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Chapter 4- Decent Days

"Let me see your timetable," Connor held his hand out to Jonah as he spoke, the two of them sitting in the lunch hall together during break time
The darker haired male did so without a word, the already slightly crumpled slip of paper being passed across the table for his new acquaintance to see. As Connor looked at it, he noticed similarities to his own, which he'd memorised by this point, continuing to scan Jonah's as he reached into his pocket and produced a pen. Jonah watched in silence, his focus on Connor's fingers as he clutched the pen. He noticed that his fingernails were uneven, almost rough in texture and looked as though he'd not cared to cut them properly for some time. They were clean, however.
When Jonah got his timetable back, he saw what Connor had been writing, as there was now, in blue ink beside some of his subjects, a tiny 'c' He noticed one beside his third lesson, his final lesson, three classes on Tuesday, one class on Wednesday, three classes on Thursday and all classes on Friday.

"Are these the classes that we're in together?" Jonah questioned, unable to draw any other realistic conclusion, but added in a joking manner, "or does this mean that these classes are crap?"

"Both," Connor responded bluntly with no change in his expression.
The boys locked eye contact for a few seconds before Jonah looked down, sniggering, unable to keep a straight face whilst being stared at, whilst Connor smirked, slightly proud of himself for holding his expression for longer.

"I'm joking," Connor finally spoke again, "some of them are alright. But yes, I'm in these classes with you."

"Good," Jonah smiled, his eyes narrowing to double check the paper and looking over all of the classes that they shared, "some of these, I don't think I'll survive through without knowing someone."

"I'm not the only person in the school, Jonah. You'll meet other people within a few days," Connor stated, confidently.

Jonah looked at him with a raised eyebrow, a slight smile on his face as he leant on the table, closer to Connor's face. "I'm probably not as much of a social butterfly as you're assuming I am," he said, quietly.

"You didn't seem anti-social when I sat beside you," Connor pointed out, "and at first glance, I had assumed you'd be quite talkative."

Jonah raised his eyebrows, an expression on his face that suggested that he was both surprised and impressed, however then drew a conclusion that he thought was remarkably plausible, "see, everybody assumes that I'm going to be one of the more popular boys."

"It's your hair," Connor swiftly raised his finger to gesture to Jonah's dark and slightly messy hair, "it's very," he paused, tilting his head and lowering his hand, "'stereotypical popular boy'."

"I look like a greaser?" Jonah joked.

"I mean, look over there," Connor then gestured to one side, towards another table, surrounded by both male and female students, the males all looking like the boys that Jonah had passed in the hall. His gaze was soon affixed to their hair, noticing similarities between their styles, all of them having their bangs styled up, which Jonah was also guilty of having.

"I see your point," the darker haired male admitted as Connor gave him a small and barely noticeable smirk.

"That's why people assume that you'll be like those guys over there," he said quietly, but then quickly added, "but it suits you more than most of them, I think."

"I'm flattered," Jonah smiled, "I'm not changing it."

"Good."

"I'm honestly a bit of a nerd," Jonah made an expression that Connor identified as embarrassed, awkward or even guilty, his brown eyes wandering away from his classmate across the table as though this were his darkest and most kept secret. Connor didn't react at all, even as Jonah raised a questioning eyebrow following his silence.