The Brat Pack

Allison is standing on her front porch with Andy, digging around in her bag for her keys, when suddenly she hears Claire yelling. She turns and squints into the dark, watching Claire's car edge along the road before finally taking off. She looks at Andy, concerned, and he shrugs, then squints into the dark. He spots Bender walking along in the dark and runs off the porch, Ally hurrying after him.

"Bender!" Andy calls, coming up behind him. "Hey, Bender, wait up!"

Bender turns around and snarls. Ally stops a few feet behind Andy, watching as Bender swipes a few stray tears off his cheeks.

"What?" Bender snaps. "What the fuck do you want?"

Andy frowns. "Hey, c'mon man, tell me what's up." Andy reaches for Bender but Bender jerks his arm back.

"Don't!" Bender yells, his breathing harsh.

Ally steps a bit closer, looking around the dark street and then at Bender. "Do you want to come inside?" she asks.

Bender considers her for a moment, considers yelling at her and considers hitting her Prince Charming in the face. But his anger deflates and he slouches, shoving his hands in his coat pockets and nodding. "Yeah," he says. "I guess so."


Back on the porch, Ally has given up looking for her own keys, instead crouching down and grabbing up the garden gnome by her feet. She peels off the key stuck to its bottom and unlocks the door, pushing it open and replacing the key and gnome.
Bender and Andy follow her inside, both looking around the living room. The house is dark and quiet and smells of cigarette smoke. Ally dumps her bag on the bench by the door and they follow her into the kitchen. She flips the light on and Bender slumps against the wall, crossing his arms and turning his head away from Andy.

Ally fills the teapot and puts it on the stove, grabbing three mugs from one cabinet and a jar of hot chocolate mix from another. When the water boils she shuts it off instantly, wincing and hoping for her parents not to wake up. She fills the mugs and let the guys each pick one, taking her own and motioning for them to follow her. She flips the light back off and unlocks the backdoor, holding it open. Bender and Andy walk by her and she quietly closes the screen door, heading out behind them.
Andy sits on the porch swing and Bender drops down on one of the wooden steps, Ally looking between them and deciding to just stand by the door, watching the stars high above the house. Finally, Andy speaks up.
"How bad is it gonna be, Bender?" he asks lightly.

Bender takes a sip of his hot chocolate and turns to look at Ally. "This is good shit. You should give me your recipe," he says.

"Cut the act, Bender," Andy says a bit harshly, and Bender finally looks at him. Andy's face softens. "That's what it is, isn't it? Your dad?"

Bender licks his lips and stares down at the mug in his hands. "What's it to you?" he mutters. Then he slams the mug down on the steps next to him and stands, shoving his hands in his pockets as he walks out into the yard. He picks up a rock and tosses it with all his might, watching it fly into the dark and disappear. He walks around the small back yard, bumping into a few stray things he can't see along the way. He rounds the yard and finally makes it back to the porch, propping his foot on the bottom step.

"Yeah, okay? It's my dad," Bender snaps at Andy. "What are you gonna do, Boy Wonder? Swoop in and save the day for me? That's not how it works."
Andy shakes his head and looks away for a minute, then back at Bender. "You don't have to take it out on us, you know," he says. "Or on Claire."

"Shut your mouth about Claire," Bender snaps, pointing a finger at Andy.

Andy shrugs. "I'm just saying."

"Yeah? Well don't." Bender makes a frustrated noise before running a hand through his hair and kicking the railing. "Fuck!" he yells.

"Bender," Andy begins.

"Just drop it!" Bender yells before storming off into the yard. He drops down by the only tree in the back and runs a hand through his hair again, pulling his knees up to his chest and rocking back and forth.

Andy sighs and looks at Ally, motioning out towards Bender, and Ally just shakes her head.


Some time later, Ally takes Bender's still full mug and her and Andy's empty mugs inside. She dumps Bender's hot chocolate down the drain, turning on the sink and sighing as she grabs up a sponge. Andy comes in a second later and grabs a dish towel, drying the mugs off when Ally's done washing them. They hear something rattling the fence and Andy throws the towel down on the counter, hurrying out back and ready to strike. Ally looks at him worriedly when he comes back in, Andy shaking his head.

"Bender's gone," he says.

They both freeze when they hear movement above their heads and Ally grabs Andy's arm, pushing him towards the back door.

"It's my dad," she says in a panicked whisper. "Hide next to the porch and wait a few minutes, then jump the fence." Andy nods and steals a quick kiss that surprises Ally, hurrying outside.

Ally locks the door behind him and quickly dashes into the living room, ducking behind one of the couches and putting her hand over her mouth to keep her breathing quiet. She hears her father cursing as he hurries down the steps and opens the front door, searching for whatever caused the noise from outside. When he finds nothing, he shuts the door.

It's quiet for a minute and then suddenly Ally is crying out, her father grabbing her by the hair and pulling her up. He shoves her bag into her arms and pushes her up the steps, shoving her into her bedroom.

"You are in so much trouble tomorrow, young lady," he growls in her ear, slamming her bedroom door.