As I register what Chris just said, my lips part in utter shock and I focus my attention on the woman standing in front of us. Her face remains pale as a small smile plays on her thin lips. Grey eyes shine underneath the big lashes as she stares at him, black bangs falling over her forehead.

"Hi honey." She takes a step closer, her smile growing but Chris seems to be in a trance as he continues to stare at her.

But I see the way his fingers curl into a fist, the colour leaving his face as he turns pale, the movement of his adam's apple as he gulps but his eyes never leave her face.

When I notice that Hailey takes it upon herself to close the distance, I take a step forward, "He has a restraining order against you, in case you're forgetting."

She frowns at me, "And who are you?"

"It doesn't really matter," I glare at her, "You need to leave, you're not even supposed to be here."

"My jail period terminated, so did everything else." She tries to argue, looking at her son.

He looks like he has seen a ghost so if she thinks he's going to defend her, she has lost her mind. "That's not how law works. Your jail period might have been terminated on good behaviour or whatever shit, but the restraining order is still applicable."

"Topher, you're just going to let her disrespect me like this?" She looks at him.

"Don't call me that!" He finally snaps, glaring at her as he takes a reluctant step forward, his arm coming around my shoulder as he pulls me to himself, "Leave now. Before I call 911."

Her mouth falls open at his words, "I would leave right now, but I'm not going away that easily." She tells him before turning around to leave.

As soon as she's out of sight, I pull Chris away from the entrance of locker rooms because almost half the team would be out any time. I take him down a secluded hallway and when I'm sure we wouldn't be disturbed, I look at him.

"Jay.." I step forward, reaching to touch his cheek but he physically flinches away, making me drop my hand as a knot twists painfully in my stomach at his reaction.

"Tell me that she wasn't there." He looks at me, his eyes pleading but I just shake my head.

"I'm sorry." I bite on my tongue, "I'm so sorry." I whisper and he lets out a laboured breath.

"She has at least three more years of jail time." He mumbles to himself, his hands roughly tugging at his hair as he continues to stare at the ground. "I want to go home."

"Okay. Give me your keys." I hold my hand out and he scowls at me even further.

"I can drive." He argues but I shake my head, not letting this one go.

"You would be rash, I know you! Now, keys." I nod my head towards my hands and he lets out a grumble before pulling them out of his pockets and giving it to me. "We'll go down this way so we don't run into anyone, cool?"

He nods as we start walking down the secluded hallway but I don't reach out to his hand out of the fear of his reaction. But even when he's walking by my side, it feels like he's so far away in his own head. The distance isn't there physically, but it's clear in his eyes as we get out in the parking lot and he slides in the passenger seat of his car.

"An!" I hear Evan call my name and mutter a curse under my breath when I see him coming running my way.

But a part of me is glad that it's just him and not the whole group. I can still handle him alone, but not everyone all at once. When he reaches me, his hair are falling over his forehead and he catches a breath, so I offer him a small smile, wanting to get away from school as soon as possible.

"Hey, where are you rushing off to? And how the hell is Chris letting you drive?" He asks, looking at me standing by the driver's door.

"Um, yeah.. he isn't feeling well so I offered and he reluctantly agreed." I plaster a smile on my face and he frowns.

"Is everything okay? I saw William with you, what the hell was that about?" He asks, stepping closer and I look back at the car window.

"How about I meet you tomorrow? We'll talk, I really need to rush right now." I tell him and he nods, a little baffled.

"If this is about the game, tell him not to worry. We'll beat ass next time." He manages to smile and I offer him a quick hug before getting into the car and pulling out of the school's parking.

My eyes flicker to Chris who isn't even looking at me, his head is turned towards the window with his hands turned into tight fists on the edge of his knees. I want to say something to comfort him, but it's like the words have died on the tip of my tongue because I'm afraid of how a single wrong word might trigger him.

When we reach his driveway, he pushes open the door before I can even park properly, making me yell, "Chris! What the hell!"

But he doesn't listen, he goes to jam the keys in the door so I park the car quickly and rush out to be at his side. His hands are shaking, making it impossible for him to even insert the key so I reach out my hand to cover his, steadying it and praying that he doesn't pull away.

His eyes snap to mine so I offer him a cautious nod as I turn his hand under mine enough to unlock the door. I let go when it's done and push open the door. He steps inside and I follow behind him, his school and gym bag still in the car.

Chris doesn't say a word to me as he makes his way upstairs to his room, taking two steps at a time and I make my way in the kitchen to get him a cold glass of water. Taking it, I move upstairs to his room to find him sitting at the edge of his bed, his head down in his hands with his elbows resting on his knees.

"Jay.." I call out politely and his head snap towards me. He keeps his expression blank as I offer him the glass, "Here, drink this."

