This was ridiculous. No; it was beyond ridiculous. This was outrageous. Bizarre. Humiliating. Stupid, and definitely very useless. But he couldn't help it. Connor had said he'd go the stupid counseling and now, there he was, sitting down on the creepiest office he had ever been in, waiting for the poor soul that was given the dreadful chore that he was. People usually had better stuff to do on a Wednesday noon, but not Connor. This was his piece of the cake.
His eyes tried to avert the gazillion pictures that adorned every corner of the room, even the desk. In them there was a short, blonde haired, rather chubby woman with a taller guy with brown hair, both of them doing silly faces and looking ecstatic. The sole sight made Connor want to be sick. But far worse were the dog pictures: wherever you looked, there was this tiny dog looking back at you. Connor wasn't sure of the breed, but it reminded him of a big Chihuahua, and he wasn't sure if he liked that. This was one of those times that he thought to himself that if he had to choose between dealing with a crazy cat lady and a crazy dog lady, he would much rather go for the crazy cat lady. At least those he knew how to deal with, but crazy dog ladies? Quite a mystery indeed.
The air of Wednesday noon didn't seem too far off from most of the other days, except for the fact that Connor was meant to meet the guidance counselor that day, for the first time. Normally one would be nervous, but Connor had had his fair share of therapists in the past and he didn't expect it to be any different this time. Family issues, difficulty trusting others, not having a clear goal in life... The same repertoire they kept displaying for him would never change. In a way, it was good, because that meant there was nothing to be anxious about. And in a way, it fucking sucked.
The ticking dog-treat-shaped-clock on the wall announced that the counselor was ten minutes late. Connor hadn't bothered enough to notice the shape of the clock until that very moment, and he was convinced immediately after that this woman was beyond help.
And just as that thought crossed his mind, the office door was open and in was the blonde haired, rather chubby, perky woman with an orange dress and a yellow blouse. Connor wasn't a hundred percent certain, but he could almost swear she had a pink bow on her head.
-"I'm so sorry I'm late!"—she said, with an enthusiasm Connor did not envy one bit—"I had a run-in with some students arguing in the hall, kept me busy for quite a while... I see you've already taken a seat! That's good, that's good..."
The guidance counselor sat behind her desk, dug into a drawer and took out a pair of red-colored cat glasses, which she put on, drastically increasing her colorful appearance and freaking out Connor even more.
-"You must be Connor!"—she said, extending her hand—"I am guidance counselor Lisa Schwartz, but you can just call me Lisa, since we're going to be seeing one another a lot."
Connor didn't even flinch nor for one second considered shaking the counselor's hand, and it took her about a minute to notice and slowly pull away.
-"So, a little shy, I see..."—she told herself, fixing some papers on her desk and clearing her throat—"So, well. I've been told quite a lot about you! You've made quite an impression for attending this school just for two days."
Connor still wouldn't speak a word. He was beyond even pretending to care. However, there was a thing or two he didn't know about Lisa.
You see, Lisa had studied psychology in a very prestigious medical school in France. Over there she was quite well known in her faculty; the teachers loved her. She even graduated fourth of her class. After getting that diploma, she took another four years in education and specialized in secondary basic education. In short terms, she was psychologist turned high school teacher, and she had been around when it came to troubled teens. Connor was not the first and wouldn't be the last she would see, and she knew perfectly well how to handle a case such as his. The entire delicate exterior and the colorful scheme was nothing but the cover of what all the great educational minds around the world agreed to be one of the greatest people in the business.
... Or at least, that's what Connor made up in his head while she was still babbling on about how she had heard from some teacher that he had beaten up that asshole Tyde.
Yup, the true version of Ms. Schwartz was a disappointment all in all.
-"Well, Connor, I know you don't really plan on saying anything at first, but that's a bump we'll have to get past over, ok?"—she asked, raising her eyebrows, and then added—"If you aren't really interested in this therapy I understand; but you must know, if we don't get results eventually, chances are you might be sent to juvie, and then you wouldn't have all the liberty you have here."
That had gotten to the point.
Lisa pretty much stared daggers back at Connor, with a grin that seemed almost caring. But Connor knew better than that; she had just told him herself. Well, if he wasn't going to put an act for himself, at least he'd do one to keep his promise to Alexis. Connor readjusted himself on his seat, sighed heavily and then looked up to the woman.
