Gutsy: A John Bender (Breakfast Club) Story

Friday Night

Tuesday was a train wreck. Whatever helpfulness John had yesterday was not there today. He was true to his statement of following me though. Following me and tormenting me. It took all of my will power not to smack him, but staying cool is my thing so I shrugged him off. It really makes me wonder what John has gone through. I mean Saturday gave me an ugly picture of his family, but you have to have a pretty miserable life to be as cruel as John can be. The thing is, I have the will to keep up with him so as frustrating as my day was, I knew I was just scratching the surface.

I wondered if he would follow me to the MacMurray's. He did and somehow left all of his meanness at the door. The twins were over the moon that he was back. They played cowboys all evening. John and I basically didn't talk until after the twins were in bed. I dug out the library books from my backpack and tossed one to John.

"Why didn't you tell me to get lost tonight?" John asked as he nabbed the book.

A million answers raced through my mind, but I simply shrugged, "Why would I do that?" I countered.

John fiddled with the book and swore. "Does anything EVER bother you? I mean you walk around at school like you own the place. Everyone thinks your weird, I think you're weird."

"Is that supposed to be a bad thing?" I asked. I was secretly pleased with this admission. It meant John didn't hate me which was a step in the right direction.

"Claire would think so." John said getting in my face.

Standing my ground I smiled up at him, "I'm sure she does. But that's her problem not mine." I stepped around John and headed for the kitchen.

"If I called you every name I could think of what would you do?" John asked as he sat down next to me.

I pretended to ponder for a moment, "Probably nod and then start studying."

"Of course you would." John sulked. He slammed his book on the table next to me and started flipping through it. I could tell he wasn't really reading it, but soon I was lost in my studies. He didn't stay still for long and I heard him wandering around the house. Eventually the TV turned on and I heaved an internal sigh of relief. John was easily the biggest project I had tackled so far. At the other schools I had attended I spent most of my time siphoning money from different clubs and ruining the popular kids' prom nights. John was special though. If I could get him out of the pit he lived in, he could make something out of himself. He might only be 18, but I could see big time politician or business man written all over him. All I wanted was a cut of the money and a ticket to easy street so I could do whatever I wanted. Adults tend to not take young people seriously, but a little money and fame would go a long way to solve that.

Not to say that I only saw John as a meal ticket. It genuinely made me angry the way everyone treated him. I'd been fighting against that kind of stupidity since sixth grade. He deserved a chance at life as much as anyone else. But I wasn't going to tell him that, not yet at least. If he didn't want to change then I wasn't going to force it. I hate admitting defeat, but he was a person not Glee Club.

Wednesday was pretty much the same as Tuesday, but on Thursday things changed. John showed up to school so happy I thought he was high. He left me alone all day until it was time for me to go to the MacMurray's where I found him laying on the hood of my car smoking weed. I smiled and threw my backpack on him. He doubled over instantly, then jumped off the car cradling my backpack.

"That wasn't very nice," he said wagging his middle finger at me.

"Do you want a ride?" I asked.