He takes it without a word, downing it in one go that makes me relieved a little but then a loud crash booms through the room, making me jump a step back in surprise and it takes me a second to comprehend the glass he was holding in his hands is now smashed against the wall, breaking into uncountable pieces.

My eyes are widened in utter shock as he gets up from the bed and moves to kneel down in front of his side table, pulling the drawers out. When he doesn't find whatever he's looking for, he knock out the table lamp, making me audibly gasp in surprise as he moves to another drawer, finally pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter.

I take a step back, trying to reassess this situation as I continue to stare at him. I have no idea how to calm him down and pull that deathtrap away from his hand. After he takes a long drag, his eyes meet mine, taking me in as if he just now realised that I was there in this room the whole time.

He pulls the cigarette away from his lips and takes a step towards me, "Adrianna." He reaches his hand out and I flinch away on instinct.

His eyes widen as he pulls back, "Shit. Please no."

Tears fill up in his eyes as he turns around and puts out the cigarette on his side table, before turning towards me and taking a step closer. He comes to stand right in front of me, but doesn't touch me at all as his eyes search for mine.

"Please don't be afraid of me." He whispers, his voice begging and I open my mouth in utter surprise at his words.

"Chris.." I reach out to hold his hand, and he doesn't pull away, rather he pulls me to himself, tightly wrapping his arms around me as his face nuzzles down in the crook between my shoulder and neck. My arms go around his neck as I hold him to myself. "Baby, I'm not afraid of you."

"I saw it in your eyes." He croaks out, making my heart clench with pain to hear him like this.

"You were holding the cigarette from the same hand, it was an involuntary reaction." I try to explain but he just tightens his arms around me.

Soon, he starts shaking as sobs rack through him, the wetness of his tears meeting my skin. But I don't move, I continue to keep holding him as he holds me. We don't move for what seems like hours before he speaks up, making me realise that my own cheeks are stained with tears.

"I don't want her in my life, Claire. I would die before I would let her in." He says, parting away a little so he can look at my face and his tears stained cheeks makes me want to really go and punch the shit out of his shitty mother.

"You wouldn't have to, I promise." I tell him, my thumb wiping his tears away.

His phone starts blowing up and I frown as he pulls it out of his pocket, letting out a groan. I look down at Jordan's name and hold my hand out.

"Here, I'll talk to him." I say and he nods, handing me his phone before he goes to lie down on the bed, closing his eyes as his forearm comes to rest on top of it.

"Man, where the hell are you?" I hear Jordan as soon as I pick up.

"Hey, Jordan." I speak, my eyes nervously going to Chris who's now looking at me. "What's up?"

"Uh, did I call you by mistake or did you both get married behind my back? Because picking up phone calls on your partner's phone is a like a huge step." He says, making me smile a little.

"Well, I'll keep in mind to inform Sawyer the same." I tease, trying to sound like my normal self, "Awesome after-game today, by the way."

I hear him chuckle, "Where's that dick? You both left without everyone."

"Uh, yeah. He had a headache so we came to his place and he fell asleep as soon as his head hit the pillow." I lie and notice Chris's intense gaze at me, making me give him a questioning look.

"Alright. Let him know I called in case you wake him up for dinner." Jordan says.

"Okay. Bye, Jordan." I hang up and keep his phone on the side table.

Chris holds out his hand to me and I take it within my own grasp before he pulls me to himself and I lie down by his side, my head resting on his shoulder as his chest heaves up and down in a rhythmic sync.

"You lied to him." He says and I turn my head a little to look at his face as he continues to stare at his ceiling.

"Did you not want me to?" I ask, a little confused.

His eyes flicker to me for a moment, "You didn't ask."

"I didn't think I had to. I am sorry." I frown and he moves his face to kiss my forehead.

"You didn't. Thank you."

My frown eases out as I nod, thinking about how to initiate the conversation about his mother without offending him. He sighs as he pulls his arm from underneath my head and sits up, making me roll on my side as I look at him.

He pulls on the hem of his t-shirt, making me scowl as I sit up and he gives me a cautious gaze before my eyes fall down on the skin of his abdomen, the abs clear but the more I focus on it, the more something seems off.

I cock my head to the side to study his skin as he lifts off his shirt completely and throws it towards the edge of the bed.

Scar. Faded.

It isn't self inflicted, you can tell it by the deep long line running on his right side on his perfectly shaped body. My hand involuntarily reaches out to touch it before I stop myself but then I hear him speak up.

"Claire, it's okay. Take a deep breath." He gives me a small smile, making me wonder how can he even manage to do that in a situation like this.

