Chapter Ten: Prom

It was a week later when the news finally hit Claire. John had dropped out of high school. At the moment, she came to realize that, though she had pretend to accept that they were not going to be a couple, and that he wasn't going to be a part of his child's life, she had still clung to the hope that maybe he'd come around and talk to her again. Maybe he'd change his mind.

The news delivered her a brutal reality check. Not only was he not going to be a part of their child's life, but he had just robbed her of any moments they could have had in the month left before they graduated.

Prom was in four days, though she never understood why they made prom so close to graduation. Most people were worried about colleges, not what dress to wear and who they were going with. Though, she had to admit, it was a welcome break. Four days of not having to stress about life after high school. The only thing she had to stress about, was the fact that the dress she had bought wouldn't fit anymore.

"What am I going to do?" she cried, sitting in the floor of her bedroom. Allison was frowning down at her from the bed and Jewels was patting her back. Hannah held the dress in her hands and turned it over and over as if spinning it would help it expand. "I don't have a dress. I don't have a date. I'm not going."

"You have to go!" Jewels cried and looked to Allison for support, who simply nodded.

"She's making me go," Allison mumbled.

"But I don't have a date. Or a dress."

"Who cares?" Jewels snatched the pink dress from Hannah's hands and flipped it inside out. "You can go without a date. The gang will all be there. It's not like your going alone. And as for the dress." she put her fingers on the piece of fabric that extended two inches away from the seam. "It's got two inches on both sides! That gives you four more inches. All we need to do is find someone who can sue it for you in less than four days! Your just lucky your feet haven't started expanding yet."

Through her tears, Claire stared at Jewels and nodded. "I guess your right."

"Of course I am. Now, who do we know that has a seamstress?"

"I can sue." Everyone turned to look at Allison who shrugged. "I'm pretty good too."

"Would you…" Claire began but Allison was already nodding.

"If you….do my hair and face again…like you did that one time…but better, I'll let your dress out. Call it even."

Claire was up off the floor and hugging Allison in a heartbeat! "It's a deal!" She cried happily while Allison simply pulled away from her, giving her a 'stop touching me' look. "Oh Andy's going to die when he sees what we can turn you into!"

"Well, since that seems to be settled why don't you girls bring your dresses over here Saturday. I'll kick Clark out and we can order pizza and have a girl day before you go to prom."

"That sounds great!" Jewels exclaimed and Allison just nodded. It was odd having Allison around all the time. In the week between Claire joining the group again and now, the girls had actually stared getting along. Jewels loved Allison and Claire so it was only natural that all three hung out.

Claire had been there when both Andy and Brian had asked their girls to prom. She'd smiled for them, truly happy for them, and had been looking around for John, secretly hoping that maybe, just maybe, he was going to show up to ask her. But now that news had finally spread that he was gone, Claire was having a difficult time getting excited for Prom.

But she refused to rain on all of her friends' parade. They were excited. Allison and Brian had never been to an event like this before, and Jewels and Andy were just excited about getting to go with their significant others. Claire wouldn't pity herself, she wouldn't mope or ruin her friends' day. She was going to start considering others first right now, because, when her baby came, her world was going to revolve around it. She refused to be like her parents. She wouldn't be selfish, she wouldn't be juvenile. She was going to be a loving, doting parent who put her child's needs first.

For the first time that day, she smiled a true smile. Absentmindedly, she rubbed at her stomach. Things were going to be just fine.

They had been true to their word. For most of the night, Claire had not been left alone. The Breakfast Club stayed at her table laughing and joking and having a good time. If they danced, they drug her out to dance with them. But eventually, she shooed them away and watched as they danced on the dance floor together, Brian looking something like a chicken with its head cut off, and Andy and Allison just swinging their hips and arms together. What mattered most to Claire were the smiles on all of their faces. They were happy, and through them, so was she.

"We've got a new band for you tonight," the announcer called as the last band finished their song and left the stage. "Just signed a record deal a week ago…" She yawned, rose, and headed toward the bathroom.

She nearly gagged when she entered the bathroom. Someone was having sex in the stall closest to the door. She made sure to slam the door closed behind her and head to the stall furthest from them. How gross was that? She huffed as she washed her hands and looked up in the mirror just in time to see Joshua! But he was in jail! He staggered out, giggling and zipping his pants up followed by…"Stacie!"

Stacie must not have heard her, and neither seemed to notice as they shoved out the door, still giggling and completely drunk. When had he gotten out! Though, if she thought about it, it wasn't so surprising. His family did have money. Ugh. She stayed in the bathroom for a while, listening as the songs changed over and over again. And then finally the band took a break and she headed back out.

The group was at her table when she arrived and the lights turned low just as she sat down. "You okay?" Andy asked and she smiled and nodded.

"And now, the moment you've all been waiting for. This year's homecoming, King and Queen."

Claire rolled her eyes and glanced back at her group to see them all staring at her. Or rather, trying not to stare at her. Allison was chewing gum and looking around, Andy kept looking at her and looking away, Jewels looked worried and fidgety and Brian kept looking like he wanted to say something and then changing his mind.

"What?" she asked.

"Nothing," Andy and Jewels said together and then looked away.

"Right."

It was no surprise when Stacie and Joshua won homecoming King and Queen. "After he tried to kill you!" Jewels cried in exasperation.

