Alive & Kicking (Stay Until Your Love Is)

6

 "What is this, Dweebie?" Bender demanded, as the four of them followed Brian down towards the harbour.

"I told you, it's a surprise," Brian called, over his shoulder.

"I hate surprises," Claire sighed, more to herself than anybody else – she was keeping step with Brian, presumably because it beat walking alongside Bender.

"Sorry to inconvenience you Princess, Florida's that-a-way," Bender spat.

"Knock it off, asshole. I'm not listening to you two bitch at each other all day," Andy warned from the back of the group, where he and Allison were trailing in relative silence.

Brian stopped at the edge of the wooden jetty, grinning expectantly as he turned to face them.

"What am I lookin' at? Let me guess, we're all gonna take a running jump off this fuckin' dock and drown ourselves?" Bender asked, deadpan.

"Obviously not," he rolled his eyes, gesturing to the boat moored at the end of the jetty. "I hired it!"

The four of them stared at him, mouths hanging open.

"Why, man?" Andy asked, after a pause.

Brian shrugged. "I figured we could all do with some fun, y'know? I just thought we could use some quality time together."

"Well, I get seasick..." Claire said reluctantly, prompting an eye-roll from Bender.

"We're not going out to sea," he reasoned. "We're just having lunch on the boat."

"Alright!" Andy cheered, won over and earning himself a glare from the others. "What? Bri's hired it, guys. It'd be rude not to."

With that, he took off down the jetty, Claire and Allison in cautious pursuit.

Brian turned back to Bender. "So, are you gonna join us?"

"I dunno, Dork. I've got some pins that I reckon I'd rather stick in my eyes," he said, flatly.

Brian chuckled nervously. "That's okay John, you can do it on the boat!"

=o=o=o=o=

"Do you ever stop eating?" Claire sighed, as Andy put another sandwich in his mouth.

"What's your problem? I'm hungry," he shrugged.

Jumping up onto the upper deck and lighting a cigarette, Bender made himself comfortable.

"She a mute again?" he asked gesturing to Allison, who was standing at the other end of the boat, leaning over the railing.

Andy shrugged again, though the concerned glance he threw his girlfriend told them that her withdrawal hadn't gone unnoticed.

"What do you expect? You were a jerk to her yesterday," Claire told Bender.

"Don't turn this on me, Cherry. We both know she was outta line," he said.

"Yeah? Well you're a jerk all of the time," she snapped.

"Uh, guys... come on..." Brian began. "This is supposed to be a nice thing, y'know?"

"Perhaps I got a reason to be a jerk, you ever thought of that?!" he cried, nostrils flaring. "We're not all livin' the life in the Sunshine State with Daddy's credit card Claire! Some of us have real lives with real problems!"

"Oh yeah I forgot I don't have any problems!" Claire cried, folding her arms.

"Here come the tears," Bender commented, eyes still on her. "You're pathetic."

But the tears didn't come.

Instead, Claire closed the space between them and laid into him with her purse, giving him several hard smacks over the head.

Caught off guard, Bender stumbled backwards, bringing his arms up to protect his face.

"You've lost it you crazy bitch!" he cried, as Andy jumped in to restrain Claire.

"I lost it the day I first decided to have anything to do with you!" Claire cried, making a couple of attempts to break free of Andy's grasp before giving up. "I'm not the same girl I was in high school John, and I am not gonna let you speak to me like shit anymore!"

From the other side of the deck, Allison emitted an impatient squeak, but none of them paid attention.

"Well you don't have to stick around, Princess! You can get outta here any time you're ready," Bender said, standing up straight and tossing his hair from his face.

"Yeah, not so sure about that..." Andy muttered. His attention had been averted now and he was looking back in the direction of the jetty.

For a moment, Bender and Claire had no idea what the problem was but eventually, it registered with them.

The boat was moving – they were already several metres away from the land.

Slowly, they all turned to look at Brian, who gave them an apprehensive smile.

All but Allison, who gave up on the sandwich she was eating and tossed it into the sea.

=o=o=o=o=