The Brat Pack

Early Monday morning, April 9, 1984. Shermer High School, Shermer, Illinois.

Claire walks into Homeroom and smiles at Mrs. Demsky, casually glancing around. She spots Brian hunched over a desk in the back, his pencil quickly moving across some paper. Claire starts for him, dropping into the seat behind his. Brian turns around and smiles.

"Oh, hey, Claire," he says.

Claire pulls a nail file from her clutch and raises her eyebrows at him, focusing on her nails. "Turn back around and act like I'm not talking to you," she mutters.

Brian frowns but turns back around, holding his breath, confused as to what's happening.

"Listen. I'm ditching school tomorrow, I want you to come."

"What? Why?" he asks under his breath.

"Hush," she warns. "C'mon, just do it. The others are coming as well. When you get dropped off, wait and then head down the block to that market on the corner. I'll be waiting there."

"Where are we going?" Brian mumbles.

But Claire just gathers her things in her arms, standing up. "I'll see you there," she says to him under her breath, hurrying for a desk on the other side of the room.


Next period during History, Claire grabs the seat next to Allison, swiping a lock of red hair behind her ear. Allison glances up from her sketchpad and back down, her head shooting up again.

"Uh," Allison says. "Hey."

Claire looks over and gives a smile. "Who sits here?" she asks.

Ally shrugs one shoulder.

"Doesn't matter, I'll make this quick. I'm ditching school tomorrow, come with."

Allison narrows her eyes. "Why?"

"Everyone else is coming."

"You're lying, you wouldn't have seen anyone else today."

"I saw Brian."

"So you admit to lying?"

“You admitted to lying during detention.”

Allison snaps her mouth shut, facing forward.

"Look, meet me down the street by that market on the corner before school tomorrow, okay?"

"What's in it for me?" Allison asks, copying down the Do Now on the board.

Claire smiles, gathering up her things. She leans down towards Allison before she heads for her proper seat. "Andy," Claire whispers, and hurries away.


It's third period and Claire has been biting her pen the entire time. Claire needs to get to Bender, this is her only chance of seeing him today. Problem is, she's not sure how to get his attention without getting the attention of everyone else. Next to her, Ella hasn't said one word all period. Ella and Claire made up over the weekend – it was mostly just Claire repeatedly apologizing and making every excuse she could to not have a reason for hanging out with Bender - though they've only spoken small sentences to each other since.

When Bender gets up to use the bathroom, Claire realizes now is her chance.

"Mr. Jupiter?" Claire asks, her hand raising not even a minute after Bender has left.

Mr. Jupiter turns around from the chalkboard. "Yes, Miss Standish?"

"May I use the restroom, sir?"

"I'm sorry, but John just went. You know the rules, only one student out at a time."

"I know, sir, but this is a, uh..." Claire drops her voice for the second part, "female emergency."

Claire swears Mr. Jupiter is blushing but he coughs to distract himself and straightens his tie, leaving behind chalk dust fingerprints.

"Go on, then. I'll make this an exception."

Claire nods and snatches up her clutch, running for the door. When she closes it, she sees Ella staring after her.

Bender is in the hall at the water fountain, taking a generous sip. He looks up when he hears Claire's small heels clacking the floor and wipes his mouth on the back of his hand, smiling.

"Did Jupiter forget I was gone that fast? I mean, geez, I know I'm a nobody but-"

Bender stops talking as soon as Claire is standing three inches from him, a smile on her beautiful pink lips. She looks around the empty hall.

"Me, Brian, and Ally and Andy are all skipping school tomorrow. Are you coming?"

Bender shoves his hands in his pockets, breathing out and staring at the floor. He looks up, his brown hair flipping back. He gives a smile and leans in.

"How could I resist?" he asks before pecking Claire on the lips.

They both stare wide-eyed at each other when Bender pulls back, another smile playing on his lips.

"By. By uh," Claire stutters. "By the market, down the street from the school. Meet us there." And with that Claire is gone, her entire face red and the ghost of Bender on her lips.


In fifth period French, Claire doesn't have to be as sneaky, but careful nonetheless. Andy sits to her left and Ella sits behind her. Everyone knows Claire and Andy sometimes chat, so speaking to him wouldn't be a problem. Ella hearing would be.

About halfway through the class, Claire carefully tears a piece of paper in two. On the first one she writes a mean note about Darcy Finkle, the tenth grader in the back wearing a red skirt Claire would never be caught dead in. And that's exactly what she writes on the first note. She leans her hand back and feels Ella snatch the note, scanning it over quickly. Ella gives a light laugh, causing a stare from Mrs. Coque. Ella stares at her desk until the teacher turns away, handing the note back to Claire. Claire then switches the first note for the second, handing that one to Andy.

We're all ditching school tomorrow, come with. Ally will be there. Meet me in the morning at the market down the corner. Destroy this note when you're done reading it and then look back at Darcy and pretend this was about her.

Andy does as the note instructs, crumbling it up and sticking it in his pocket, glancing back at Darcy.

At her desk, Claire smiles.