"It's not even worth it," Claire promised, defusing the situation. A recorded slow song began playing over the speakers and slowly, couples made their way to join the homecoming king and queen on the floor. Andy pulled Allison with him, and Jewels politely asked Brian who blushed and followed her. Claire smiled as she watched her friends.

"What's a matter, Claire? Not even good enough for the freaks to dance with you?" George's voice caused chills to race up and down her spine and her stomach rolled. Baby didn't like George either apparently.

"Go away, George." She didn't even turn to look at him.

"You're pathetic, Claire. But then, no wonder. Who wants to dance with a…"

"May I have this dance?" Claire's heart stopped as she turned wide eyes up to the man standing in front of her. John was bent at the waste, hand held out to her, eyes glistening as he waited for her hand.

"John," she whispered. He smiled, a bemused smile and her eyes dropped to take in the rest of his outfit. She couldn't believe he was wearing black dress shoes, black slacks and a white shirt over which, a black coat had replaced his white one. A red bandanna wrapped around his neck and he grabbed her hand and pulled her to him.

"What are you doing here?" She finally asked. "You dropped out of school…"

"Where have you been the last hour?" he asked back, slowly moving to the music and ignoring the couples around them who were gaping at them.

"Um, in the bathroom?"

He laughed. "I'm with the band."

She frowned at that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean the band that just played, is my band. I'm lead guitar. Tom's vocals. Hank's drums, Larry's base. We signed a record deal last week. Our first album hit's the shelves next month."

"You got a record deal!" She gasped. "That's why you dropped out?"

He nodded. She looked away. "Congratulations," she whispered. But she couldn't really feel it. He was moving on to bigger and better things.

"You look beautiful tonight, Claire." He whispered into her ear and she jerked her head up to stare at him.

"Thank you." she whispered. "You don't look bad either."

He shrugged. "not really my style, but hey, when in Rome…" he frowned and she laughed.

"Dress like the Romans?"

"Something like that." They laughed together and then John pulled her closer to him, his hands holding her as close to him as he could get her. "It's weird," he whispered into her hair. Her head was spinning. Why was he dancing with her? Or even speaking to her for that matter?

"What's weird?" she asked instead.

He lowered a hand between them and caressed her belly through her dress. "There's a human in there, you know. It's just weird."

Okay, too much. She took a step back. "John, I can't…"

"I pushed the band to get the record deal. Well that's a lie, I went around there back and gave our cd to a guy I know. It was a long shot but I just had to try."

"Um…okay." She stared up at him in confusion.

"I had to take the chance. Because I want to do this."

"Do what?" be in a band?

"Us."

She stopped swaying. The music slowly died, their surroundings drifted away, and Claire stared up at John in complete shock. "What?"

"I want to do this. I want to be with you. And have a baby. So I had to get a job. Make money to support you."

"This…was for me?"

He smiled. "Well, I get something out of it too, but yea."

Tears came to her eyes as she took in his words. "But, you left. You said you didn't love me."

He looked down. "I just. Don't want to be my pops, ya know?"

Oh God did she know. "Do you love me?" as the words left her lips she had a flash back of finding the note only to have him deny it later. But he'd never said it.

John looked like he was about to answer when Tom came out of the crowd and grabbed him. "Come on, we're back on." He looked like he wanted to say something more but Tom drug him through the crowd.

Jewels grabbed her immediately. "What did he say?" she asked. Claire sat back down in her chair slowly, digesting everything.

"He wants to do this. He wants us to be a family."

"I knew he loved you!" Jewels cried excitedly. The sound of instruments being plugged back in reached their ears and Claire shook her head.

"He didn't say it." She stated. "I asked him if he loved me and he didn't…"

"Well of course he does! He said he wants to be a family."

But he hadn't said he loved her.

"We've got a bit of surprise for you all tonight," Tom's voice reached them and they looked up to see the band on stage, John holding his guitar patiently next to Tom and the mike. "Claire Standish. Could you please come toward the stage." Tom grinned at her as he asked and the spot light found her immediately. Oh god she was going to be sick.

"Go!" Jewels whispered to her and Claire rose, trying to ignore the looks she was getting from the students she passed by. She reached the center of the room, just before the stage and looked up, every muscle shaking at the sudden attention. John took the mic as he looked down at her.

"Claire Standish," he stated, then fumbled for something in his pocket. A gasp echoed around the room as pulled out a jewelry boxed and bent down to her level. He took the mic from Tom, opened the box and finished, "Will you marry me?"

The room was silent as everyone stared at her. She could almost hear the shock and disbelief running through the crowd. She looked up at John and took a deep breath. "Yes." The students went wild! John dropped the mic, jumped from the stage and pulled her into his arms.

"I love you" he stated over and over again and tears sprung to her eyes.

"I love you too," she whispered once he finally pulled away from her and kissed her, right there in front of everyone.

"Find a replacement for the rest of the night," John called up to Tom who shrugged and snatched John's guitar from his back. "I'll do double."

The music started back up, people were still clapping, and all Claire could do was grin like an idiot at the man in front of her. The father of her child. He leaned toward her and whispered, "I wanna make a stop before I take you home."

She nodded as they headed through the crowd, following him.

And that's how John Bender and Claire Standish found themselves back in the small closet, engaged, expecting a baby, and in the same compromising position that had gotten them into this trouble in the first place.

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