The Breakfast Club~ Brian's Girl

Monday

The first familiar face I saw was Claire's. She was with her usual group of friends but she seemed smaller than usual, unsure. She barely managed a fake smile as she passed me. I hadn't expected us to become best friends but I guess deep down I'd hoped she'd still care.

Next came Allison and Andrew. They walked side by side but as far apart as the walls allowed. They didn't speak to each other. They just exchanged small smiles every now and then. I could tell they were still together but I knew Andrew was afraid.

"Hi Brian." Allison said in a low voice. I said hi back and continued on my path.

Finally there was Bender. I didn't see him until the end of the day when he sat on the cement smoking. His friends were living in their heads, too caught up in whatever it was they were on. He looked at me with his brow furrowed and he tossed me a cigarette. Not another word.

I started walking home with the cigarette in my hand. I didn't have a lighter and even if I did I doubt I would have used it. I started thinking about Saturday and everything that had happened. It was all beginning to seem like a waste. Had I really thought life would be different and we'd all hang out forever? No. But in detention I thought we had an understanding. Now I knew I was wrong.

Walking wasn't easy with the amount of homework my back pack carried. My neck was always soar after taking it off. As rain began to fall I wondered if the day could have gone worse. I stared at my untied shoe lace, too lazy to do it up. I was absolutely numb. The disappointment had hit me overwhelmingly hard.

"Hey! You gonna smoke that?" A voice shouted. I looked over my shoulder to see a girl standing under a tree. She was soaking wet, with long brown hair stuck to her face, and black makeup smeared under her eyes.

"No, I don't think so." I said stopping in my tracks.

"Good. It's a nasty habit to quit. " she leaned against the tree, crossing her arms over her chest.

"Your in my English class aren't you?" She yelled as I continued to walk away. That's when I remembered her. Violet. Part of the environmental club. Fairly gothic at the same time. Perfect grades. Beautiful face. Friendless.

"Brian right?" She asked before I responded to her previous question.

"Your the one who was going to kill yourself with a flare gun."

I didn't know what to say. She'd never talked to me before so why now? What had I done that made her notice my existence?

"Look, I know you don't know me. But I don't have anywhere to go. Can you help me out? It's fine if you can't but it doesn't hurt to ask." She looked close to tears as she spoke.

I walked back up the path to get closer to her. She looked away from me, refusing to make eye contact.

"A-are you okay?"

"I think we've established that that's a no." She whispered in a broken voice.

Maybe I'd lost my mind. Or maybe I was looking for trouble. But that was the moment when I made the decision to help her. For no particular reason at all. I had no obligation to do so, I was just tired of wasting my life.

"What happened? I have to know in order to do something."

"God I don't know." She was looking down at her soaking black and white converse when her face scrunched up and the tears began to fall.

"He tried to..." Her voice hitched and she didn't finish her words.

"Who did what?" I asked as I brushed my hand against hers. I considered holding it but she backed away at the lightest touch.

"He did, my boyfriend. Well he was now he's not. " She was yelling as she tried to catch her breath.

"John, his, his names John. I, I crashed in his basement sometimes. It's a long story. I was an idiot okay. I thought he loved me but no, no he loves her. "

"John? John Bender?" I asked. She just nodded her head and immediately I knew. Claire. He left her for Claire.

"Sorry. I'm honestly so dumb I shouldn't be telling you this. He's a player I've always known that but I thought it'd last."

"Stop it. You didn't do anything wrong okay? Do you ever live with your parents? Did you have anywhere besides his basement?"

"Again it's a long story. They didn't like me with him but I stayed with him anyways and they threw me out. I'm disowned forever. I'm fucking homeless." She was so out of breath I thought she'd faint. I broke the cigarette I held in half and threw it into the bushes.

"I live three blocks from here. Small house but I think you can stay in the guest bedroom. My parents aren't home yet and I have to talk to them about it but I'm pretty good with elaborate stories. " I don't know why I said it. Probably a combination of my hate for Bender but also a true concern for her.

"Really?" She asked finally looking me in the eye. Her eyes were a dark brown, almost black. And her nose was red, her lips chapped.

"Yes, come on." I held out my hand but she didn't take it. She hugged her textbook close, trying to keep it dry as we walked the short distance to my home.

When I opened the door I called out to see if anyone had arrived home yet. As I'd hoped we were in the clear. I held open the door for her to come in. She shivered with every step and removed her shoes at the door. Her purse was stacked full of clothes and other supplies, probably all of her belongings. I offered to carry it for her but she shook her head no.

"I can't let you into the guest room yet because I still don't know for sure if you can stay, unfortunately. But come upstairs you can get cleaned up and rest if you'd like." She just smiled in response as I led her up the steps.

"Sorry my rooms kind of a mess. " I said, letting out an awkward giggle, trying to lighten the mood. She hesitantly entered very quietly.

"It's not messy." She said surveying the room.

"I guess messy wasn't the right word. More like embarrassing." I restated as I looked at all of the planets that hung from my ceiling. I sat on my bed, quickly standing up in case that made her uncomfortable. She put her bag down on the floor and tucked a wet strand of hair behind her ear.

"Could I possibly use your shower?" She asked very shyly.

"Oh of course! I actually have one connecting to my room." I said opening the door for her.

"Uh there are clean towels in there, you can use whatever you want. I'll just be downstairs. Call me if you need anything." I turned to leave my room but she touched my shoulder to stop me.

"Brian... Thank you. Your a good guy."
I turned around and smiled at her. "No problem." Is all I said.

As I walked down the stairs I heard the front door opening... Shit.

"Brian?" I could hear my mother call out. "Have you started dinner?" Here came the real battle. Convincing my mother.