Hello

Brian had spent the entire weekend vacillating between dreading and longing for Monday morning. The Saturday detention had changed his life so much that he couldn't imagine it disappearing with a new week.

But he was also smart, and usually quite practical, and he knew that the others, except for maybe Alison, were likely to view it more as an isolated incident rather than a continuous shift.

Brian was going to be okay, even if they did ignore him, or worse, cut him up to their friends or his face. He had dealt with that kind of cruelty his entire life. No, he worried about Claire and Bender. He had seen what was between them and he knew that they could destroy each other if they let their pride and images take over.

Brian hoped they wouldn't, but he knew how easy it would be.

A sudden silence drew his attention and he glanced at the corner of lockers the jocks occupied. Andy was just arriving, Alison on his arm. He stared each and every one of them down in that cold way he had. Brian held his breath and waited for a challenge that never came. Like a rush of air conversation resumed, and the jocks and their girls seemed to ignore Allison. It was the best they could've hoped for he supposed. Maybe later he'd introduce her to his friends, who would actually talk to her. Or if they didn't, at least it would be shyness and not cruelty that kept them quiet.

A forced giggle dragged his attention farther down the hall, where Claire's friends preened themselves in the mirrors they had in their lockers. She primped right along with them, but her eyes looked a bit a bored and disillusioned as she looked around at all of her friends.

Despite himself, Brian felt his lower belly clench with attraction, although he knew he could never handle her, and he didn't even want to try.

The sound of the doors slamming open drew his attention and he swung around to see the doors close behind a group of rough and rowdy kids, led by Bender himself.

Brian watched with bated breath as their eyes immediately met, and Benders tongue flicked over his lips, eyes noticing her gaze following that furtive motion. He smirked slightly at her, holding her gaze as his belligerent group loudly approached.

Brian held his breath as Bender's lips retained his familiar smirk, although his eyes held the slightest hint of fear that the risk he was about to take would be rejected.

"Princess," he said contemptuously, blatantly eyeing her up and down and fingering the single –was that a diamond? - earing in his ear.

Claire raised her chin regally and stared down her nose at him. "Don't you have anyone else to pester?" she asked witheringly, but Brain could see, even from over here, by his locker, that her eyes were warm and fastened on his fingers, which still twisted the stud in his ear.

And then they passed each other, chatting with their respective groups as if nothing had happened.

And across the hall, Brian sagged against the wall with relief, for the first time believing that maybe, maybe, Saturday had meant something.