The Next Saturday - John Bender

11.

John Bender had seen his father exactly once in the almost-week he had been living with Laura and Angela Simms. It had been yesterday when the women excitedly dragged him out of the house and to the mall to take him shopping for new clothes. His father had been at the mall, no doubt drunk. Bender didn't miss the shopping bags hanging from his arm, and he doubted seriously that his old man had paid for them himself. 

He had tried not to bring any attention to it. The girls were so excited, and he was honestly having an okay time too up until that point. He was even pretty sure Chuck Bender hadn't seen him. Besides, he was occupied trying not to blush at all the attention Angie and Laura were showering him with. This wasn't something he was used to. Ever.

Of course, Laura just had to notice when his mood seemed to shift, even though he recovered quickly. She looked over toward the food court, and, though she'd never met the man, she knew by John's reaction that she was staring at the man that had made his life hell. Quietly, and so discretely that even Angie wasn't aware that something was wrong, she pulled them toward the back of the store and out of sight, noting a nice pair of sneakers on the back wall.

She terrified him. Not like he was scared of crossing her...though he kinda was scared of her in that way too. It was what she was capable of doing to him. He was a man of control. He was a man of composure. He had a reputation, and when he was around her all it took was one knowing look from Laura Simms and his facade crumbled. She cared about him, genuinely. She wanted him to live a full and happy life and she was sincere about it. He knew it was unhealthy of him, but he was just waiting for her to change her mind, as he had been since he met her.

But she hadn't. 

Laura was doing things to him that he'd never experienced before. He'd get nervous around her sometimes, which was ridiculous because c'mon...it's Laura. He lived with the girl, for crying out loud. Still, sometimes when he'd walk into a room, she'd look up from whatever she was doing and smile at him like he was the best thing since sliced bread...like there was no one in the world she'd rather see. It made him feel like his heart would stop and he'd die happy, right then and there.

Right now, he was by himself, laying on his bed, staring up blankly at the ceiling. It was Friday afternoon. School had been much more bearable, he even found himself enjoying it...slightly. 

Tomorrow was Saturday. The pair of them had detention. Two more for Laura, six?..seven? more for him. Honestly, he'd lost count. 

He groaned. 

"Cramps?" Laura said from the doorway, one brow raised, and she had showered and changed into the clothes she slept in...loose, baggy pj pants and a tight nearly strapless tanktop tucked into them. He could have melted if he hadn't just been scared to death. Still, the little freckles on her shoulders that were peeking out from the lightly damp, tousseled waves of hair were taunting him. 

He cleared his throat, 

"Yup. You know how it is," he began, flashing her a smirk and patting his stomach, "cramps, mood swings, cravings, the whole nine."

She scoffed at him, rolling her eyes before coming to sit on the edge of the bed, "Seriously though, penny for your thoughts?"

"Detention," he said, raising himself up on his arm, "Lot's of them."

He could smell her now, clean. Like shampoo. It wasn't like she used the floral, fruity stuff he was used to girls using. She just smelled nice. Fresh.

His mouth could've watered.

What the hell was the matter with him?

"Maybe Vernon will get tired of you. Let you off early," she mused, "But then I guess he's as stubborn as you are. So maybe not."