//

Then, Carl, the janitor came into the library.

"Brian, how you doing?" Carl asks him.

"Your dad works here?" John asked Brian.

Brian looked extremely embarrassed. I decided to help him out so he won't be.

I smile brightly at Carl. "Hi Carl, how's your day going?"

I wink at Brian before looking at John from my seat and smirk as he gives me a look.

Believe it or not, Carl was actually really nice to me because he understands my home life

somehow.

"Margo, good to see you. My day's going just fine. How's Nancy?" he asks.

My smirk drops at him bringing up Nancy in front of everyone. Nancy is my little sister I told you about. I can't blame him, he is one of the only people (besides Vernon) who knows I brought Nancy to detention.

I brought her because my mom was working, Prick was drinking heavily and I had detention on

Saturday so there was no way I was leaving Nancy at the house with that bastard. Surprisingly, Vernon let her stay while I served my detention, which was fun since I had Nancy who kept me entertained. Brian got to meet her that day too. He forgot his class notes in the library, coincidentally which were by the checkout area and saw Nancy.

Man! He was really surprised when he saw Nancy and asked a lot of questions. I just told him

he was my sister and no one was at my house to take care of her.

"Who's Nancy, M?" John asked, getting me to turn around.

"No one," I tell him.

John looks at me with a certain look in his eye before turning to Carl. He was going to ask me later, I assumed.

"Uh, Carl?" he called.

"What?"

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Sure."

"How does one become a janitor?"

Shit. I feel like he is about to start something.

"You wanna be a janitor?" Carl asked.

"No, I just wanna know how one becomes a janitor because Andrew here, is very interested in pursuing a career in the custodial arts."

Called it!

"Oh, really? You guys think I'm just some untouchable peasant? Peon? Huh? Maybe so, but following a broom around after shitheads like you for the past eight years I've learned a couple of things. I look through your letters, I look through your lockers. I listen to your conversations, you don't know that but I do. I am the eyes and ears of this institution my friends." Fine by me. I've got nothing to hide from Carl. "By the way..." he starts. Oh, God! Please don't say it, Carl! "That clock's twenty minutes fast," he states before leaving the room.

We all groan as Andy says, "Shit!"

***

It had gotten more boring since Carl did that.

John started whistling making the quiet leave a little bit. I thought about it before I joined in too.

Soon enough everyone joined in, even Allison. We stopped when Vernon came in while John began to whistle Beethoven's 5th.

"Alright girls, that's thirty minutes for lunch," he announced.

"Here?" Andy asked.

"Here."

"Well, I think the cafeteria would be a more suitable place for us to eat lunch in, sir."

Thank you, Andy.

"Well, I don't care what you think, Andrew!"

Well...you tried.

"Uh, Dick? Excuse me, Rich. Will milk be made available to us?" John questioned.

We're extremely thirsty sir," Andy pushed.

"Very quenched," I added.

I have a very low tolerance for dehydration," Claire inputted.

I've seen her dehydrate sir, it's pretty gross."

John stood up. "Relax, me and Margo will get it. Right, M?"

I stood up too. "Oh yeah, John. We will."

"Ah, ah, ah grab some wood there, bub!" Vernon stopped us.

I grinned with John as we sat down in our seats.

"What do you think, I was born yesterday? You think I'm gonna have you and her roaming these halls together?" he said, pointing to me.

He points at Andy. "You!" then points to Allison. "And you! Hey! What's her name? Wake her! Wake her up! Come on, on your feet missy. Let's go! This is no rest home."

Allison got up.

"There's a soft drink machine in the teacher's lounge. Let's go," he told Andy and Allison before they both walked out and Vernon does shortly.

***

We all were waiting around for Andy and Allison to get back with our drinks.

I was stood next to Claire at the statue, leaning against it and folding my arms over my chest whilst looking around the room, completely bored out of my mind.

"Claire, you wanna see a picture of a guy with elephantiasis of the nuts? It's pretty tasty," John spoke up.

"No thank you," Claire answered.

"How do you think he rides a bike?"

Claire rolls her eyes and turns away in disgust.

"Oh, Claire, would you ever consider dating a guy like this?" John continued.

"Can't you just leave me alone?"

"I mean if he had a great personality and was a good dancer and had a cool car. Although you'd probably have to ride in the backseat 'cause his nuts would ride shotgun."

I was getting kind of annoyed. "Really, John?" I utter.

He just shrugged at me as Claire turned to me.

