Adopted by Simon Cowell

Paparazzi and the past

"WHAT!?!?" I burst out in disbelief. They guys were going to take care of me? In what way!? "Simon, please don't leave!". 

"I'm sorry, love, I did not mean it like that. I really have to go. Just go downstairs whenever you're ready, and I'll be back before you know it". Simon ended the conversation right then and there. This is unbelievable. 

- Luke's POV -

"Daniel, what the hell happened?". I looked towards Daniel in confusion, and questioned him with light curiousity. 

"I'm not really sure" he answered while rubbing his chin.

"Well okay, besides the obvious, I think she's hot." Harry stated. 

"Shut up, Harry." We all commanded him. 

"Why did she flinch when we got up from the couch?" Brad asked "and it's also kinda awesome she doesn't really know who we are, I like her already". 

"I don't think any of us really have the answer for that" I said.

"She's a great singer though." Beau contributed.

"She is?" Wait, how does he even know that? 

"Yeah, when we were at the orphanage, we walked in on her singing. She was amazing, she totally nailed it!" Jai exlaimed.

"Alright boys, I'm leaving. Clair is in her room, she'll come down when she's ready Don't let her get out of the house yet, the paparazzi is outside and if you make her feel uncomfortable I'll rip your heads off!" Simon announced as he walked out the door.

We all just sat there, waiting for Clair to come down stairs. She finally did.

- Clair's POV -

I finally manage to gather the courage I needed to move my legs downstairs. I entered the livingroom. All the boys were looking at me, and I panicked again I ran towards the door.

"Clair, that's probably not a good idea!" Harry yelled in panic. 

I ran out the door just to be met by a lot of cameras and flashes. I covered my eyes. I felt claustrophobic. They kept yelling questions, and calling me things. 

"Who are you?", "Are you dating one of the boys?", "How does it feel to be one of their sluts?", "Are you sleeping with them you w***e?". 

I tried to get past them, but they kept pushing. A few cameras hit me in the face. I was shaking. I haven't been this scared since- No stop thinking about it. I felt someone grab me by my waist and pull me towards the house. I saw all of the boys pushing the paparazzi aside. I looked up to see that it was Luke who was holding me close. He held my head down so I wouldn't get flashed. We all got in the house. They slammed the door and locked it. They also closed all the curtains.

"Clair are you okay?!" Luke asked me in a panicked frenzy, taking my head into his hands, inspecting me everywhere.

"Yeah, yeah abseloutely fine." I answered gasping for air, grabbing at his hands. 

"Then why are you shaking?" Damn, that's a bit too sassy. 

"I, I, I don't know." Oh wow, are we on family feud now? Good answer. 

"Come sit down." He guided me to the livingroom, and let me decide where I wanted to sit. I sat down on one of the chairs. All the boys sat down on the couches, and if you are doubting, then yes the couches were huge. I kept thinking about the person who called me a w***e. I'm not one of their sluts.

"I'm not your whore." I thought to myself again, without realizing I said out loud.

"What are you talking about, Clair?" Brad asked.

They all looked at me. I snapped out of my thoughts and realized what I had just said. 

"Oh my god, I am so sorry. I did not mean to say that out loud!" I apologized. What is the matter with me today?

"Why would you say something like that?" Harry asked.

"They called me your guys' slut, a whore." Those papz are brutal.

"Don't listen to them, they're just trying to get inside your head. Clair you are bleeding." He pointed towards my right temple. 

I took my fingers up to my temple, yeah I was definitely bleeding.

"Oh, yeah there was a few of them who hit me with their cameras, I'm sure it was just an accident"- Harry cut me off.

"Don't make excuses for them." His eyes clouded with light anger. 

I looked at the ground. I honestly didn't know what to say.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be." Daniel finished. He went out to the kitchen, came back, and handed me an ice bag. That action was followed by an awkward silence.

"So, Clair. I hear you can sing?" I turned around to face Calum. Does he have no situational sense? 

"What? No I can't."

"What are you talking about, Clair? You were amazing!" Daniel exclaimed "sing something for us!"

"No way, not gonna happen!" I am not a jukebox. 

"Why not?" All the boys questioned in protest.

"Because I haven't sung I front of anyone, since my mom -" s**t, I talked over my own head. 

"Since your mom what?"

"Died."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. It wasn't you fault, Daniel." Why would I need to tell him, that it wasn't his fault? He knows that already. 

"What happened?"

"I happened. I was in trouble for stealing, even though I didn't steal anything, so the shop called my mom and she came to pick me up. We were having a big argument and I tried to jump out of the car-" I pause for a few seconds and took a deep breath, "There was another car and somehow they just smashed into each other. My mom died in front of me and they have no idea how I survived, I killed my mum." I tried my hardest to hold back my tears, but one managed to escape. 

"It wasn't your fault, you should not be blaming yourself, and I don't think anyone blames you. What about your dad?" Niall asked with that sweet Irish accent, and no judgement present in his voice. 

"He is, uhm, in prison." I answered him shamefully. 

"For what?"

"Abuse."

"What a nasty bastard, do you know why?"

"He blamed me for my moms death".