John Bender surveyed the empty library and let out a huff. He was the only one there. He'd halfway hoped that last Saturday's interesting bunch of detentionees had done something to get themselves stuck there again, but of course he wasn't that lucky.

The other half of him was glad he was by himself. As it turned out, Claire was right. Nobody had even spared second glances at one another aside from Alison and Brian, who'd eaten lunch together that Monday, but even they drifted apart.

He and Claire hadn't even lasted the full week.

"Bitch." He muttered to himself.

She'd sought him out that Wednesday. Not even having the courage to break it off with him to his face. She'd simply slipped a piece of paper into his hand as she walked past him, the only thing on the page being, "sorry."

He knew what it meant, however vague.

He took his usual seat, propping his feet up and slipping out of his worn leather jacket. He briefly considered not even coming today, but even he didn't want to be suspended. As much as he hated Sherman High, he hated being at home even more.

He heard footsteps coming into the large room and looked up, expecting to see Vernon scowling at him, and adjusted his face to match.

However, instead, there stood a girl he was certain he'd never seen before analyzing the seating choices, and eventually deciding on the table in front of where Brian had sat last Saturday.

He made no effort to be subtle as he stared at her back, and he smirked when she glanced back and began squirming uncomfortably in her seat.

Richard Vernon entered into the room.

"Well Bender, good news. No essay this week." He said sarcastically.

"Oh joy." John retorted.

Vernon elected to ignore John Bender's tone and continued, "If we didn't have a first time offender with us today I wouldn't even bother going over the rules. Actually Ms. Simms, I have half a mind to seat you in the Cafeteria given the stunt you pulled in here. I'll be checking your bag before you leave."

The girl nodded and mumbled a "yes sir."

Vernon began heading to the doors, "Eight hours. No talking. No tomfoolery. No reading. No sleeping."

Before the door closed (it still hadn't been fixed) Bender yelled out a quick, "Sir yes sir!"

"Watch it, Bender!"

Laura Simms looked between the school's resident criminal and the library doors. Those two had history for sure, and she didn't want to be part of it. What on earth had she gotten herself into?

Before she could consider the answer to her own question her thoughts were interrupted.

"You new?"

Laura glanced back at the boy, older than her, yes, but he was in her grade.

"Uh, no."

"Haven't seen you around."

"I'm in your trig class." She explained, "and we have the same home room."

Bender raised an eyebrow, rocking back in his seat as he tilted his head, "No kidding? I figured I'd remember seeing you."

The girl merely shrugged, going for her bag and pulling out a book.

"You know the library is full of those right? You didn't have to bring your own." Bender teased, and without seeing him Laura knew he had a smirk plastered to his face.

She turned, and when her suspicions were confirmed, she raised an eyebrow in question, "Where do you think I got this one from?"

John Bender sat back, unwilling to admit that he was somewhat surprised at the allusion to her crime, and stayed silent.

Laura Simms didn't mind this one bit. Now she could read, even if she had some guy staring at her while she did.

Meanwhile, John was just trying to place her. Sure, she looked familiar, but he figured she just had one of those faces. How on earth had he not seen her? He sees everyone. And to have her in two classes?

Still, he found that he liked her no nonsense attitude, and the way she seemed to keep her nose in a book, instead of in everyone else's business.

He also found himself admiring her long, wavy head of hair the color of dark chocolate. He liked the sound of her voice and the curve of her waist. Too many girls at this school were too skinny for words.

If he had never seen her, the rest of the school probably hadn't payed her any mind either.

He imagined Claire glaring at him as he walked past her with Laura on his arm. He imagined her trying to apologize. The look on her face when she realized how easily she could be replaced.

John Bender was going to make sure this Simms girl was seen.

"What's your name anyway?" He questioned.

With an audible sigh she set down her book, turned around and met John Bender's stare with one he found himself almost wanting to look away from.

"My name's Laura, and unless you're going to say something interesting I'd appreciate it if you wouldn't say anything at all. I'm trying to read."