Chapter TWENTY FIVE

After that one museum, they were headed to many more artistic places. They all learned that, this day was dedicated to art, or atleast according to their coach, it was. They couldn't help but complain when they were lead to a library. A very old library.

There was something about art that seemed to appeal Lucas to no end. Claire even noticed that Lucas would feel the things around him with his extra soft looking hands and turn to look at Connor in delight. And as if Connor understood, he would jam his thumb up. Just the thought of art seemed to please Lucas.

Claire took a drag of the cigarette, and huffed out the smoke.

She has met a lot of people in her life time. Most of them never mattered, in her life. She couldn't be bothered to care enough for them.

They were like the cigarette butts. Ignored and forgotten. Sometimes, it gets too hard to forget, so she would frown and probably everyone in the town, that day, could sense the violent and cold-blooded aura from her.

Otherwise, she would just mind her goddamn business, and would make sure to deal with the ones poking their filthy noses in it. It was simple, really, leave her, her friends and her belongings alone, if they wanna see tomorrow.

"The boy had your camera.." Adam said, walking into the balcony of his room, where Claire currently stood, smoking.

"Kinda gave it to 'm." Claire mumbled, looking up at Adam.

It was like Adam never stopped growing after he hit puberty, he keeps getting taller, which annoys Claire because then, she would have to strain herself to even spare a glance at her best friend. And right now, sitting on a chair didn't help.

"Never seen you do that before." He commented, pulling out his own straw of cigarette.

"Now you have." She simply said.

One thing was for sure, Claire didn't care who she handed over her things to, but that person should be true-blue or well known. And she knew what Adam was thinking about- 'He doesn't even breathe around her, handing over the camera for the whole day was not even an option.'

On the contrary, she thought that at least she managed to take his breath away, and maybe that's why the poor guy doesn't seem to breathe around her. Simple as that.

"That one?" he asked, and Claire totally seemed to understand what he was talking about. So she nodded her head and took another drag from her cigarette.

She just knew he was emphasizing on the word 'that' which actually meant the camera, which she still didn't get it back.

"I don't...mind." She shrugged. He just looked away and leaned against the railings of the balcony.

"Seen Hailey?" He asked, lighting up the straw in his hand.

"Not since half past 6."

"Neither did I." He then mumbled, "Can't seem to find Sean too."

"Why Sean?" Claire spoke, not taking her eyes away from the view of the beach. It.. was an interesting place to stare at, in the evening. All the sunlight and shit. Not that she cared about it, she just happened to notice it.

"Room mate." He answered.

That's when Claire's ears perked up. Room mates?

"Sean as in Sean Wood?" She bemused.

"Yeah, the frail guy." He confirmed, slightly nodding his head. He watched Claire's face go from confused to close to rolling her eyes.

"Frail? You got it wrong. He'll take you down in one shot." She scoffed and diverted her gaze back to beach. Loud music was beaming from somewhere, which annoyed her, but she just concentrated on not burning her fingers with the lighten up straw.

Now it was Adam's turn to frown at her. It was as if he was labelled as 'weak' despite the half school fearing him. The statement put him off and he rolled his eyes hard.

"How come?" He asked, and Claire knew, she knew the tone Adam spoke in. She knew she had hit his nerve.

"The boy's in boxing. Barely can defeat him. Got moves like a fish." She stated, and the place fell into silence. "He won't fight you though. Got a feeling he won't stand up against you."

"Eh." Adam said. He wasn't in any mood to know about how his room mate-- who slept like a bear in his bed at night-- would beat him to shit. Adam was skinny and it didn't make it any better.

There was a knock on the door, and Adam was placing his straw on a table, Claire blowing out the smoke and throwing it into the trash can, before closing the door to the room, just in case the person was some teacher who was here to call them up on something. They loved taking risks, but right now, this looked like the appropriate thing to do.

Claire took a seat on the empty couch, and watched as Adam opened the door. He covered the view of whoever it was, so she didn't seem to give a fuxk. But her mind totally attempted a back flip when she was who was on the door.

Lucas? What was he doing here?

Adam invited him in quietly, and Lucas thanked just as softly. He bit his lips timidly, while holding the Polaroid Camera in his hands.

When his eyes met her's he gave an awkward smile, walking towards her, in front of the couch.

"Uh, I--I had forgotten to return the Polaroid.. And thank you." He said, forwarding his hand for Claire to take the camera. She did so, shooting a smirk at him. She made sure to touch his fingers, but it only made him withdraw his hand that fast.

But his ears turned a deep shade of rose.

