It wasn't long before Selena and Andy returned, each holding a few cans of Coke. The sodas were distributed, and everyone prepared to eat lunch. The students all settled into their seats, except for Bender. He took a seat behind Claire and Andy and gazed over at the silver bag in front of the redhead.
"What's in there?" he asked.
"Guess," she responded. "Where's your lunch?"
"You're wearing it," he smirked.
Claire was visibly repulsed. "You're nauseating," she muttered. She continued to unpack the food her father had packed for her that morning, setting up a space that was quite fancy for a high schooler in detention.
"What's that?"
"Sushi," Claire responded, as if that was the most obvious answer in the world.
"Sushi?" he mocked.
"Rice, raw fish, and seaweed," she explained.
Bender looked quite grossed out. "You won't accept a guy's tongue in your mouth and you're going to eat that?"
Annoyed, Claire turned back to look at him. "Can I eat?"
"I don't know," he responded, eyeing her food. "Give it a try."
He then turned to watch Andrew, who unpacked a family size bag of potato chips, three sandwiches, a bag of cookies, and a pint of milk. He went to set the large bag down, before fishing out the rest: a banana and an apple.
In the back, Allison opened her can of soda, the carbonated beverage overflowing, indicating that it was the can that Selena had shaken up on the walk back to the library. She leaned down and sucked the excess liquid from the top of the can, and then the table. Both Brian and Selena watched, dumbfounded. Bender and Claire were otherwise occupied watching Andy prepare to inhale his food. "What's your problem?" the jock asked.
Selena and Brian continued to watch Allison. She opened her sandwich, throwing the bologna onto the ugly statue behind her. She replaced the sandwich meat with Pixie Stix powder and Cap'n Crunch. At this point, everyone was staring at her. She reconstructed her sandwich and took a large bite, crunching loudly and giving the entire room a death glare.
Selena pulled a Tupperware dish from her bag, pulling off the top and opening a package of plastic flatware. She fished around a bit more and pulled out a bottle of Jarritos and a smaller bottle of hot sauce. Opening the dish, the smells of tamales, rice, and refried beans wafted out. The students seated in front of her turned, Claire turning her nose up at the smell.
"What is that?" the princess asked.
"Tamales stuffed with pork and mole, rice, and beans," Selena answered as she opened the bottle of hot sauce and poured some on the food.
"I don't know what that is," Claire responded.
"Yet you know what sushi is," Selena responded, licking hot sauce off her finger. "Do me a favor, blanca, and do some research on your neighbors to the south."
"Smells gross," Andy muttered.
"So do you," Selena rapidly fired back. She looked up and gave Bender a wink.
Bender stood up and stalked over to the nerd and sat down grabbing his lunch bag from in front of him. Bender placed the bag aside and clasped his hands together, lacing his fingers. "What're we having?"
"Uh, it's just your standard, regular lunch, I guess."
Bender reached into the bag and pulled out a thermos. "Milk?"
"Soup," Brian corrected.
The next item Bender pulled out was a juice box. Brian reached for the bag and Bender slapped his hand away.
"That's apple juice."
"I can read," Bender deadpanned. "PB & J with the crusts cut off! Well, Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch; all of the food groups are represented." He turned and faced the blonde boy. "Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?"
"Uh, no, Mr. Johnson…" Brian corrected. That made Claire and Andy giggle.
"Ahh," Bender said as he rose from the table. "Here's my impression of life at big Bri's house!"
Selena did not have a good feeling about what he was about to do.
Adopting two voices, John started acting out a "scene" from Brian's house. "Son!"
"Yeah, Dad!"
"How was your day, pal?"
"Great Dad! How's yours?"
"Super! Say, son, how'd you like to go fishing this weekend?"
"Great, Dad! But I've got homework to do!" John feigned a sad voice for that response.
"That's alright son!" he continued in the upbeat "father" voice. "You can do it on the boat!"
"Gee!"
"Dear, isn't our son swell?" he asked in the father voice.
"Yes, dear," he answered in a higher, more feminine voice, obviously acting as Brian's mother. "isn't life swell?"
Brian then mimed kissing his "partner" before his smile dropped and he pretended to punch the "mother" in the face.
The ending of that scene confirmed Selena's fear, but this was not a situation that she could deescalate like the did earlier in the day. Especially when Andy opened his goddamn mouth.
"Alright," he started. "What about your family?"
"Oh, mine?" Bender raised his eyebrows. Was this jagoff about to go there?
"Yeah."
"That's real easy."
The feeling of dread in Selena's stomach worsened and she dropped her utensils, suddenly no longer feeling hungry.
Bender stood, swaying slightly, like a drunk man. He assumed the persona of his father, pointing at the air where he would supposedly be. "Stupid, worthless, no good, goddamned, freeloading, son of a bitch! Retarded, bigmouth, know it all, asshole, jerk!"
He then crossed his arms and cocked his hip, becoming his mother. "You forgot ugly, lazy, and disrespectful."
He stood straight again as his father and pretended to backhand his mother. "Shut up bitch!" he screamed. "Go fix me a turkey pot pie."
He then reverted to himself. "What about you, dad?"
He switched back to his father. "Fuck you!"
He switched again. "No, Dad, what about you?"
Switch. "Fuck you!"
His voice continued to get louder. "No, Dad, what about you?"
Even louder, "FUCK YOU!" He punches the air and then jerks his head back to mimic his father punching him.
Everyone was silent for a moment before Brian meekly asked, "Is that for real?"
"You want to come over sometime?" John spat.
"That's bullshit," Andy dismissed. "It's all part of your image, I don't believe a word of it."
Bender looked hurt and Selena knew that the jock had really fucked up. "You don't believe me?"
"No."
"No?" Bender questioned.
"Did I stutter?"
Bender stalked over to the jock and rolled up his sleeve. Just below his elbow was a circular, dark scar. "Do you believe this?" he asked. "Huh?" he shook his arm. "It's about the size of a cigar." Selena really wasn't hungry now. "Do I stutter? You see, this is what you get in my house when you spill paint in the garage."
That statement made Selena cringe. John started to walk away. She could tell – he was seething. "See, I don't think that I need to sit here with you fucking dildos anymore!" he cried.
He stormed over to a table and swept all its contents off onto the floor, screaming as he jumped on top, before pulling himself onto the staircase overhead. He turned and sat on the edge, his legs hanging over the edge and breathing heavily.
Selena slowly stood, towering herself over Andy. She took a deep breath and stalked over until she stood directly in front of him. Before he could say anything, she slapped him, the sound echoing in the quiet library. "You need to learn to watch your mouth, pinche ojete de mierda!" She stormed off, grabbing her food and running to join Bender on the stairs.