They spent the next couple of weeks meeting up every other day and working on getting Nick into Stone-Lake. They also had a chance to chat and learn things about each other, which was pretty cool, considering Nick had never had a proper friend before. And Conner was definitely a friend worth keeping.
They were sat in the main part of the Café, Connor with a coffee, and Nick with a hot chocolate, the smells mixing together in a way Nick wasn't sure if he liked it not. It was a strange combination. Dawn had closed early today, because it was a Sunday, so they had the entire place to themselves, including the dark haired woman who was baking some cakes in the kitchen. Nick was fond of the silence that came with the lack of customers.
"I just realised," Nick started, pulling his pen out of his mouth and admiring his handiwork of bite marks on the end. "You tricked me into visiting where you lived. I didn't want to go to your house because I didn't know you very well. I guess you found a loophole. Very sneaky," He finished, taking a sip of his drink.
Connor laughed, doing the same. They fell back into their usual comfortable silence as Nick worked on his science problems and Connor, no doubt, worked on his own. Connor broke the silence next.
"I was just wondering, there's an event next week, where potential new students can come and look around. Most of them will be your age and looking to get in later. Maybe you should come?" Connor informed, looking up from his own work and at Nick, who felt a quick burst of excitement.
"Really?"
"Yeah, sure, It'll be good for you,"
Nick had already been to the school countless times, wandered around those well kept gardens, and visited each classroom, but going there never lost its novelty. It was always an amazing feeling. He nodded eagerly, and Connor smiled before continuing his own work.
Nick took it upon himself to do the same.
Another hour or so passed, and they both completed their work, passing it to each other to check the answers. Connor was truly a genius, Nick realised, ticking the very last answer correct. He doubted anyone really gave him enough credit for how smart he was, other than him and Dawn, because of his laidback, funny personality. He would be mature at times, too, though.
It's a shame, if Connor was a girl, he would've made an amazing girlfriend. Maybe if he met Nick's parents, they'd know how smart he was, and not be disappointed in him anymore. Wait no, that wouldn't be a good thing, because Connor would probably still be taller than him, and a guy can't have a girlfriend who's taller than him. Definitely not.
But what would Connor's name be if he was a girl, that was the real question. Constance! It was perfect.
"What are you laughing about?" Connor asked suspiciously, a single eyebrow raised. Nick shook his head and accidentally blurted out, "Conner's a girl!"
They both stared at each other for a few minutes, before bursting out laughing, Connor's face as red as a tomato. This, this is what having a friend is like, Nick reminded himself. Laughing about stupid stuff, teasing each other, but always having each other's back.
Having a friend is nice.
Once they calmed down, Connor wiped away his very real tears of laughter, and smiled at Nick.
"So, we've not got much we need to cover next week, so do you wanna do something fun? Take a break and hang out?" Nick felt another pang of excitement when he heard the question.
"Sure, what do you want to do?" He asked slowly, still finding it hard to not squeal. He really needed to get control of his excitement, but it was hard. This was all so foreign to him, like he'd been dropped straight onto one of those movies he used to watch when his parents aren't pressuring him to study, (when he was supposed to be asleep).
"Oooh, I've got some roller skates, you should try it!!" Connor beams, but Nick looks at him wearily. He's never really done anything like that before. Plus, are there even any places with enough space to do it and flat ground?
"There's a park down the street with an abandoned car park, actually. Not many people go there, even the park's pretty run-down. I think it's safe to say that there won't be many people," Connor answers his question before he even needs to ask. They really have gotten to know each other well over the past couple of weeks. Friends.
"I-i don't really know how to roller skate," Nick really doesn't want to seem like he's trying to spoil the fun, so his face turns red. He has his father's pride, and admitting he can't do something isn't fun, either.
"Neither do I!!!" Connor said, so cheerily that Nick couldn't help but smile along.
"Great!"
And then they were laughing again.