𝙼𝚞𝚜𝚒𝚌 𝚃𝚘 𝙼𝚢 𝙴𝚊𝚛𝚜 - 𝙹𝚘𝚑𝚗 𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚍𝚎𝚛

𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚝𝚎𝚗

"I can write with my toes." Allison cut in, hoping to break the argument up even more. Everyone turned toward her. "I can also eat, brush my teeth-"

"With your feet?" Claire asked in disgust.

"-Play 'Heart and Soul' on the piano." Allison finished, ignoring Claire.

"I can make spaghetti." Brian added.

"What can you do?" Claire asked Andrew.

"I can, uh, tape all your buns together." Andrew joked, making the group snicker.

"What can you do, sweet-cheeks?" Bender asked, looking down at the girl in his lap. Alex's eyes widened.

"I, uh..."

"You like music, you play anything? Sing good?" Andrew suggested.

"I can play the piano... a little guitar... and I guess I can sing." Alex replied quietly. Bender smiled and they all nodded in satisfaction.

"You play piano with your..." Andrew trailed off awkwardly, gesturing to Alex's hands. She cringed inwardly and Bender wrapped his arm around her waist comfortingly. Alex nodded anyways, causing the rest of the group to sit in silence for a moment.

"Sing somethin'." Brian said suddenly. Alex thought for a moment before picking a song her mother used to sing her to sleep with. She opened her mouth and let the soft notes slip past her lips, filling the baited silence with music. The group watched and listened quietly until she finished, blushing a bit.

"That was really good." Claire said, smiling. Alex flushed further.

"That was beautiful." Bender whispered in her ear, barely audible. She was sure her face was bright red at this point.

"W-What can you do, Claire?" Alex asked, trying to shift the attention away from herself.

"I can't do anything." She replied.

"Now, everybody can do something." Bender assured.

"There's one thing I can do. You have to swear to god you won't laugh." Claire thought aloud, before pulling a tube of lipstick out of her purse. She put it in her cleavage and without using her hands, tilted her lips down to the lipstick. After a moment, she lifted her head to reveal the perfect application. Alex was mildly impressed.

"Alright! That was great!" Andrew praised. "Where'd you learn to do that?"

"Camp. Seventh grade." Claire answered, smiling. Bender was clapping slowly, almost sarcastically.

"That was great, Claire. My image of you is totally blown." He stated.

"What the hell, John?" Alex asked, turning around to face him.

"You're a shit. Don't do that to her. You swore to god you wouldn't laugh." Allison said, scowling. Bender turned to her, maintaining his straight face.

"Am I laughing?" He asked.

"You fucking prick!" Andrew snapped.

"What do you care what I think anyway? I don't even count, right? I could disappear forever and it wouldn't make any difference. I may as well not even exist at this school, remember? And you, don't like me anyways." Bender stated, turning back to Claire.

"You know, I have just as many feelings as you do and it hurts just as much when somebody steps all over them." Claire said quietly, holding back her tears.

"God, you're so pathetic. Don't you ever, ever compare yourself to me, okay?" Bender replied. "You got everything, and I got shit. Fucking Rapunzel, right? School would probably shut down if you didn't show up. Queenie isn't here! I like those earrings, Claire."