-"... What do you want to know?"
-"Well, that's more like it."—Lisa said, smiling—"Please, Connor, I just want us to be... on the same page, ok? Believe me when I tell you that this is for your best interested."
Connor scoffed.
-"Yeah, right..."—he said.
-"Hey, come on, positive attitude! Ok? In this office, everyone is a glass-half-full!"
"Glass-half-full my ass," Connor thought.
-"So, I think it's best if we begin with the basic stuff... so, Connor, how about you tell me a bit about yourself?"
Connor sighed one more time. As he had suspected, this was the part where he drove all the therapists to tears.
-"Well I was born and raised in a travelling circus. My family did the trapeze, and I had been practicing since little. But I lost them to a terrible accident that happened one night, and I was left all alone. However, a kind man took me in after a while, he was a billionaire, and an orphan himself. But he kept secrets. I remember one day when I—"
-"Connor."—Lisa interrupted—"I know I may not look like it but I do enjoy myself a good comic book from time to time. I am familiar with the Graysons' story, and I am very proud fan of Batman and Robin. I suggest you start with something a little bit more credible, at least."
Connor grinned mockingly. Maybe there was more to her than what met the eye.
-"Well, truth be told my father was actually a prince."—he said then—"He is from a faraway country, in Europe, it's not very big. But it's still a monarchy. My mother was an art student in Los Angeles, and they met and fell in love, along came I. However, my father passed away, and his mother became queen regent at the passing of my grandfather, the then king. But my life was changed when one day she came to visit me and my mum and told me that—"
-"Connor."—Lisa said once again, with a tiny laugh from cute amusement—"Seriously? The Princess Diaries? Do you honestly think I have never seen that movie? It's a classic! Gotta love Anne Hathaway's work. Oh and Julie Andrews! My favorite, she's been in the best musicals of her time!"
Connor frowned. Usually, the therapists he was given to were a bit more... rash, when it came to cutting him off.
-"I am actually a traveler, I'm not from here. I come from a faraway town, were I lived in a lame excuse for a hospice home where the kids were starved daily. And, I came to the big city looking for opportunities, but I ran into a street gang led by this creepy old man, and they taught me how to pickpocket and—"
-"Connor..."—Lisa said once more, still smiling—"I also read literature, and I am no stranger to Oliver Twist. Dickens is one of the greats, after all, despite how close-minded he was on his novels. I mean he really didn't like Jewish people from what Fagin acts in that book, don't you think? But that's beside the point entirely. Can we please try the truth, now?"
Connor crossed his arms and looked at her with despise.
-"What's the point?"—he asked—"You've read my file. You know more about me than myself."
Lisa nodded quietly. She seemed sort of satisfied with that answer, which Connor found strange.
-"Well, I like it when people are open like that, Connor, that's what we're trying to do here."—she said—"And, I'm a firm believer that we can only discuss what we want to discuss, or in this case, you. So unless you want to share your story with me, then we'll move on to something else."
Connor laughed at her naivety. This was going to be a piece of cake.
-"Well in that case we won't be discussing my 'story' anytime soon."—he said sarcastically.
-"Oh, it all gets out eventually."—Lisa said—"Well, then. I guess this means we'll have to tackle other matters at hand for now. Let's say... what about the fight? What can you tell me about that?"
Connor's laughter died off immediately and then looked at her seriously. This matter was a lot more sensitive, since it concerned Alexis, and he decided couldn't screw up with this one. He gently caressed the silver wrist watch on his left hand with his right sweaty palm, like he always did when nervous or upset.
-"A kid was bullying Alexis."—Connor said in a whisper—"So I put him in his place. I stand my ground."
-"And I'm glad to hear that."—Lisa said—"What Tyde did was wrong, and there had to be consequences, yes—but it's not your place to decide how other children need to face those consequences. When given a choice, we educators never opt for violence."
-"I'm not an educator. I'm Alexis'..."
Connor went quiet for a second. He always did when it came to giving his relationship with Alexis a name.
-"... friend. I'm her friend."—Connor concluded—"And we've always stuck by each other. I'm not going to sit around when I can defend her."
