The Good Boy's Facade

10 (part one)

All of what Claire had, secured in his closed fists, was slowly slipping away through loopholes. She sure as hell wanted to never meet Lucas again, and it worked for 8 whole years.

She took time to breathe, to heal, to move on.

And she took time to admire him from afar, through little articles and newspaper headlines, but she never read them.

It was New year, and dressed heavily, She stood in the ocean of crowded students in the school's football field, the chatter and loud music keeping everyone going. They were waiting for the count down.

Claire was lost. She was lost from her group, and she had no chance of finding any familiar face here.

She breathed through the cold, hands in her coat pockets to keep them warm.

Gosh, the way she wanted to go back home and get under her covers. The urge she would get, wanting her to leave this place behind, forget all of it, and start new.

She wanted to leave and never come back.

Not to him.

And the counting began, "10!"

The students cheered and hollered in glee, the music turning down as everyone stared up at the sky.

"9!"

9 seconds close to a new year, and a day close to leaving this place.

____

"Can I buy you coffee? Since it's my fault, I wasn't looking where I was off to." Lucas smiled, "and you seem to have spilled-"

"No, it's alright. It's okay, I wasn't going to drink anyway." She refused, hands drawing to her pockets on her jacket, to hide her shaking hands.

Lucas clicked his tongue. "What a shame. Lemme make it up to you by inviting you to a formal event tonight, at my place. I'm sure Adam must have informed you..." and he trailed off.

She licked her lips awkwardly, looking around. "Um, yeah. He did. I might now show up— I mean, I'm kinda running busy on work today."

Such bullshit spurting through her mouth sounded not very genuine. So a small chuckle left his throat, immediately quietening down with an amused look in his face.

"Work, I see. We're very well grown into money." And he smiles softly, lips stretching but as soon as he was about to utter another word, his phone buzzed, and his smile faltered just a little. "Looks like my duty calls."

"Please go ahead." She nodded.

"I will," he looked at her, "I will catch up to you later, Claire. Hopefully, a delightful conversation."

There was something in his eyes that scared her.

He took a step back, moved away from facing her and walked past. He walked past, before glancing at her again, his legs picking up pace and taking long steps.

She breathed out heavily, and her first move was to dispose her empty coffee cup in the nearby trash bin, and, "Claire? Was that Lucas?"

And she groaned for the second time that day, totally forgetting how Adam was still on the other side of the phone, listening to every single word of their little accidental meet. She tucked in her ear plugs right, and nodded. She nodded, as an answer, but immediately slapped her own forehead before realising Adam couldn't exactly see her.

"Yeah." She replied, closing her eyes for a second, and feeling the blood rush through her body.

I will catch up to you later.

She opened her eyes again, before starting to walk to their room.