chapter FIFTY TWO

Oh I wondered why I didn't get a good response on the last chapter. Am I losing this book?

(I updated coz I had a holiday :^))

Claire woke up with a start, in her own room, on her own bed, but confused about the lump right beside her.

Then it kicked in.

Adam was here.

It really fascinated her everytime that Adam snuck into her room at night just because he trusted her with his secret.

With no doubt, his dad was abusive as fuck.

Maybe he was insane too.

Her gaze fell on his bare tan skin and she moved the sheets away from him just a tad little but so she could get a better view.

She gritted her teeth, and brought her fingers to run on the bruised purple skin of his.

He didn't deserve this. Hell, no one deserved this shit.

She ran her fingers down the skin only for Adam to suddenly bold upright and grab his wrist with such alarming rate, that Claire started thinking as to what else had the boy been through to be so edgy.

Adam's grip on her wrist didn't go loose, but he surely did pull her towards himself.

Claire gulped, her eyes meeting his.

"Adam--"

"What were you doing?"

"Looking; you need to calm down." She whispered to him leaning in more and taking a good look at the cut on his lower lip and a slightly blue eye.

He took in a sharp breath.

Adam shifted his gaze from her face to their hands, noticing how rough the hold looked. He sighed, finally letting go.

Claire bit her lips and leaned back on the bed, looking at her wrists.

Adam stretched, half of him still under the sheets. He was also half naked, which gave Claire a full display of all his bruises on his chest and back.

"Adam, wanna.. wanna talk about it?"

"I don't think, Claire." He replied, his dark slightly long hair all over his face and tiny curls around his ear.

"You know what, your a grown ass man you can leave that house."

Adam chuckled.

"Don't think."

"You're old enough to choose, aren't you? You should go back to your mot-"

"Mother?" Adam chuckled harder. "She's a drunk old lady who is dying to live. She cannot hold my expenses. She won't be able to."

Claire shot a look at Adam, and rolled her eyes.

"Then go back to your grandmother."

Adam did a ninety degree head spin in span of a second as soon as those words left her mouth.

Claire's breath hitched. She shouldn't have said that.

A look of distraught flashed through Adam's face.

"..what the fuck did you say?" He spat.

".. Adam--" her heart beat sped up, fearing that she had upset him.

"They're the reason why I was on a house arrest for three whole disastrous days and you.. you have the..nerve." He shifted dangerously from where he was sitting, towards where she was.

She smirked.

"Yes. I had the nerve to bring it up." Her eyes darkened while leaning forward again. "I had it in me, but Adam, do you have it in you? Because, face it, Adam. You belong there and not here."

"I belong nowhere." He almost growled, his hands snaking to her neck slowly. "Nowhere." He repeated.

"Keep telling yourself this just because you wanna hide your fears."

"Don't." He warned.

"You'll lose this way. You'll become his pet one day."

"Claire-"

"You'll dance on his fingertips. If you don't make a move now, then.. then you'll be a puppet on his strings."

His lips ghosted over her's, gaze trained on her dark eyes.

"We agreed to not get on each other's throats." He grumbled.

"We agreed to no to do this too." She chuckled slyly. "It's been long, isn't it?"

"We ain't on that page anymore" He added.

"Those times when you used to beg for me."

"Those times when you used to be so impatient."

"You used to grab me, slam me."

"We were still friends, weren't we?"

"Still are. Just.. our friendship began with benefits."

They pulled away.

--------

Adam and Claire entered the school corridor together, an emotionless expression on their faces as if it was plastered.

It wasn't that unusual of a day for them. Except for... That huge crowd right in the middle.

Claire rolled her eyes at that, well knowing that it was just another dramatic fight taking place.

"Check it out." Adam mumbled, and Hailey popped out of nowhere behind them.

"Adam! Been long!" She chirped. "Where were you?

"Uh.." He hesitated. Nevertheless just shrugged and walked towards the crowd.

"Oh.. what's wrong with him?"

"I don't know." Claire shrugged too, and slammed her locker shut.

Suddenly the crowd broke, and someone stumbled out.

Claire squinted her eyes, not believing if it really was him.

Sean wiped his tears that rolled down his reddened face with the back of his hand and stumbled forward.

Claire watched as everyone laughed.

They laughed at him, as he ran past her, covering his beaten up face.

He ran straight to the men's washroom from where Lucas was just walking out.

"Hey, Sean!" He greeted but instantly frowned at the almost sobbing boy who didn't acknowledge him at all.

"Ha, that weak pathetic boy's hiding in the toilet now!"

Lucas' frown deepened even more.

Of course Nate was behind all of this. Of course Nate would accomplish bullying every single person here until they cried.

Of course, it was always Nate.

Nate Moore.

The two words made Lucas' stomach churn at how badly he had bullied everyone. (A/N I actually typed Bile rise but autocorrect decided it's "bike ride". I laughed for an hour yk. Jk I'll just go now)

He just realised.. Sean was a bully too.

Was this a bully to bully fight?

"Why are you blocking the way?" An annoyed voice spat at Lucas.

Lucas flinched, and looked up to see Adam standing there in his leather glory.

Lucas guessed that that's the only jacket Adam probably has. Because that's the only jacket he has seen him in. Oh except for that time in his hotel room.

Adam was in a towel and his abs were on display.

Lucas would die to gain a body of a Greek god. Oh and the tan skin too.

"..dude, do you not hear?" He asked again and Lucas choked, moving away.

"S-sorry." He bit his lips.

"Whatever." Adam rushed into the washroom.

After standing for few more minutes, just frowning, Lucas decided he should probably take a leave.

"Such a meanie." He mumbled to himself.