-"Yeah, no kidding!"—Lisa said, checking some of the papers on her table—"It says here she and you have been sent to every foster home together for the past ten years. She must be like family to you."
-"Don't use that word."—Connor said, earning a glance of surprise from Lisa—"... Please, just..."
He was unable to finish the request, but Lisa got the point.
-"Ok..."—she said—"So, from now on we're calling Alexis your... friend?"
-"... Yes I would... prefer it that way."
Lisa nodded. Connor wasn't about to go around telling her everything there was to know about him, but it had just been fifteen minutes since the start of the conversation and, unbeknownst to him, she had already dragged out plenty of information, and a very valid one, too. She was good. Maybe the whole background he had made up in his head about her wasn't that fake after all.
After the remaining forty five minutes came and went, the two were left with nothing but the sound of the bell to announce lunch. Connor had no classes on Wednesdays' noon, so that meant he was going to meet Lisa every Wednesday on said time. Something told him that it was only going to get harder not to open up to her eventually.
-"Well, Connor! I'd say we've had a great first session!"—she said—"About your community service duty—don't worry about it just yet. I'm going to get you something good around the Holidays, probably Thanksgiving. Nothing too complicated, I promise."
Connor nodded, and stood up from the chair with every intention to leave. He was about to reach the door when Lisa called him out.
-"Wait, Connor!"—she said, effectively getting him to turn around and idle at the doorframe for a minute—"Just know that my door is always open, ok? If you want to talk."
Connor didn't meet her gaze, instead dropping his to the floor. With one hand on the doorknob and the other holding his backpack, he left the room, concerned on what this would mean for him in the near future.
---
If things didn't seem to be going Connor's way that week, well they were about to get a bit worse. Wednesday at lunch, he was sitting alone one a single table when Lilly came and sat down across from him like she usually did. By now, Connor was convinced there was no chance of him getting her off his back. Well, for all he knew, he could do a lot worse than the unicorn-lunchbox tomboy that seemed too eager to befriend him.
-"Hey there, lunch buddy!"—she greeted, then proceeding to take her all-too-well-known veggie sandwich from her lunchbox and giving it a bite—"So rumor has it you've met Ms. Schwartz today for the first time? You're lucky, she's real good. And a sweet heart! But Ms. Ballinger is still my favorite, I know she has a soft spot for me."
Connor stopped his lunch right there, because for the first time, there was something that Lilly had said that grabbed his attention.
-"... What rumor?"—he asked.
Lilly, quite impressed, widened her eyes like two plates and stared at Connor in disbelief. It then struck Connor that was the first time actually talked to her.
-"Well, look at that! I'm glad this is no longer a monologue, my friend!"—she said, putting down her sandwich and then looking at him cunningly, with her fingers tapped together—"Well, you know word around here goes really fast—and every single junior is talking about the new guy who stood alone in a fight against in front of half the school. Believe me—everyone's up around your business. I'm surprised they haven't put you on the front page of the school newspaper yet."
Connor smirked and scoffed. Not like he was surprised, this never appeared to be the sort of place where interesting stuff happened. At all. It was only natural for some to get excited upon the most minimal stupidity.
And then, something strange happened; Lilly stopped eating halfway, and tapped Connor's arm, pointing with her head towards some specific direction. A group of five or six guys were heading their way towards their table, and from the looks of it, they seemed pissed.
-"That's trouble right there."—Lilly said.
-"... Who are they?"—Connor asked.
-"Uh, well—the one on the front is named Cameron Dallas."—Lilly said, referring to a tanned and brunette guy who wore a jacket with the blue and brown colors of the school—"He's a total jerk, and that's his entire jerk platoon. AKA the football team. The tall blue eyed guy behind him is named Nash Grier, he enjoys beating up kids in lower grades for their lunch money, but he's got no brains whatsoever. And those two that seem stuck to each other's hip? Those are the Jacks. The blondie is Johnson and the other one's Gillinsky. One never seen without the other, it's sorta creepy. Some say they even share girls... well, shit, here they come. If you wanna beat them up let me know so I can save the food."
Connor looked at them coming closer but paid no attention whatsoever. He stuck to his meal. In any other High School Drama cliché, the guy in his place would probably be wetting his pants, but not Connor. He was past beyond clichés in general. So, when they finally arrived, he didn't even bother to look up to meet their faces. Lilly, on the other hand, smiled at them like she were greeting her new neighbors.
