doll ; john bender

three

part three
loose screws

"Look, you guys keep up your talking and Vernon's gonna come right in here." Andrew said, looking at the door in worry.

"Awh, is Andy scared?" Marley asked in a baby voice with a pout on her face.

"I got a meet next Saturday. I'm not going to miss it on account of you boneheads."

"Wouldn't that be a bite, missing a whole wrestling meet." Bender mocked, causing Marley to laugh.

"You wouldn't know anything about it faggot. You never competed in your whole life."

"I know. I feel all empty inside because of it." Bender said, fake crying. "I have such a deep admiration for guys who roll around with other guys."

"You'd never miss it. You don't have any goals." Andrew dismissed his insult.

"Yeah? What are you're goals? Kiss dad's ass for the rest of your life." Marley snorted at her own comment.

"Shut up!" He shouted at her, causing her to recoil into Bender slightly, feeling comforted by the feeling of his abdomen against her back and his hands wrapped around her waist.

"Oh but I do have goals. I want to be just like you. I figure all I need's a lobotomy and some tights." Marley laughed at Bender's comment, causing the boy behind her to squeeze her waist.

"You wear tights?" Brian asked, a small smile on his face.

"No, I don't wear tights. I wear the required uniform."

"Which is tights." Marley stated, looking at Brian, who smiled at her in response.

Andrew slammed his hands against the desk and stood up. "Shut up, Marlow!" He screamed, making Marley feel as though she was shrinking down by his glare. The girl only nodded, muttering a quiet apology and moving to sit at her desk to continue painting, willing the tears that had glossed her eyes over to retreat, she didn't need to cry in front of all these people.

"Hey! Don't shout at her!" Bender shouted in the jocks direction, but before he could say anymore, they heard Vernon leaving his office, causing Bender to run and sit in between the two populars. Once he heard that Vernon was going down the hall he moved towards the door.

"There's not supposed to be any monkey business." Brian told Bender.

"Young man, have you finished your paper?" Bender asked in a deep voice, causing Marley to giggle which, in turn, made a smile grace Bender's features.

"Bender don't screw around." Andrew complained.

"What are you gonna do?" Claire asked.

"Drop dead, I hope." Andrew muttered causing Marley to scowl.

John took the screw from the door, causing it to slam shut as he came back to sit next to Marley, holding out the screw to her, "hide this for me, doll." The girl nodded, placing it in the front pocket of her dungarees. "Also," Bender came in close before whispering in her ear, "I love the knee high socks. Would prefer if there wasn't anything else you were wearing though." Marley felt her face heat up again and decided to put all her attention into her second coat of paint on the rainbow.

Everyone in the room was shouting at Bender to put back the screw, gaining the attention of Vernon.

"Why is that door closed?" He shouted, soon repeating himself when he got no answer.

"How are we supposed to know? We're not supposed to move." Bender asked.

"Why?" He demanded, looking at Claire.

"We're just sitting here, like we're supposed to." Claire lied, much to Marley's relief.

"Who closed that door?" He asked again, looking at Brian, who took a long time to reply.

"I think a screw fell out of it." Bender states, saving Brian.

"It just closed, sir." Andrew told the teacher.

"Who?" He asked Allison, who squealed and slammed her head on the desk.

"She doesn't speak, sir." Marley informed the teacher.

"Give me that screw." He ordered Bender.

"I don't have it." He told the man, truthfully.

"Alright, where is it Miss Clark."

"What makes you think I have it? I've just been sat here painting my board."

"You tell me where it is, Marlow, right now." He demanded. "What, you want me to shake it out of you?" He asked, grabbing onto her shoulder roughly.

"Ooh, rough, just the way I like it." Marley joked, her words and tone a sharp contrast from the slight fear in her eyes.

"She doesn't have it. Screws fall out. The worlds an imperfect place." Bender told the teacher grabbing onto Marley's waist and pulling her away from him.

"Give it to me, Bender."

"Excuse me, sir, why would anybody wanna steal a screw? Claire asked.

"Watch it young lady." He barked at Claire. Marley sent her a grateful look, only receiving a scowl.

Vernon goes over to the door.  He tries to hold it open by putting a folding chair in front of it.

"The door's way too heavy, sir." Bender informed the man, who didn't listen.

The door slams shut despite the chair. "God damnit!" Vernon curses, causing John and Marley to laugh.

After opening the door again, Vernon comes back in "Andrew Clark...get up here. Come on, front and center, let's go."

Andrew gets up and walks over to Vernon "Hey, how come Andrew gets to get up?" Marley whined.

"If he gets up, we'll all get up, it'll be anarchy!" Bender added, placing his hand on Marley's thigh and rubbing his thumb up and down on it.

Vernon and Andrew attempt to move the steel magazine rack in front of the door, which ends up blocking the doorway

"That's very clever sir, but what if there's a fire?" Bender asks.

"I think violating fire codes and endangering the lives of children would be unwise at this juncture in your career, sir." Marley informed the man.

Vernon thinks about it. He turns to Andrew "Alright, what are you doing with this? Get this outta here for God's sake! What's the matter with you! Come on!" He scolded the boy.

"You know the school comes equipped with fire exits at either end of the library." Brian informs Bender

Brian points at either end of the library and Bender glares at him. "Show Dick some respect!" Bender tells Brian.

Andrew and Vernon come back into the main section of the library. "I expected more from a varsity letterman."

"Well, sir, if I may, you did tell Andrew to put the magazine rack in the way so, really, you're the one at fault." She wasn't really sure why she was sticking up for Andrew.

"That's another detention for you, missy."

"Wow, you really just want to keep seeing me, huh?"

"That's another." He shouted at her.

"See you then, sweet cheeks."