𝐁𝐀𝐃 𝐈𝐃𝐄𝐀 ━ connor murphy x reader.

Two

[Bethesda, Maryland.
Wednesday, October 14, 2015.]

After school, Connor Murphy immediately made a beeline to his sister's car. There was no point in lingering in his class period or on campus in general because it's not like he had anyone to talk to in this godforsaken school. Plus, he was self-aware enough to know of the rumors concerning him that circulated throughout the school like a virus that was frankly suffocating.

He just wished people weren't so obvious about it, with the snide comments they make under their breath when he's passing, pointing at him like he's some animal in a cage, or staring at him for an uncomfortable amount of time. It was sickening and the thought of it all made his stomach churn in the worst ways possible.

When he finally arrived at Zoe's car, he came to find out that she wasn't there. "Shit." Connor cursed under his breath, looking around wildly for his sister but to no avail. She must've got caught up talking to one of her little girl friends or something.

He waited for her for a whopping thirty seconds before a look of impatience crossed his face, and he pulled out his phone to text her. "Come on, Zoe. Where the hell are you?" He mumbled.

𝐙𝐨𝐞
𝟹:𝟻𝟿 𝙿𝙼

Wya?

As Connor's attention is focused on his phone, he remains oblivious to Jared and Zach who have spotted him from the school's entrance. With wicked grins, they quickly approach him, walking shoulder to shoulder.

"What's the matter, Connor?" Zach dokie up. "Are you too much of a pussy to drive yourself?"

Connor tenses up but tries to ignore them, focusing on his phone. Just as he's about to send his sister a text, Jared delivers a sudden, aggressive shoulder check to Connor. The force almost makes Connor drop his phone, but he manages to grab it just before it touches the asphalt, and a good thing too because he had busted his old phone and had to settle for a downgrade because he needed to know more 'responsibility,' to his parents. Just then, the bullies burst into laughter as they continued walking away.

"Watch your step, Murphy!" Jared cackled.

Zach joins in the laughter, and the two bullies disappear into the crowd, leaving Connor standing there, seething with anger and humiliation. He clenches his fists, his knuckles turning white, but he ultimately decides to let it go. He's tired, worn out from the constant bullying, and all he wants now is to go home and get some rest.

Connor pockets his phone and his shoulders become slumped as he leans up against the car. Waiting anxiously for his sister. At this rate, he was seriously considering throwing caution to the wind and walking home. Even if it is a decent way away from the school. As he stood there, seething, he was completely unaware that Zoe was approaching the car until her keychain jingled loudly.

Connor snapped out of his daze, blinking rapidly. "What took you so long?" He immediately asked, turning around to face his door.

"Geez, Rose Dawson, I wasn't gone for that long," Zoe joked, playfully rolling her eyes as she fidgeted with her keys in between her fingers. "I just had to ask my teacher a question about the homework. Get off my back, please." She practically begged before unlocking the doors of the car, prompting the siblings to climb into the vehicle in unison.

The drive home was quiet. A little too quiet for Connor's liking, but it's not like he made an effort to break it. Instead, he just stared out the window for the entirety of the ride and as soon as Zoe parked the car, he wasted no time gathering his stuff and leaving to head inside. But as soon as he stepped foot in the house, Connor couldn't help but groan loudly once he caught a glimpse of his mother sitting at the dining room table. Waiting.

Hoping that she didn't see him, the young man started to back away and make a beeline, but it didn't last long. "Not so fast, Connor," Cynthia spoke up, much to her son's dismay. "I need to talk to you. Get in here..." she stated the obvious.

Connor clenched his jaw at this. However, he tried to hide his annoyance under his nonchalant guise. "What do you want?" He cooly asked when he entered the dining area.

"First off, I think we can dispense with the drama. I don't want any trouble. Just... I was wondering if maybe you could calmly explain to me why you were in detention today—" Before Cynthia could finish her inquiry, the boy before her was swift to interrupt her.

"I'm tired. I want to go to my room." Connor, despite his heart heavy with embarrassment and contempt, said.

"I just... want one day of peace, please. One where we're not at each other's throats." Cynthia practically pleaded.

"It's nothing, mom. Just some stupid stuff at school." He continued to evade answering her questions directly.

"Please... I'm worried about you."

Connor awkwardly shifts his weight between his feet. "I said it's nothing. Just leave it, okay?" He said, defiantly.

Cynthia's frustration grows, but she tries to maintain her composure. "And this is important. I understand why you don't want to tell me everything, but you can't keep shutting me out like this. It's not right." She firmly stated.

"Fine. If you want to know so badly, I did go to detention, but only because the teachers or even the principal don't know shit and the only reason why I was in there in the first place is because of Y/n." Connor explained as he crossed his arms over his chest.

His mother paused. That name sounded familiar, why is that? When she finally realized why, she opened her mouth to speak again, "Wait, Y/n was in detention too? Zoe's friend?"

"That would be the one."

Cynthia searched for the right words. "Did she do something wrong?" She inquired. Does her father know about this? She wanted to ask for more specifics on what happened today, but she knew Connor liked the back of her hand and he was not one to give away too much information. Especially when it concerns him.

"No, no, she..." Connor bowed his head, pinching the bridge of his nose as he did. "Didn't," He whispered under his breath. "There were just these insane, psycho freaks in our class. It's nothing out of the ordinary. Really — it's nothing. You'd know that if you paid a speck of attention." He tried to reassure his mother, but it was all in vain since Connor couldn't stop the vile thoughts that lurked in the back of his mind from spewing out of his mouth.

Still, who knows what type of hell his mother would bring if she found out what was really going on at school.

"Connor. What?" Cynthia was hurt by that and since he knew he knew he said the wrong thing, her son tried to explain himself, only to be cut off by the older woman in the room. "I think you know I pay attention. Enough to know that you got a detention today." She added.

Connor didn't need any of this noise. So, having exhausted all his other options, he tries to change the subject, "I'm going to go take a shower."

His mother's eyes narrow, not ready to let him off the hook so easily. "Fine, but we are talking about this later whether you like it or not."

At this, Connor puts on an obvious fake smile, unable to hide his frustration. "Can't wait." He sarcastically replied.