-"Oh, hey, Cam! How was your summer? It's so good to see you! And with the entire..."—Lilly waved her hand over them, trying to come up with a correct term—"... platoon. I'm actually surprised to see you here! I thought the school no longer applied douchebags this year. I was almost sad when I heard that perhaps you wouldn't make it this time. But, oh well, what would one have."
-"Ha-ha. Very funny, Singh."—said Cameron, then proceeding to crack his knuckles and never darting away his eyes from Connor—"But as much as I would love to stay and hear your bull, I'm actually here in a matter of strict business with the new kid."
-"Oh, him?"—Lilly asked, signaling towards Connor, who still ate his food as if nothing were happening—"Nah I think he's good, doesn't seem like he's got any business with the likes of you. He doesn't talk much, but I'm sure he knows better than that."
-"Who invited this dyke?"—asked the one named Nash, and upon hearing his caveman-like voice, Connor understood immediately why Lilly said he had no brains whatsoever—"Hanging around the likes of him? No wonder nobody likes her."
-"Oh, Trash Grier, charming as always."—Lilly said—"A proper gentleman, too. I see you've learned a new word! That's great, it was about time you made it past elementary English, but please don't overuse it—we wouldn't want you calling around just anyone a dyke. At least make sure you do read the definition in a dictionary next time. You know; just to be sure."
Connor laughed under his breath. Lilly did sure knew how to use words. The two of them exchanged a look of complicity and a silent laughter before one of the Jacks started to talk. Connor thought that it was the one named Johnson—he still hadn't gotten them figured out. Well, at least he knew it was the blonde.
-"You know Cameron? For being the badass everyone's saying he is, this new kid seems like a wuss to me. I mean he's just sitting there eating his food with Singh says everything for him."
Connor clenched his fist. He really wanted to punch that guy, and in every other occasion, he would. But he had just promised Alexis he would stay out of trouble—even if it meant enduring this bullshit. Unfortunately for him, Lilly seemed to have ran out of words to say. For the first time, Connor looked up to the gang in front of him. The kid named Cameron laid both his hands on the table and looked at him right in the eye.
-"Well I don't know Johnson, I'd say that he seems pretty feisty to me."—Cameron said—"But he hasn't spoken a single word, I wonder why?"
Connor left down his fork, swallowed his food and then stood up, face to face with Cameron. He didn't seem like he was much younger than him—Connor was one year behind in school after all, and that meant he had to deal with a bunch of sixteen-year-olds. He knew perfectly well he could take him. Both the Johnsons seemed quick on their feet, but definitely beatable. He wasn't so sure about the troglodyte named Nash, though; he seemed really heavy and that was always a challenge. But Connor kept with cool.
-"Well I have nothing to say to you lot."—Connor said calmly—"So whatever's your business, spit it already."
-"Listen, punk"—Cameron started—", I don't know where you come from or how they handle stuff there, but over here we have rules. We have respect. And I don't want to hear from my boys or anyone for that matter that there has been any trouble from the likes of you, eh, tough guy? You may think you are invincible here, but I'll be the first to make sure you learn how to respect. Be it the easy or the hard way."
-"... Well I don't know that much about respect."—Connor said—"But I do know a threat when I see one, and pal, you've got to do better than that if you want to scare a toddler, let alone me."
Cameron smirked at Connor's comeback.
-"Huh. See? Told you he was feisty, Johnson."
The Jack named Johnson seemed to be a little intimidated. Connor laughed to his insides. He was facing a platoon of wusses after all.
-"I guess you'll stick around then."—Cameron said—"Don't get too excited, punk. People around here are... just as feisty."
-"Yeah, yeah, we've all heard that before—now Cameron if you please, go back to that airhead girlfriend of yours? By now I'm sure she thinks you have a crush on my pal Connor."
Cameron gave one last look of despise to Lilly, turned his back, and was gone the way he came with his entire gang. Connor took his seat and went back to eating. He hadn't planned on making any enemies this time soon, but oh well. When life gives you lemons, you squish them on an asshole's eyes.
Lilly looked at Connor with a wide grin.
-"Not bad there, pal!"—she said—"I'd say you put them in their place."