"You know what I wish I was doing?" she asks me.

"Oh, watch what you say, Brian here is a cherry."

"A cherry?" Brian questions.

I ignore them and ask Claire. "What?"

"I wish I was on a plane to France."

I laugh, remembering her telling me that in 5th grade.

"That sounds nice, I would want to go to Hawaii. Just to see the sun every day," I tell her.

"I know. I remember when we were younger, we told each other about our dream vacations."

She remembered and I couldn't help, but smile that she did.

"You said you wanted to go to Hawaii so you would never deal with cold weather and so you could swim all year long," Claire continued.

"I'm really surprised you remember that," I replied.

"Of course I remember. You were my first friend. We told each other everything."

Just as I was about to say something else John announced: "Oh, you and Claire, did it?" We both turned to the boys.

"What are you talking about?" Claire demanded.

"Uh, nothing, nothing. Let's just drop it okay," Brian said looking back at Bender, "we'll talk about it later."

"No, drop what? What are you talking about?" Claire insisted.

"What do you got to hide, B?" I teased Brian but he looked away from me.

"Well, Brian was just telling me that in addition to the number of girls in the Niagara Falls area, that presently you and he are riding the hobby horse," John said.

Claire's face dropped and she stared at Brian in shock.

"You little pig!" She cried and Brian nearly fell off the banister.

"No, I'm not!" He exclaimed, "John said I was a cherry and I said I wasn't! That's it! That's all I said!"

I don't believe it. I highly doubt Brian would say something like that.

"Then, what were you motioning to Claire for?" He asked, faking innocence.

"You know, I don't appreciate this very much, Brian," Claire said.

"He is lying!" Brian said, pointing an accusing finger at John.

"Oh, so you talking about Margo then? Are you two doing it?" He insisted.

"John!" I yell.

"You know he's lying, right?" Brian practically begged, looking at me.

"Yes, I-"

John cut me off. "Were you, or were you not, motioning to them?" Bender asked one more time.

"Yeah, but it was only-" He stopped, glancing up at me. "It was only because I didn't want them to know that I was a virgin, okay? Well, excuse me for being a virgin, I'm sorry." He spat.

Why didn't you want us to know that you were a virgin?" Claire asked with a smile.

"Because it's personal business! It's my own, personal private business."

"Well Brian," Bender said, "It doesn't sound like you're doing any business."

I glare at John before smiling at Brian. "I think it's fine for a guy to be a virgin."

Brian sat up. "Really?" He asked.

"I think so too," Claire said. "There's nothing wrong with it."

"You do?"

I just smile and nod at him.

Only seconds later, Allison and Andy came back in with the drinks, setting them down at the front table and quickly returning to their seats.

I pull my hair up in a scrunchie, I and John watch Claire began to take her lunch out of a small shopping bag.

"What's in there?" John asked.

I got up and walked to Claire's table to get me a soda.

"Guess, where's your lunch?" Claire responded.

As I reached for the soda, John watched my every move and said, "Margo's wearing it."

I roll my eyes as I head back to my table. "You're disgusting."

"You're nauseating," Claire said.

John grabs a Coke and tosses it over to Allison who catches it without even looking up. John then watches Claire set up her lunch while I get out my sketchbook.

"What's that?" John asked.

"Sushi," Claire answered and my mouth watered when I heard that.

"Sushi?"

"Rice, uh, raw fish and seaweed."

It really sounded disgusting but it truly was delicious. John cringed at the details though.

"You won't accept a guys tongue in your mouth and you're gonna eat that?" John insulted.

"Can I eat?"

"I don't know...give it a try."

We now watch Andrew take a couple of sandwiches out of his bag, a bag of potato chips, an apple, a banana, a bag of cookies and a carton of milk.

"What's your problem?" Andy asked John once he noticed the staring.

John walked over to my table and sat next to me. "So, what is Margo Matthew's lunch today?"

I place my sketchbook down and look at him. "Nothing. I didn't bring anything."

"Why is that?" he asked, leaning on the table.

"I didn't have time and there isn't much at home," I say.

We both turn to Allison who was opening some pixie stix and pours the sugar on the sandwich and then puts Cap'n Crunch on top of that. She crushes the sandwich together and loudly eats it.

I felt a nudge on my shoulder and turn to see Andy. "Are you sure you're not hungry?"

I nod, but my stomach growls loudly as soon as I do.

Andy grabs his apple and hands it to me. I smile and nod wordlessly in gratefulness before biting into the apple. I only notice John had left and gone to Brian's table and took Brian's lunch.

