Claire Standish had changed a lot since that faithful Saturday that she had gotten detention with the four other people that had become so close to her. She wouldn't take back the decision to ditch the first period with Tracy and go shopping. That detention changed her life. Quite literally. She had found friends that were actually her friends and would stand up for her. That would call her out for her bullshit and even put her in her place. Not that she needed it very often. She had grown out of the spoilt brat attitude after the "group therapy" session during the detention.<br/><br/>She had another reason to really change. His name was John Bender. She chuckled at how much of an asshole he was when they first met. But like Claire, he was just playing a character for the most part. He wasn't as bad and as rough as people thought he was. John was scared and needed someone to love him. She wanted to be that person for him. No matter what that entailed.<br/><br/>She had tried to have a relationship with him multiple times after that detention, but he just kept giving her excuses. She didn't mind and she wasn't mad. She understood. She understood what he was feeling, especially with the prospect of the five of them having to spilt ways after graduation.<br/><br/>Brian had been accepted to many schools, even two ivy league ones. Yet, he seemed hesitant to go or accept. She felt that hesitancy herself. As much as she wanted to get away from Shermer, her parents, the people, she didn't want to leave the group. She didn't want to leave John. He had enough people give up on him and leave, she didn't want to be added to that list. She knew that was why he was keeping her at an arm's length. He was scared. He was scared that she was going to drop him and run away, leaving him lonely again.<br/><br/>The decision came to Claire in a large envelope. An acceptance letter and packet from Yale. She had forgotten that she had applied there. She didn't want to tell anyone, but if she didn't tell her parents something they would call. She would be forced to go then. She enlisted the help of Brian, under the threat that she would cut every bottom out of every single pair of pants he owned if he told anyone, to help her forge a rejection letter. He had done the same with his parents and accepted admission to the University of Chicago-Shermer. Claire did the same as well, getting her acceptance letter a week later. She acted sad around the group, showing the fake rejection letter and joking that she would have to follow Brian.<br/><br/>She was currently moving into her dorm across town from her parent's house. The University of Chicago-Shermer was not a bad school. The way her parents talked about it made it seem like she was going to prison. They had both tried to bribe her out of going to UCS but she wouldn't budge. At least she was on her own now, with her own little dorm apartment room and bath. She shared the common area and kitchen with three other girls.