - Rating: PG-13 - Genres: Drama - Published: 2007-01-08 - Updated: 2007-01-08 - 1646 words

0Unrated
Allison found Anne curled up in a corner that evening. Allison, after shaking off the fact that Jack Bender pulled a knife on her (truth be told, she still was a little shocked), Allison found herself impressed with Anne. She was willing to kill her true love and sacrifice all chance at freedom to save her life. But Anne herself was deaf to the world. She couldn't grasp the fact that her Jack-Jack was a jerk. Anne wasn't about to kiss an asshole. Even without a brain she wasn't that dumb. She merely sat on the floor of Allison's room with her windows wide open, letting the cold air blast in her face as she rocked back an forth. It was freezing, and if Allison stayed in there overnight, even wrapped in covers, she'd get sick quickly. Allison decided to let Anne be for the night.

In the morning, Allison came up to her room only to find the door locked. Anne had locked it. Allison groaned. How the hell could she get her coat? She wanted to go visit Andy in the hospital and it was a below-freezing day outside. She could only imagine how cold it was inside. But Allison was not one to give up.

She went outside (cold as it was) and borrowed (borrowed, stole, what's the difference anyway?) the neighbor's ladder. She climbed up to the attic and peered in the window. Anne was sobbing, still rocking back and forth, and shivering like she was about to die. Allison had to cry. Anne could feel the cold. Allison understood Anne's depression, but this was a bit extreme. Allison climbed in the window and shut it. Anne looked up.

"Allison, leave me alone!"

"Anne, this is pathetic!" Allison heard herself screaming. "Ever since I dragged you out of that mirror, it's been freedom this, and true love that. He loved you once. But nothing lasts forever! You have to ask yourself something. Is moping really worth losing your freedom, the one thing you treasure more than anything?"

Anne stood up in defiance. "That's where you're wrong! I treasured Jack more than anything! Then that damn car accident after the prom killed me. I lost my life, and Jack lost his mind! The last few weeks afterwards, I was only able to view Jack as he went from As to Fs in a few assignments alone, as he sat in detention the first time in his life. I watched from the glass window as he puffed marijuana and lost his virginity to the first girl he met after me...Brenda Sanderson...behind the bleachers of the football field. I watched graduation from a window in the fly-space of the auditorium and cried when Jack proposed to Brenda. Imagine how it feels, Allison. Not even a month after you die, your true love moves on to the next girl he met! After they walked out of the school, I never saw them again. I had heard rumors from a girl who'd been a junior that Jack and Brenda had married and gotten divorced the same summer. Apparently it WAS just a rumor. But I never thought he'd let all those horrid things become habits!" Anne let out a tragic howl. Allison covered her ears and cringed.

"Anne, come to the hospital with me."

"No."

"Why the hell not?"

"Because Bender looks exactly like his father. THAT'S why I was so attracted to him! I saw his father in his eyes! I'm not going anywhere near there!" Anne sat on Allison's bed and crossed her arms, her cheeks still stained with tears. Allison nodded and grabbed a sweater.

"The choice is yours, Anne. But remember, it's not my fault you're never going to be happy again. Coward!" and with that, Allison unlocked her door and stepped out. Anne looked at Allison's shadow as it descended the stairs.


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After one night, both Bender and Andy looked worlds better. Bender's cuts across his face were almost clear, and Andy's breathing tube was no longer needed. Both were still hooked up to IV lines. Claire was back, sitting beside Bender again. On the table between the beds laid various McDonald bags and stray fries, an unfinished hamburger, and the smell of lunch still hung in the air. Outside food wasn't allowed in the hospital. Allison rose an eyebrow at Andy. Andy in turn pointed at Bender, who grinned mischievously.

"The brown lumps in green sauce today didn't look as good as the green lumps in brown sauce they had last night," Bender said. Claire tsked at Bender.

"It was just a tuna sandwich and salad!" she said.

"Since when does tuna smell like a litter box? And those definitely weren't green olives in that salad!" Bender retorted.