-"Hmph, that was nothing... what the fuck did they want, anyway?"
-"Hmm!"—Lilly stopped drinking her juice before answering—"I think I got what! See that table over there?"
Connor looked at the table Lilly meant. It was full with girls in cheerleader uniforms. The platoon of douches had just walked by it, and Cameron had spoken a few seconds with one of the girls sitting there. She had red straight her that was long to her lower back, but not half as long as Lilly's—and from time to time Connor had caught her looking his way.
-"That's Alexa Losey. She's the queen bee in the cheerleader squad."—she said—"She's also Cameron's girlfriend. Is into bad boys. You know, all the clichés. I heard she even does ballet. And well, I'd say that a certain new bad boy has caught her attention..."
The gears in Connor's mind started turning. Alexa had been eyeing his way for some time now, and giggling with her group of friends. So apparently this Cameron felt threatened, huh? Connor scoffed once again, returning to his food and shaking his head.
-"She's easy on the eyes, but there's not much going on in that head of hers."—Lilly said, then turning to Connor again—"Word has it that she and Cameron are not in the best of odds. Everyone cares about the royal couple as of late..."
The two went back to their lunch as if nothing had gone down at all. But then it occurred to Connor that what had just happened was a first for him. Not the part where he got in someone's bad side, but the part in which somebody he barely knew had actually stood up for him. He looked at Lilly while she ate. Ever since day one, she had stuck right by him. He still wasn't sure if she was looking to get something from him, but there was a nagging feeling on the back of his mind that told him that wasn't the case. Perhaps, for once, Connor had actually met someone who was better than that town filled with crappy people.
-"Hey."—Connor said, getting Lilly's attention—"Thanks for telling those jerks to back off."
Lilly grinned widely, clearly satisfied with the sudden appreciation.
-"No problem, pal."—she said, going back to her sandwich, the day officially returning to its repetitive, monotone state.
---
For the following days to the end of the week, Connor had managed to stay out of trouble pretty well. He had met all of his teachers by this point, and some proved to be better than other all in all.
Ms. Colleen Ballinger was the English and homeroom teacher, and both Lilly and Troye were in that class with him. Ms. Ballinger still seemed a bit cold towards him during the next couple of days, but he soon caught up with what Lilly meant when she said that she had a soft spot for her. Lilly would do the stupidest stuff in class, spill out the most sarcastic comments, and wouldn't receive anything but laughter and praise, and the occasional head-shaking of disapproval from Ms. Ballinger. But never a scolding or anything. Connor also couldn't help but noticing that she seemed to prefer Troye as well. She would praise his essay above everyone else's, and always asked him to participate in class.
A little bit different was Ms. Anna Akana, the math teacher, who was very strict and also very intelligent, like she proved to her class constantly when she solved equations on her mind in a matter of seconds. She didn't seem to have any class favorites, and that only meant that everyone had an equal chance of being a disgrace for the school, according to her. Connor was a bit behind when it came to math, so that was the only class he didn't have with the people he usually did. Funny enough, Alexis had always been the more numerical of the two, and in contrast to him, she was more advanced than the people in her classes, unlike him.
Both Lilly and Troye were also in Connor's natural science class, which covered many branches of science such as biology and chemistry. The teacher, a tall British man with dreadlocks named Louis Cole, had to be the most laid back teacher Connor had ever met. His first two classes were dedicated to anything but science; instead, he made all the students stand up, introduce themselves, and say a couple of interesting facts about them that people may not know. Of course Connor was the exception and said nothing besides his name, but the teacher didn't seem to mind. He seemed way too nice to care anyway. He then kept talking about some camping trip he was organizing to the natural reserve not far from town, where he was planning to have a big project about later in the semester. By the end of that class, Connor found himself kind of looking forward to it.
As fate would have it, the physical education teacher was indeed Mr. Sawyer Hartman. Connor wasn't sure if his luck could get any worse. Just on the first day, as soon as all the students were given their uniforms, he made them run track for a good twenty minutes across the football field. He kept going on about how unfit they all were and how they should be ashamed of their terrible physical condition. He also kept an eye on Connor, with a certain look of despise he had learned to live with after a week's worth of detention with him. Before the class was ended (and everyone was lying on the floor recovering), he announced that starting next week, they would be swimming in the school's pool. Apparently that had been accorded by the school board for early fall, before it got colder and it became harder to use the pool for students.
