The Wallflower [Andrew Clark]

Chapter 1

There are six tables in two rows of three. Claire is sitting at the front table. Brian comes in and sits at the table behind her. Andrew comes in and points at the chair next to Claire at the front table.

She shrugs and he sits there. In walks Bender, he touches everything on the checkout desk and takes a few things in the process. He walks over to where Brian is sitting and points to the table on the opposite side of the library. Brian reluctantly gets up and moves.

Bender sits at the table where Brian was and puts his feet up. Allison walks in. She walks all the way around the library and sits in the back corner table, just behind Brian. Andrew and Claire look at each other and snicker. Brian looks at her in confusion and then turns away.

Kathleen walks in and sits in the seat next to Brian and smiles at him. He smiles back and she sits with her back against the railing, facing everyone. Mr. Vernon walks in. He holds a stack of papers in his left hand. He addresses the group with such disrespect it makes you wonder how he ever got the job.

"Well...well. Here we are! I want to congratulate you for being on time." He says. Claire raises her hand. "Excuse me, sir? I think there's been a mistake. I know it's detention, but...um...I don't think I belong in here... Vernon doesn't care. He just continues to talk. "It is now seven-oh-six. You have exactly eight hours and fifty-four minutes to think about why you're here.

To ponder the error of your ways." He says. Bender spits into the air and catches the spit in his mouth again. Claire looks like she is going to gag. Kathleen laughs quietly. "You think he's funny?" Vernon asks her. "No, sir." She mutters, still with a small smile on her face. "And you may not talk. You will not move from these seats." Vernon continues. He glances up at Bender and points at him.

"And you..." Vernon pulls the chair out from under Bender's feet. "Will not sleep. Alright people, we're gonna try something a little different today. We are going to write an essay--of no less than a thousand words--describing to me who you think you are." He says. "Is this a test?" Bender asks.

Vernon passes out paper and pencils and takes no notice of Bender. "And when I say essay...I mean essay. I do not mean a single word repeated a thousand times. Is that clear Mr. Bender?" He asks. Bender looks up. "Crystal." He says simply.

"Good. Maybe you'll learn a little something about yourself. Maybe you'll even--decide whether or not you care to return." Brian raises his hand and then stands. "You know, I can answer that right now sir...That'd be 'No', no for me. 'cause..." He starts, but Vernon interrupts him. "Sit down Johnson!" He orders. "Thank you sir." Brian says. Kathleen gives him a sympathetic
smile and shrugs.

He smiles and sits. "My office..." Vernon points. "...Is right across that hall. Any monkey business is ill-advised." He looks around at them. "Any questions?" He asks. "Yeah...I got a question." Bender asks. Vernon looks at him suspiciously. "Does Barry Manilow know you raid his wardrobe?" He asks. Kathleen smiles again.

"I'll give you the answer to that question, Mr. Bender, next Saturday. Don't mess with the bull young man, you'll get the horns." Vernon leaves.
"That man...is a brownie hound..." Bender says pointing. Everyone tries to get comfortable and they hear a loud snapping sound.

Brian turns and looks and it is Allison, biting her nails. Bender's eyes widen as he turns to look. Everyone is looking now. Allison notices them looking at her. "You keep eating your hand and you're not gonna be hungry for lunch." He says to her. Allison spits part of her nail at Bender.

Kathleen looks at the dark-haired girl and she looks back at her. "I've seen you before, you know. You, too." He says to Allison and Kathleen. "Who do I think I am? Who are you? Who are you?" Brian asks himself. He attaches the pen to his bottom lip and puts the top under his upper lip. "I am a walrus..." He says. Bender and Kathleen look at him in utter confusion.

Brian notices this, laughs and takes the pen out of his mouth-- embarrassed. Bender and Brian begin to take their jackets off at the same time. They both notice this. Brian stops removing his jacket. Bender takes his all the way off. Brian rubs his hands together and pretends to be cold.

He pulls his jacket back on. He turns and looks at Bender who is still staring at him. "It's the shits, huh?" Brian says. Bender glares at him and Brian utters an uncomfortable laugh. Bender turns away and crumples up his essay paper. He throws it at Claire. It misses and goes over Claire's head.

Andrew and Claire acknowlege it but continue to ignore Bender. Bender starts loudly "singing" the musical part of a song. "Nah, nah, nah, nah, nah, nah...nah, nah, nah..." Claire rolls her eyes. "I can't believe this is really happening to me." Bender stops "singing" abruptly.

"Oh, shit! What're we s'posed to do if we hafta take a piss?" He says. "Please..." Claire says. Kathleen laughs. "If you gotta go..." Bender says. They all hear Bender unzip his fly. "You gotta go!" He says. Kathleen's eyes widen and her face heats up. "What are you doing?" She demands in a sharp whisper.

Everyone is now looking at Bender. "Oh my God!" Claire says. "Hey, yer not urinating in here man!" Andrew says to Bender. "Don't talk! Don't talk! It makes it crawl back up!" Bender says. "You whip it out and you're dead before the first drop hits the floor!" Andrew says. Bender gasps mockingly. "You're pretty sexy when you get angry...grrr!" He fake growls. Kathleen, realizing he was joking but still, can't help but agree with him looking at the muscular boy with piercing blue eyes.

Bender turns to Brian. "Hey, homeboy." He says. Brian points at himself with his pen. "Why don't you go close that door. We'll get the prom queen-- impregnated!" Bender says. Claire turns and glares at him. "Hey!" Andrew says.

Bender ignores him. "Hey!" He says again. "What?" Bender demands. "If I lose my temper, you're totalled man!" Andrew says. "Totally?" Bender challenges. "Totally!" He says back. "Why don't you just shut up! Nobody here is interested!" Claire says to Bender. "Really!" Andrew says. He turns back to the front and looks at Claire and mutters about Bender.

"Buttface!" He says. "Well hey Sporto! What'd you do to get in here? Forget to wash your jock?" Bender taunts. "Uh, excuse me, fellas? I think we should just write our papers." Brian says, going ignored. "Look, just because you live in here doesn't give you the right to be a pain in the ass...so knock it off!" Andrew says to Bender.

He mockingly registers pain in his face. "It's a free country." He says to Andrew.  "He's just doing it to get a rise out of you! Just ignore him." Claire says to Andrew. "Sweets...you couldn't ignore me if you tried!" Bender says. Claire rolls her eyes. "So...so! Are you guys like boyfriend/girl- friend?" Bender asks.

Kathleen looks at the scene in front of her and looks at Brian nervously. "Steady dates? Lo--vers?" "Guys, um...we should all just relax..." She mutters. "Come on Sporto, level with me." Bender says, ignoring her. "Do you slip her the hot...beef... injection?" He asks. Claire and Andrew turn to face Bender, both furious. "Go to hell!" Claire yells. "Enough!" Andrew yells at the same time. Kathleen puts her head in her arms and sighs. "Great."