Allison laughed. Bender was certainly recovering. Allison looked at Andy, who smiled. Allison sat beside him and gave him a soft hug.

"My ribs are still tender. I'll be able to leave the day after Ronald McDonald over here does," he said. Allison smiled, brushed his hair aside and kissed his forehead.

For a half-an-hour, it was like old times. The quartet laughed and joked. Bender harassed the nurses and Allison stared them down like a basketcase. By 3 PM, every nurse in the hospital went out of their way to avoid their room.

Allison still kept Anne in the back of her mind. She felt kind of bad. But what could she do? Anne had every right to do what she wanted to.

"May I come in?" a familiar voice from behind the group turned everyone's heads. Allison's jaw dropped. It was Anne. Only she wasn't blue. She looked as alive as a human. She still wore her dress and her hair was still abnormally long, but she was, well, ALIVE.

"Who the hell are you?" asked Bender.

"I'm Anneliese D'Amato. Call me Anne." Anne walked into the room. Allison was speechless. Everyone else was confused. "I was a friend of your father's. I came here to talk to you, John Bender."

Allison pulled Anne aside. "Anne, why...what...how?" was all she could utter.

Anne smiled. "You'll see." Anne walked up to Bender. She explained everything to him. Allison backed up her story.

"How do I know I'm not high?" asked Bender after the story had finished.

"Here," said Anne, tossing a huge book at Bender. Allison had never seen it before either. On the front read "Shermer High School: 1959." "Page 24."

Bender flipped to that page. His father's senior picture was on that page. "Next page over now," said Anne. Bender turned the page. Anne's picture, clear as day, was the last photo on the page.

"I'll be god damned. It's true. I'm seeing a ghost chick!" said Bender. "A ghost chick who died dating my dad!"

"I know this may be a shock to you..."

"...no shit, Sherlock."

"You father said that sometimes," said Anne. Bender chuckled a little bit. Claire and Andy were still totally in the dark. "Bender, your father is a miserable man. He is miserable because I am dead. His married your mother in misery and is a lonely man who beats you two because he still thinks about me. He can't move on."

Bender looked at the floor.

"I must let you know that I will only be human for three days. I have a proposition for you in the meanwhile. You do have only three days to make it. After those three days, you will forget I exist..." Anne turned to Allison. "All of you will. I had a chance to be free. To be able to explore the universe and be free and unlimited. In order to gain it I had to kiss your father. I cannot bring myself to that. He's an ass, if you'll pardon me!"

"You're pardoned," said Bender nodding.

"Anne-"

"-wait, Allison. I traded my freedom for something I think is better. I can change your life if you listen to me, Bender."

Bender nodded. "I'm listening."

"I am flesh now, but for sacrificing my freedom I have also been given a chance to go back in time to the day before I die with my memory intact. I died in a car accident with your father at the wheel. I can reverse time back to 1959. You all will be unborn, time will rewind as a whole. You all will not be alive, having yet to be born, but I will. I can avoid getting in that car and save my life. Bender, your father is my intended true love. Which basically means if I live, it is guaranteed we will get married. I can save my life, marry your father, and have you as my son instead of Brenda's. It will still be you, born on the same day of the same year. But your father and I will be happy, which means you can be too. Think about it, no abuse, no misery in your life. You'll be a better person with a happier life. The rest of you won't be affected, I promise."

Bender's eyes were wide.

"Think carefully, Bender. Things may change, and it's up to you to decide whether they'll be for better or worse. This is a rare opportunity. The earth's time can be turned back just for you. You have until Sunday at sunset to make your decision." Anne smiled. Everyone but Allison seemed to feel like they were hallucinating.

Allison pulled Anne aside. "Anne? Why did you sacrifice your freedom?"

"I think it's time to stop thinking about me for a change," said Anne. "Sunday at sunset you will be free of me, that's all that matters! Now, let's get home, please?" Anne walked out of the door. Allison turned to face her friends, shrugged, and left the room after.

What if Allison didn't WANT to be free of Anne?
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