Then, there was art and crafts with Ms. Jenna Mourney. And if Connor had thought at first that Lisa was the biggest dog freak in the world, it was because he hadn't met Ms. Mourney yet. Every single wall of the art classroom was adorned with paintings and pictures of her three dogs. Three. That, added to the teacher's bizarre green hair color (Lilly had told Connor that she usually changed it every week), made her the teacher to leave the biggest impression as of yet.
And well, there was American and World History with Mr. Graceffa, who Connor could only describe as someone who tried way too hard. Usually History teachers were the most boring overall, but Mr. Graceffa seemed to have made it his life mission to prove it otherwise. From his spikey hair and his obsession with bow-ties, he always seemed to be in an upbeat mood, trying to get the class to be interested in the geography of Asia or whatnot. Connor didn't need more than just one of his classes to know he would be by far the most exhausting of all the faculty members.
Of course, it all went down to the one hour at the end of the day in which all of what Connor did was sit and stare quietly at the wall. And if he wasn't doing that, then he would be writing on his notebook like he did when he got extremely bored. That and drawing doodles. He had never been particularly good at drawing, but he was good enough at writing to make sort of a comic book strip making fun of Mr. Hartman on his bare face. Unlike Troye, of course, who during detention only seemed to worry about with assignments for the day. Connor figured that perhaps he should do his homework as well, but he just couldn't push himself to it. Instead he would write how his day was, and how boring the history class had been on that Friday. That and how funny it was when during biology Lilly had joked about dissecting a frog, almost giving Mr. Cole a stroke. For being a biology teacher, he seemed to be very against dissection, and that was a first.
As Connor wrote, he came to realize that today was the last day of the week and that meant only five more days of detention before he was off Principal Hart's black list. Or at least off the top three. It made him glad, because finally he would get to Grace's place early enough to catch lunch instead of getting there starved to death one hour later than everyone else. That also meant that he could take the bus with Alexis and Mikey, and that had to be a perk as well. But, when it came to that, he had been walking to the house every day of that week, accompanied by Troye. Unlike the first time that happened, on Tuesday, every other day they had just walked in silence. It wasn't awkward, but it was very tense. There was still some anger from Connor towards Troye, and he thought that it was like that both ways. But what could be expected? They had struck each other on the face in front of half the school. There's bound to be some tension after that.
Sure enough, the last minute of detention on Friday was over, and Mr. Hartman dismissed the two kids off. There was a slight sigh of relief from him, as he held the door open so that the two of them could walk out. Troye went out first, and Connor idled for a second to look at Mr. Hartman, who raised his eyebrows at him.
-"Don't you thin k that because there's only one week left of this the Principal is going to take it easy on you from now on."—he said—"You're sort of a problem kid, and those never look good for the school."
Connor gave Mr. Hartman a sarcastic grin, and was off the classroom.
He and Troye walked down the usual street, silent as always. However there was something different; something tense that made the air feel particularly heavy. It was as if someone had something to say. Connor knew that feeling well, he had been through it all too many times, but he wasn't the one who had to say anything. That meant it could only be Troye.
The leaves were mostly on the road instead of on the trees. Fall had really kicked in. It wasn't raining, but there was barely any sunlight. Instead a carpet of gray clouds adorned the sky, touching the top of the mountains that surrounded the city. Even the lake by the town's exit, which was pretty big at that, seemed to be covered in mist.
Just when the two of them were getting close to the crossroads where they went their separate ways, Troye spoke up.
-"You know, I never see you doing any homework in detention, but I do see you writing down some stuff in a notebook."
Huh. So that's what was bothering him? Connor actually felt amused that the gas station guy only had room in his brain for school. Not that he was surprised, but amused yes.
-"What do you keep writing, anyway?"—Troye asked with curiosity.
Connor didn't respond. He wasn't going to bond with this person. He didn't have any interest to. Besides, it's not like it was some sort of big secret. He literally would write anything on his mind. It had never really mattered, nor did it now.
Troye took the silence as a cue to talk about something else. He seemed oddly talkative today.
-"So, my mate Joe has just returned from visiting family on England. He goes to our school as well, but he and his dad hadn't found tickets to get here sooner for the beginning of classes so he's starting on Monday..."
