Connor's view on Claire's leaving Westchester.
This is for sexxonthebeach && jawxdropperxeyexpopper, as usual:) totally.
anyway!
This might come out to be something more than a oneshot if I want it to be.
And yes I am going on with "Bratfest at Tiffany's MY way" ) Give me time
Enjoy!

Connor Foley ran his fingers through his hair as the cameramen closed in on him.
Lights. Camera. Action.

He was in a drama, this time in a sort of modern version of Romeo & Juliet story where the boy and girl love each other but can't be together because blah, blah, blah, whatever. Connor has been so tired of acting lately. It was so annoying to fake-smile all the time, too frustrating to force himself to turn red when he had to pretend to be angry... especially because since he was a total teenage heart throb, he had to play all these stupid movies that only desperate chicks enjoyed. He didn't like his own movies. How stupid.

Except for that Dial L for Loser movie. That was cool.

Claire Lyons. Connor had thought she was going to be just another eager star ready to be famous and be kissed by OMG, OMG, the one and only Connor Foley, OMFG. But. Claire wasn't like that. She was someone who wanted to just be herself and acted simply because she wanted to. Massie and Alicia had been just another of everybody who went crazy over him. Gorgeous, but so was almost everyone else he'd ever seen. Hello? He was a movie star. He himself was gorgeous.

But Claire Lyons. She had been something else. Connor had liked the way she giggled and the way her blond bangs fell carelessly right over her eyes in a cute way that said "I didn't really pay attention to my hair because I know it'll always look chic anyway," unlike so many glossy bobs he'd seen that tried its best to have looked effortless yet it was obvious they've concentrated so hard on making it near perfect.

Connor had adored the way she blushed and didn't try to act cool. He even liked the way she picked on her nails. It was better than those plastic knives (fake nails) people glued on.

And then when they kissed. It was so... it wasn't horny like most people did it, it wasn't like "Oh my God, this is Connor Foley I'm kissing I gotta make the best out of it!" Claire had seemed to be holding back something, like she didn't want to do it, and that made him feel as if he had been left out on something, as if he was deprived of something she reserved for someone else. It made Connor want more of her, like he hadn't had enough. Then he found out the reason: she had a boyfriend. Claire cared about him, and that was why she hadn't went wet and wild in their movie kiss. Which made him psycho because she was probably the one girl he wanted that he couldn't get.

Connor sighed, as if watched Dial L for Loser for what seemed like 134387455th time. Claire was so sincere... so real. He was so tired of seeing Barbies everywhere. To admit, he himself was fake sometimes. But Claire was all real. She didn't try to hide her emotions. She didn't try to make everyone believe she was amazing. Yet... that was what she was. Amazing. To him, she was exactly that.

And then she was offered a lead role in Princess Nobody. Connor had had an unexplainable grudge against Cole Sprouse ever since he had been chosen to be Princess Nobody's prince. Claire drove Connor crazy. He wondered if she still thought about him. Once Connor had just been flipping through a magazine and had seen that Claire Lyons and Connor Foley had been chosen as one of the top 100 cutest couples. They ranked at 3rd cutest couple, beaten only by Vanessa Hudgens/Zac Efron and Leonardo DiCaprio/Kate Winslet. He wondered if she had seen it too... and if she did, did it spark anything in her?

Connor had tried to prove himself for her. Forget Abby Boyd. Connor tried to show her how he had felt about her..., but discreetly. He remembered it perfectly. It was at the party congratulating Claire on her stardom:

Claire had been looking sort of upset. Connor was an actor himself; he knew a fake smile when he saw one. He saw her take off the ring Abby had given her and throw it to the ground. He had a small bouquet in his arms, but he wondered how he should give it to her.

Should he strut confidently and go, "Take it, because it's from Connor"? No, not right.

Or... he should go for the sappy, romantic wink and a smirk? And then just hand it out to her and go, "Congrats. I think you're an awesome star. Especially when it comes to kissing scenes." ...Nah.

Or, um, should he have snuck up behind her and stroked her cheek so she'd turn around in surprise? "Hey, sorry, I couldn't resist it." Uh... no.

But it didn't matter. He didn't do any of those. Connor had just walked up to her, finding it hard not to trip. He had stuck the roses at her and she had looked at him. With a fake smile and sad blue eyes. "Oh. Hi," she had said, pointing at the red roses, "...Are those for Abby?"

"No, here, I got them for you," Connor murmured, sticking them out. What the hell? You can do better than that!

"Oh, thanks," Claire smiled, this time a real smile, as she accepted the roses and sniffed them, "It's really sweet."

"Yeah..." Connor timidly said, "You know, you're a great actor. You'll probably be worth a lot if you go on with it... Not that you're not worth a lot already! I mean, you'll be worth more." He was losing his coolness in front of her.

Claire softly smiled, "Yeah. I'd love to stay and chat and all, but I've got to go."

"Already?" Connor asked, fighting his frown because it might ruin his perfect face, "Why?"

"I guess I'm not having the best time right now...," Claire admitted, "But I'll be OK when I go home."

"Alright, maybe we'll...," Connor tried to hint desperately, "see each other around? Sometimes?"

"Sure, maybe," Claire whispered, and Connor kissed her on the cheek.

But that was it.

And then later Connor learned that Claire decided to quit the movie life to hang out at Westchester. That stung. Had she hated it that much? Some people disliked being movie stars because of the press and competitive actors and everything, but decided to stay as actors for the fame and money. But Claire didn't even think it was worth it. She must've hated it. He should have done something. Did she throw out those roses?

Connor sometimes wanted to call her. But it would make no sense. It'll be so awkward. What would he say? "I missed you." But she wouldn't have missed him. Besides, she probably forgotten him. Connor who?

As he watched, the ending of the movie, where Connor and Claire had won Homecoming King and Queen and kissed. Claire probably looked genuinely happy to everyone, but he could see something in her eyes, that said she was hiding something.

Claire Lyons. The one that he let get away. Maybe their paths would cross again someday, somehow, somewhere.