Studying The Star Crossed Lovers

❧Chapter 3☙

Drink provokes the desire but it takes away the performance,

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James went home late as usual. He would do anything to crash at a friends and avoid his parents but he had to go home sometimes. Somehow in their giant mansion, it was still impossible to escape his father. As he walked into the kitchen he saw his mother preparing dinner. She was always in the kitchen or at work and it broke James. 

While the company his parents ran was originally his father's father it was James' mother the built it up from the ground up. She was determined to give her son a future through the business. It meant however that James lost time with his mother. He barely saw the woman considering how often she worked. 

"How was your day, honey?" Asked James' mother and James just shrugged. "You know I love you so much okay darling. If you ever need anything then, please don't hesitate to call me okay?"

Before James could respond his father walked into the room. Now James always knew when his father was drunk. He became very red, he would seek people out instead of having someone send for them, and he got very sloppy compared to the straight-laced cruel man that normally sat in the library having his servants send for people as he worked.

"Ran along darling." Ordered James' mother as she pushed him towards the door with a sense of urgency.

James slid out of the room before climbing his steps two at a time. When he got into his room he quickly locked the door and climbed up onto the roof through his window. He pulled out his phone sending his best friend Will a quick S.O.S text before he leaned back onto the roof looking up at the darkening sky. 

Aside from the forest next to his house, James' roof was one of his favorite places in the world. He would sit in the cool air and let it slowly freeze him until he found the strength to crawl back into the house. The forest next to the house was where James went running every day. Fog would seep out of the forest each morning making it very easy to get lost in. 

When James heard the sound of a boy trying to balance along the roof he sat up and looked away from the stars he was staring up at. Will looked exhausted as he climbed up to where James lay. A grin spread across Will's face as he opened his bag and pulled out two blunts. James laughed as he happily took one letting Will light it for him. 

They sat up on James' roof smoking until they were both happily high. Slipping back into James' room the two began to talk.

"What is it about Claire? You two just love to rile each other up." Laughed Will as he stared at his friend.

"Do you ever wonder why she isn't with someone?" Asked James.

"Her cousin and Father would kill them."

"Do you ever notice how close she and Annie are? Wonder if they are secretly together?"

"Except for the fact that Annie is dating Henry." Will laughed as he rolled his eyes at his best friend.

"Wait who is Henry?"

"Are you serious James? Henry is the student body President. You voted for him dumbass." 

James didn't care about the people at his school. James wasn't bothered. He knew Will and all the young boys in Will's gang vaguely but he didn't care. That is why Will could never understand the way James continued to draw his limited attention to Claire. James only gave his time and energy to Will, Claire, and his Mother. Aside from that people just weren't worth it to James.  

James and Will slipped out of the house when James' father finally blacked out from the large amounts of liquor in his system. Will and James climbed into one of the many cars that James' family collected. They flew down the street going far over the speed limit for an adrenalin rush.

As Will swerved through the streets James finally felt at ease. James stood up in his seat letting the air rush through him. James felt entirely alive get so numb. The high was irresistible. As the music blasted and the drugs pumped through his veins as James finally forgot about all the shit. 

Claire sat in her Grandmother's greenhouse working while Anne looked at all the pretty plants. 

"So why do you do this again? It seems like a waste of time."

"These are very rare plants used in antidotes, scientific experiments, and less legal ventures. Besides, I do it because it is nice to make my own money sometimes. I don't want to live off my parents for the rest of my life. Also if anything ever happened I could take care of myself." Said Claire as she placed a cutting of a plant into a jar. 

"So let's say we wanted to play a bit of a prank on someone. What one would we use?" 

"Annie you are not using my plants to poison the school on senior prank day." Annie sighed dramatically and threw her arms up into the air.

"Claire I have been planning this since before I was 12. I will not let you ruin this for me."

"I'm going to say this very slowly so you understand me, Annie. You, cannot, poison, anyone, for, senior, prank, day, because, it, is, illegal. Got it?" 

"You're lucky I love you because if you were anyone else this would be unforgivable." Annie hugged her friend from behind while Claire just packed up her tools. "Anyway, what do you want to do tonight? I think we should go swimming or we should play tennis."

"Tennis." Confirmed Claire as she locked up the greenhouse. The town girls got changed and made their way to Claire's tennis courts where they were free to play to their heart's content. The burn in Claire's arms and legs satisfied Claire as they played through the night into the darkness. Once they got tired the pair spent the evening curled up together in bed as they fell asleep to the sound of Netflix bouncing around the bedroom.