And she hadn't even touched him the way she wanted to.

She saw Adam smile slightly and take a seat on the bed. He crossed his legs and leaned back, watching Lucas awkwardly look around.

"Will I have the privilege to see your snaps?" Claire asked, licking her lips.

"Anytime.." He let out a strained smile.

"How about now?" Claire clicked her tongue.

"Now..? But.." He gulped.

As much as Lucas would like to politely decline it, that much she hated the word 'no', and it was extremely inconvenient in his mind. He didn't wanna die, but he didn't wanna say yes too.

"But you said anytime. And I think I am actually unoccupied."

He shifted uncomfortably under her gaze, which made her smirk widen into an actual mischievous smile.

His room was a mess, because Connor and Hailey apparently had a fight.. and it definitely involved throwing things around. Only if he was there to stop them both. And when he came out of the bathroom, he thought the hotel room probably hit a tornado.

"I--"

"She's kidding." Adam interrupted, looking at the discomfort, and shuffled to stand up. He saw Lucas throw a small smile at him and he looked Claire, practically burning hell holes onto his face, which actually made him question his decisions.. "Uh, coke?" He offered.

"No, thank you." Lucas denied.

"Pepsi?" He asked, making it even more awkward.

"Er- no, it's okay, Im not thirsty."

"Uh huh." He nods and sits back down.

Claire swore that Adam was acting as if Lucas was a guest, and it made her roll her eyes.

Lucas turned around to look at Claire. "Have you seen Connor? He's not back yet."

"Not back yet..?"

Then, that moment, something wasn't right. There's Hailey, Sean and Connor, all of them who just disappeared? And the two bad asses in the room shared a glance, before swiftly getting up from their seats.

Lucas was lost, when the two of them grabbed their jackets and phones. He even saw Adam grabbing a pack of cigarettes and wanted to comment on how they are unhealthy, but he kept quiet, because, well, they can crush him into tiny pieces.

"We.. We're gonna search for Connor. Hailey and Sean are missing too." Adam explained, as Claire dialed Hailey, and when she didn't pick up, she grunted and threw the phone on the bed. The simple action startled Lucas, and he raised his eyebrows, following the both outside the room.

Claire was already walking away even before Adam had the time to lock the hotel room.

He blinked. He was really stuck now, wasn't he? But he wants to search for Connor too, so he might as well follow them.

It didn't quite help the fact that there were so many students walking around the lobby, dressed crazily and chattering loudly. Them being so excited, and a few of them being tipsy explained exactly where Hailey, Connor and Sean could be found.

"Um, is this a convention or something?" Lucas asked, his eyes scanning the crowded place.

"Conv-- I don't even know what that means, but no." Claire simply replied.

"This seems like a party." Adam concluded.

"Here?" Lucas asked.

"Yep, here. Standing around and talking here is a party, of course. They seem quite happy with partying in the lobby." Claire retorded sarcastically, making Adam let out a scoff.

Looking at the bewildered buy, Adam sighed, answering the question. "Obviously, not. But the party seems close to the hotel and Maybe we can find all the three fucking morons there."

Lucas just nodded, ignoring the curse and just being thankful to Adam for being a nice person. Unlike Claire.

Claire led the way, out the hotel, stopping for a minute to see where everyone were headed to. If anyone would attend parties, then Hailey would definitely be one of them. And as Connor was pretty much hanging out with Hailey from yesterday, they might be in there together. The trouble these two idiots bring, is unbearable.

"Well seems like a Connor's place." Lucas quietly commented when they saw a very huge crowd of hormonal teenagers dancing away, drinking and playing games right in the shore.

It was windy, but the atmosphere of the party was really warm and sweaty. This was disapproving to Lucas, yet he had to enter the crowd.

Hailey pretty much stumbled in front of them, Connor trailing behind.. They giggled and laughed before greeting their friends. It was something really new to Lucas to see his friend drunk. He had never been to a party before and that's why Connor ended up going alone every time.

"Fuck, they're wasted." Claire sighed.

But then, they were already in a party.

And party means.. fun.

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GUYSSSSSSSSS

25k?!?! YOU'VE GOTTA BE KIDDING

IT's ALMOST ONE IN THE MORNING AND I BOTHERED MYSELF TO WRITE THIS SHIT OUT. (I made it as long as I can..lmao)

and vote for a nice choice of ship name to be considered as an official one XD :

Luclaire

ClaLu

Clucs

Lucaire

Claicus

Clairus

thoughts??????

vote comment and love!!!!!!!!!! :)