"What're we having?" he asked.

"Uh, it's your standard, regular lunch I guess," Brian says.

John reaches in the bag and pulls out a thermos. He sets it on the table and points at it.

"Milk?" John questioned.

"Soup."

John goes in again and pulls out a juice box. Brian reaches toward the bag but, John slaps his hand.

"That's apple juice," Brian states.

"I can read! PB & J with the crusts cut off. Well, Brian, this is a very nutritious lunch, all the food groups are represented. Did your mom marry Mr. Rogers?"

"Uh, no, Mr. Johnson," Brain says clearly not getting John's joke.

"Ahhh...." John says before standing up. "Here's my impression of life at Big Bri's house..."

Bold = Dad

Italicized = Brian

Underlined = Mom

"Son!"

"Yeah, Dad?"

I started laughing at John's impression of Brian.

"How's your day, pal?"

"Great Dad, how's yours?"

"Super, say, son, how'd you like to go fishing this weekend?"

"Great Dad, but I've got homework to do!"

"That's alright son, you can do it, on the boat!"

"Geee!!!"

"Dear, isn't our son swell?"

"Yes Dear, isn't life swell?"

John mimes mother kissing father and then father kissing mother and then father punching a mother in the face. Suddenly it's not so funny anymore.

"Alright, what about your family?" Andy asked.

"Oh, mine? That's real easy!" John says in his normal voice.

John stood again and points forward.

Bold = Dad

Italicized = John

Underlined = Mom

"Stupid, worthless, no good, God damned, freeloading, son of a bitch, retarded, bigmouth, know it all, asshole, jerk!"

"You forgot ugly, lazy and disrespectful."

John slams his hand back to slap his invisible mother.

"Shut up bitch! Go fix me a turkey pot pie!"

"What about you Dad?"

"Fuck you."

"No, Dad, what about you?"

"Fuck you!"

"NO, DAD, WHAT ABOUT YOU?!"

"FUCK YOU!"

He reaches out and pretends he's his father hitting him.

I was biting my tongue in anger. I'll fucking kill those bastards for even thinking that way about John. I couldn't help, but get hit by déjà vu, only John doesn't have to worry about trying to keep a little sister safe.

"Is that for real?"

"You wanna come over sometime?" John says in anger.

"That's bullshit. It's all part of your image, I don't believe a word of it," Andy says.

My head snaps over to him. "What the hell, Andy?"

I knew when someone lies about their home life and for a fact, John wasn't lying.

Jon actually looks hurt.

"You don't believe me?" John asked him.

"No."

"No?"

"Did I stutter?"

John came over to Andy and rolls up his right sleeve to reveal a circular shaped burn. I knew it. I have similar scars and burns on my arms too.

"Do you believe this?" John asked. "Huh? It's about the size of a cigar. Do I stutter? You see, this is what you get in my house when you spill paint in the garage."John began to walk away. "See I don't think that I need to sit here with you fuckin' dildos anymore!"

John walked over to a map table and throws all the maps on the floor. He climbs up on top of the table and then up to the second-floor balcony.

"You shouldn't have said that!" Claire yelled at Andy.

"How would I know, I mean he lies about everything anyway!" Andy says.

I stand up. "Well maybe, you fuckin' assholes shouldn't judge people like me or John in the damn first place!"

"People like you or John?" Claire asked.

I stomped up to her and pulled up my left sleeve to show her a recently large bruise up my left bicep. Her eyes widened in horror.

"Last week, my step-dad hit me in the arm with a baseball bat for playing my music too loud while my mom drowned herself in booze," I hiss before pulling my sleeve down. "Now you know why I always wanted to go your house for sleepovers," I mutter, but she heard me.

Without saying anything else, I went up to where John was. He looked almost peaceful with his eyes closed and head against the railing.

I sit down next to him, at the sound of my movements he looks at me.

I pull up my left sleeve again to show my bruise, John's eyes scanned over every inch of it.

"My step-dad did this with a bat because my music was too loud," I tell him. "He said I even told anyone he'd kill me and Nancy."

"You never answered my question earlier," he told me.

"Nancy is my little sister. She's only a year old," I explain. "I'm afraid that he'll do something to her every time I leave the house. I had a plan. Leave this place, take Nancy with me and I'd take care of her."

"Hey," he said. "Maybe I could go with you guys."

I smile and lean my head on his arm. "Just maybe, John."