Connor listened, but did not interact. Troye just went on talking.
-"... he and I are band mates. I mean, with other people, of course."
That, however, Connor found worthy of interaction.
-"You play on a band?"—he asked, half skeptical half making fun of Troye.
-"Yeah."—Troye answered—"Yeah I do keys, he does drums, and we have three more people on it, too. The thing is that, because he's just come back, we have planned this gig thing at a place his dad owns downtown. So we're playing there tonight."
They had gotten to the crossroads, and both of them stopped. Connor looked at Troye with a raised eyebrow. He could swear, from all the weird stuff that had happened today, this was the weirdest.
-"So yeah, you can come if you like."—Troye said—"You could bring Alexis and Mikey too. There's not going to be any alcohol or anything, so it's cool. Some people from our grade are going."
Connor laughed a bit, because he surely didn't believe what he was listening.
-"What's with you?"—Troye asked, a bit taken aback.
-"What's with me? What's with you? Why are you telling me to go?"—Connor replied, to which Troye rolled his eyes.
-"Well, I figured since it's your first week here, you could use having some fun. You know, after all the shit that has been going down lately."
-"Yeah, but why do you care?"—Connor asked—"Four days ago you would've bashed my face against the concrete if you had the chance."
-"And you would have as well."—Troye said—"But it's about time we put that behind us, right?"
Connor laughed a little more, and looked away towards the mountain. Troye was getting clearly frustrated.
-"Look I know we got off on the wrong foot."—Troye said—"But I'm not the wuss you put me to be and clearly you're not the jerk I thought you were. So this, this... aggression, we keep having? I think it should be over. You know, time to call it a truce. So why can't you give it a shot to being friends?"
Connor stopped laughing, and looked at Troye in the eyes, seriously for once. He could see he was being sincere, and was actually trying to become friends with him. Now, of all the stuff that had gone down that week... yeah, this was probably the weirdest by far.
-"I don't do friends."—Connor said.
-"Neither do I."—Troye replied—"But I think you should consider stop being like this to everyone you meet. I'm actually reaching out here, you see? And that's not the usual thing."
Troye paused for a bit, and then went on.
-"At least go tonight."—he said—"And if after that you decide you hate me and my guts, then ok. But I really think you are a cool guy, and that you would get along with my friends. And you look like you could use some. The place is called The Yule Space. Ask Mikey or Grace about it, everyone knows where it is."
Then, a buzzing sound could be heard from Troye's pocket, and he took out a cellphone, checking some sort of notification on the screen.
-"I have to go."—Troye announced—"So, what do you say? Will I see you later?"
Troye extended his right hand towards Connor. Connor looked at it for a bit, and then extended his own, and they shook hands.
-"... Maybe I'll show up."—Connor said, with a stern voice and serious look on his face.
-"Ok. Cool."—Troye said, pulling off from the handshake and then starting to walk away towards his house—"I'll be seeing you, then."
Connor watched Troye leave from his place on the boardwalk, trying to figure out his intentions. So friends, huh? That was something Connor hadn't had in a long while. It was also one of the things he thought he'd never have again. So what did this mean to him now? Well, there was only one way to find out.
As Troye walked away, a thought lingered on his mind, or more a feeling rather than a thought, because he was sure that he had never shaken a hand so cold before in his entire life.
---
A/N
Well, look at that? I managed to make it to the double week update! Well, technically I had promised it would be up by yesterday, but hey I got it done anyway! I'm actually proud of myself! Very well done, much productive, very satsifaction hehe
So how's everyone doing??? I know most of you are probably on summer break right now, but I'm getting closer and closer to finals :/
They're only some weeks away and I can listen the screams behind the gates of hell calling out my name
but neh I'll live... I think.
So comment here what you liked the most so far about the story!!! Are you excited for what will go down on The Yule Space??? (I know the name is a ripoff of the YouTube Space but if you hadn't noticed yet ALL THIS TOWN IS ONE BIG RIPOFF)
I have some great stuff in store for the next chapter! Lots of drama on its way, and more tronnor, I promise!!! Ooooh but what will happen with Cameron and Alexa!??! Well, ya'll have to wait for that ;)
See ya soon, you crazy lot!!!!
-Coffee