{ C o n n o r ' s    P O V }

"See you later!" Cynthia said before driving away.

"Bye!" My sister exclaimed. I just looked at her. I love her but.. she's so annoying.

"What're you looking at?" She turned to me. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why do you look pretty today?" I asked her. Is she prepping up for some guy? Wow, is my sister a slut?

"What?" She asked me.

"I said you look shitty, leave me alone" I said before parting away. I started to walk inside.

"Hey Connor, I see you're looking pretty mad today. What's the matter? Did ya' run out of drugs?" Some random dude that I didn't know chuckled.

I ignored his laughter and just kept on walking. As I moved, I got stares and some comments. Just great.

"Connor" a voice called out to me.

I kept on walking.

"C-connor" I heard it again. God, am I hearing things now?

"Connor Murphy- C-connor?" I felt a small tug on my coat. I shuffled away from the grip.

"Connor!" The voice still talked. I sensed a tap on my shoulder.

"What?!" I stopped at my tracks and turned around to see a boy, smaller than me.

It was Evan.

He shyed away. He looked down and fiddled with the hem of his shirt.

"Oh.. it's you. What do you want?" I clutched my hands onto my sling bag.

"I-I was uhm- I was just g-going to say thank you again- did I bother you? I'm so sorry! You probably have other things to attend to, I'm sorry" he rambled.

"It-it's okay, Evan. I'm not even that busy. And you're welcome I guess..? But.. if I remembered correctly.. didn't I say that we won't talk about 'this'" I did a quote-unquote air sign.

It's not that I mind. I'm just not really used to this. I've never had this kind of thing before.

"Oh my gosh! Y-you're right- sorry! Sorry, I-I should p-probably go right now. I am s-so sorry-"

"Forget what I said." I held onto his shoulders.

"What?" He looked up at me.

"I said. Just forget everything I said. We can talk about this 'thing' between us, okay? But.. only when we're alone.. or when it's just the two of us together" I looked at him in the eye.

"O-oh.. yes- I-I mean definately. G-great.. buddy..?" He looked confused. The tips of his ears were a bit red.

"Okay... buddy?" I let go of him.

"What's your first class?" I asked him as I started to walk. He eventually caught up to me.

"I-I have Science.. you?" Evan asked me.

"Same" I tucked a stray strand of hair off my face.

"oh.. d-do you want t-to eat lunch? With me.. later?" Eat lunch? With me?

I couldn't help but smile a bit. That's something that I haven't done in a while.

"Just you and me? It'll be us? Only.. us?" I asked. This is the first time someone asked me to eat with them. Ever since I threw a printer at Mrs. G during second grade, no one wanted to talk to me.

"Y-yeah, you could say that! Just us and Jared" he smiled sweetly.

Wait.

Jared?

"Wait- what now?" I asked him.

"What?" He asked.

"You said it'll only be the two of us.. and then there's Jared?" I asked him once more. I am not eating with that guy.

"Yeah.. is.. is there anything wrong? It's okay if you don't want to eat with us! Or even me because Jared might eat with that other guy he met yesterday- but that's besides the point- I shouldn't really be segwaying- an-anyways, it's okay if you don't come! I could- I mean we'll be fine on our own!- not that I'm saying I don't want to eat with you, I'd like to eat with you! That's wh-why I asked you- I'm rambling again, I'm so sorry" he started to freak out and hyperventilate.

"Evan, evan.. it's okay. I'll.. I'll eat with you. Just please, tell Jared to stop teasing me. He's really pissing me off" I spoke.

"Oh okay.... thank you" he mumbled a sweet little 'thank you'. It was adorable.

He's cute.

S C I E N C E   C L A S S

"psst.. Evan.. pssstttt" I tried to grab his attention. It's hard to talk to someone when they're listening to the teacher.

"And that is the formula. Now! I want you guys to pair up for our first seat work" Genevieve, also known as Gene, announced. I wasn't really listening to anything that she was blabbing about.

The students started to pair up. Eventually.. I was the only one who didn't have a partner...

At least, I thought so.

"C-connor.. do you want to be partners?" I looked up from my desk to see Evan, standing in front of me.

My face lit up.

"Yeah! S-sure" I smiled at him.

He smiles back.

"Great! U-uhm..d-do you know what to do?" He asked as he sat down next to me.

".....no...." I tried not to make eye contact.

"T-that's okay.. we j-just have to make an hypothesis and conduct the formula and see how it-t goes" he stuttered. He looks adorable when he's kind of flustered.

"Oh.. easy peasy" I shrugged and laid back on my chair. Evan started to write some stuff down. He asked a few questions regarding our 'hypothesis'-whatever that is. It really makes me guilty because I feel like he's the only one doing the work.

"Hey Evan.. do you need help?" I asked the boy. He lifted his head to meet my eyes. His cheeks were dusted with a light shade of pink. But why though?

"Y-yeah I guess I do, but I'm okay w-with answering ev-everything- b-but then ag-again that wouldn't be much of a pair work? S-so I guess in a way, you could help" he rambled. Jesus, he has some serious anxiety.

"Okay?" I answered confusingly. I scooted closer to Evan so we could work side by side. I was actually productive... that's new.

"Class, time is up, time to present upfront. Right now. Let's go. First pair to present is... Sanders and Trudes" she announced.

The pair then walked infront and presented their hypothesis. And let me tell you this, it was so fucking boring.

I could've been cutting classes instead of staying in this shit hole.

I noticed the trembling boy beside me.

"Woah Evan, what's happening?" I asked him. And apparently, concern was an audibe tone as I spoke. I examined his face. Beads of sweat trickled down his face. He looked like a mess. His eyes were glossy. They looked like they were threatening to rain down hot tears.

"C-con, I-I'm- it's n-nothing- I-I was going to say that I was nervous- and oh my God my palms are sweaty" he desperately wiped his hands on his Khakis.

I let out a slight chuckle. He looked at me.

"It's okay.. there's like.. a 5% chance that we'll be picked today. I doubt that all of us will be able to present. Besides, it's almost time" I looked at the clock.

"O-oh.. that's a r-relief" he said while fidgeting a loose strand of thread.

I can't believe that this is the guy that I'm helping with my sister.

He's hopeless.