The Way I Am

13. The One With the Ruckus

As Bender walked down the stairs, Mara kept staring at him dumbfounded.

"What the hell are you doing?" she asked him, knowing that he was going to get in trouble, if Vernon found out.

"I forgot my pencil," he smirked, walking towards his table. Mara stood up from her current chair and followed him. When she was about to say something, Vernon's screaming tone was heard from the outside of the library, "God damnit! What in God's name is going on in here?"

As Mara sat down in her original spot, John hid under Claire and Andy's table.

"What was that ruckus?" Vernon asked as soon as he entered the library.

"Uh, what ruckus?" Andy questioned, pretending he didn't know what was happening.

"I was just in my office, and I heard a ruckus," the principal responded, looking at the wrestler.

"We didn't hear any ruckus," Mara added, folding her arms in front of her chest.

"Could you describe the ruckus, Sir?" Andrew questioned, making Vernon annoyed.

"Watch your tongue, young man. Watch it!" Vernon exclaimed, pointing a finger to the wrestler.

Suddenly a bang from under Claire and Andy's table was heard, making everyone in the room open their eyes wide. Mara tried to see what Bender was doing, but it was impossible. Her mood changed when she noticed that he was closer to Claire's legs, and knowing his ways, she understood he was up to no good. Mara shook her head and avoided eye contact with the people inside the library.

Mara managed to block the rest of the conversation as she played with her hands. The words and the setting became a blur as she thought about her current situation.

She liked Bender. It was obvious the feeling was mutual. She didn't know if pursuing him was the smart thing to do. John Bender was not only a rebel and a criminal, but he was also someone who never stayed with only one girl. He dated constantly, and he never took things seriously.

Why was she going to be different? According to her, she wasn't.

There was only one thing to do. She needed to avoid him from that moment on. Friendship was all she could offer someone like him, since she knew nothing more was going to come out of John Bender.

Her thoughts were snapped, when Bender stood from under the table. Claire slapped his back many times, and Mara shook her head, not wanting to know what truly happened.

Mara stood up, and locked eyes with him. His smirking expression changed to one of worriedness as he observed Mara's mood. She didn't want to deal with him at that moment. She walked away from the center of the library. She went to the back and sat on one of the sofa's that was located behind the big statue.

Bender walked closer to Brian, who sat in his spot, and asked, "So, Ahab...Kybo Mein Doobage?"

Brian gave Bender his weed back. He walked behind the statue, where Mara sat quietly.

There was no reason for Mara to be angry, since she and Bender were nothing but friends, but knowing that she liked him and that he kissed her gave her that sense of wondering.

John knew he fucked up, but there was nothing he could express at that moment in order to make things better.

After a while, the rest of the students joined the rebels. Little did they know, a party among them was about to ensue.