I nod, my fingers running by its side on his toned abdomen and I can't help the tears that sting my eyes when I realise that he was literally a kid when she did this to him.

"She was drunk as hell, I am pretty sure she doesn't even remember it. Her scotch glass slipped through her fingers and broke down on the kitchen floor. So she slapped me because I was having water from another glass, making me drop it." He closes his eyes as he pauses, as if going back to the memory is painful for him physically.

"She literally went like, 'Look, Topher, what you did.' and then picked up one of the pieces as she told me that I needed to be punished." He breathes, as his fingers come to wipe my tears before I wrap my arms around him.

"I am so sorry that you had such a shitty person in your life, Chris. I promise to make sure that she stays hell out of your life." I tell him and he tightens his grip around me.

"How the hell are you gonna do that, Adri?" He asks, sounding tired so I part away, looking at his face as I look into his grey orbs that look defeated.

"You are forgetting that my father is a lawyer, and a damn good one at it. She isn't getting back in your life. Not unless you want it." I say and his lips part into a small playful smirk.

"I feel like a damsel in distress." He jokes, making me laugh lightly as I lean in to kiss him gently and he sighs into it. "Thank you, for not running away when I freaked out."

I shrug, "It's okay. I can tolerate your annoying ass for as long as you want me to."

"Ahh, knew you couldn't stay serious for more than that." He smiles and that sight is enough to let my insides calm down a little.

We sit down in silence for a few minutes as he gets lost in his thoughts and I let him, because I can only serve so much distraction before he goes back to wondering about her. I'd rather have him think about it in front of me than be alone and cry.

"What do you want to have for dinner?" I ask him and he doesn't respond so I tap his shoulder, "Jay?"

Startled, he looks at me, "Huh? Sorry, what were you saying?"

"What do you want me to order in?" I ask, and then pout a little to put a little emphasis because I know he would decline other, "I am hungry."

"Whatever's fine with you." He shrugs and I sigh.

"Pizza? Burger? Tacos? Do you want to have tacos?" I question, scrolling through my contact list and he smiles a little.

"If you think I'm dumb to buy your act, I am not. Pizza suits me just fine." He says and I smile at him sheepishly, blush creeping in on my cheeks which makes his smile turned wider.

"Toppings?" I ask.

"Chicken. Pineapple. Mushrooms." He nods to himself and I scrunch my nose up in disgust.

"That makes no sense to me at all. In fact, it just left a really bitter taste in my mouth." I give him a look and he laughs.

"Come here, I'll make your mouth taste better." He holds my sides, pinning me to the bed and I laugh, trying to slide from underneath him.

He kisses me once, before pulling away way too quickly and not giving me a chance to kiss him back, repeating his actions again and I whine. A laugh leaves him before he places his lips on top of mine and I kiss him back, internally sighing and praying that I get to hear his laugh for the rest of my life.

"You're not meeting Evan tomorrow." He murmurs against my lips, making my eyes shoot open before I frown at him.

"What?"

"I heard you two, as much as I didn't want to. The driver's door was half open, letting me listen to almost everything." He says.

"Okay, but what does it have to do with me not meeting him?" I look up and he gives me a look.

"I am sick of sharing you, tomorrow you're all mine." He kisses my cheek, making me realise how he doesn't do that often and it's such a beautiful and under appreciated feeling.

I shake my head, snapping out of my thoughts, "In case you're forgetting, it's Thanksgiving tomorrow and I always have lunch with his family, both my dad and me. That's why Sawyer's home, remember?"

He groans, "Seriously? I am not in the mood for turkey tomorrow. And I want to spend my day with you."

I smile, "Sunday. I am all yours. Also, be my Thanksgiving date?" I ask and he looks wary for a second before speaking up.

"Claire, I would love to. But I'd rather be alone." He says, lying down by my side as he wraps one of his arms around me.

"Alone? Isn't your father coming home?" I frown.

He shakes his head, "He barely ever comes home on holidays."

I think about it for a moment before nodding, "Makes sense. But you need to call him to let him know.. you know that right?"

"I am not ready to face the reality just yet." He closes his eyes and my finger traces his cheekbones.

"Well, I can call for pizza first and then you can call your father." I offer and he nods.

"Let's order pizza."

"And then call him up."

"Sure." He opens his eyes just to roll them at me and I flick his forehead.

"Christopher." I pester because this is something serious and adults need to be aware before things get out of hands.

"Next time you call me from my full name, make sure you're naked in my bed." He smirks and I push at his shoulder playfully.

"Jay!" I groan and he lets out a grumbled response.

"Fine! Give me the damn phone."

•••

been too long! extremely sorry for such a late update. i have been managing a lot of things all at once so it gets hectic as hell.

thankyou for reading.

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