Title: The Second Step
Fandom: The Breakfast Club
Rating: G
Length: 390 words
Content notes: None
Summary: Monday morning, Allison and Claire see each other in the hall


Allison closed her locker and started at the sight of Claire leaning behind the door. "Hello, Allison," she said quietly.

Allison nodded - she wasn't comfortable speaking in such a large crowd yet.

"I wanted to ask, have you studied for the English test on Wednesday yet? Thanks to wasting my whole Saturday in detention I'm way behind."

Allison's gaze darted around the hallway. There were people here: people from Claire and Andrew's clique. People who would know that they had talked, and who would put that black mark beside Claire's name forever. It would be better for both of them if she simply didn't respond.

But part of her wanted to. Part of her wanted to continue that fragile connection they had formed two days ago. It had been painful, to call Claire out on whether or not their friendship would continue past the weekend, and though Allison had gotten the answer she expected at the time, it had hurt. And now, here was Claire, going against her own words and extending a tentative hand to Allison. And against all her common sense, Allison wanted to take it, because the preppy girl was trying.

It was that thought that made her cave. Very quietly, almost lost in the general hallway noise, she asked, "where?"

Claire grinned. "I was thinking here, but I'm sick of the library, so maybe at my house?"

Allison's eyes widened even more at that. Although, in some ways, it made more sense: fewer witnesses. "Okay."

"Great!" Claire's smile lit up her whole face. "I'll see you at 6 then, unless you want to come for dinner, in which case I'll see you at 5."

Allison eyed her: could the other girl know? No, she was probably just guessing after the hints she had dropped on Saturday. "5 then," she replied.

"Great!" Claire turned and walked back down the halls, projecting the same confident, prom queen picture she always did. But deep down, Alison knew, something had changed. It wasn't a huge change, but it was a start. No, this weekend had been the start. Today was the second step. And one more step at a time was all they needed.

Allison turned and walked towards her next class. But, for the first time in months, she walked there with a small smile on her face.