The Good Boy's Facade

5(part 2)

H I

I u p d a t e d

Hailey's phone buzzed in her hands, and she instantly knew what it was. Because the next thing everyone noticed was, that, she was skipping to open the door, where, a man in white suit and black turtle neck was patiently waiting.

One glance, and Claire knew who it was.

"Fuck, that's Connor?" Adam whispered to himself.

Not a lot of changes were seen in the said person, but the boy he once was, was now a man, bearing white collar. Claire didn't quite keep tabs on business, but often would see articles related. She always wondered whether in 7 years, a person could grow seven personalities.

Connor was sweet, yet held an aggressive way of talking in interviews. He never once lied, yet never once spoke to the point. And whenever he snapped, it would mean the end of the interviewer's career.

Maybe a little too combative for a happy go lucky guy, Claire thought.

Connor stopped on his tracks the moment his eyes met Claire's and Adam's, and something about that expression that washed over his face didn't seem all that right.

"You didn't tell me we had guests over." Connor pursed his lips. Was he talking about the two of them sitting there just staring? Obviously, there wants anyone in sight. And so was he talking to Hailey and no one else.

Adam shared a look with Claire which clearly meant "this wasn't gonna end well." And boy, could she feel it in her bones.

Hailey paused for a second before rolling her eyes, "Quit it, Con. They're here to help."

"No we don't need help." He whispered, which was also audible in the silence that had settled down on them.

Why would she still want to stay here? After being called unwanted, she saw no reason to stay. So she gritted her teeth, and listened on.

"Connor, shut up, stop being a kid."

"Kids run, but I didn't run away. So It's not me who's immature here."

And she saw it coming, the bitterness in his voice and the way he didn't even want to look at them again after the first time.

Claire tucked her bag back on her shoulders and stood up.

"Next time you ask me to come over, make sure I'm really needed. My time is precious to waste on hearing such bullshit." Claire grumbled, and as soon as those words were out, Adam's eyes widened and he instantly got onto his feet to face Claire.

"Claire, cALM." He tried, before getting flipped off and walking away from him.

"I'm gonna go back to the car to have a smoke meet me soon." She informed, and walked past Connor, eyes rolling so hard that she almost saw her own brain.

"Claire-" Hailey called out, "Come back, we'll sort this out."

"There's nothing better than living with a billion dollar business man. Take the offer." She muttered, before heading straight out of the house and walking all the way to the car only to pull out her pack of smokes and drag one out. She lit it up while leaning against the car, eyes glaring at there mansion, eyebrows furrowed.

She closed her eyes for a second, trying to ease out.

Claire didn't know why she even agreed to come here in the first place. Yes, yes she ran away, she was immature and she literally left everyone and everything behind. But it was for their own good, no matter how long she would get blamed for it.

Her phone buzzed in her pocket, and she groaned.

She didn't want to look at it. She hated the fact that Adam never obliged to leave her alone at times. And this was one of the times she was talking about.

A: Claire, don't you ever walk out on me again.

She almost threw the phone at the compound walls after reading it, before he texted again.

A: why couldn't you take me with you? What am I supposed to do here?

She sighed, taking a huge drag of the smoke until she could feel it burn her lungs.