It's kinda funny, huh?

Chapter 5

"Connie, Connie, Connie, Connie, Connie!!!"

Sasha tugged on Connie's arm, making him laugh and raise an eyebrow at her. She kept giggling as they were waiting for the bus to drop them off at her house, sitting side by side.

"Sasha! What?!" Connie laughed, sitting by the window. She had a wide grin. "I can't wait!"

Connie grinned at her, humming. She's normally hyper when he comes over, sure, but never to this extent. It made him smile that she was so happy.

In an attempt to calm her down, he said, "Sasha, ya know we still have nearly an hour and a half until we get to your house?"

Sasha huffed and fell back in the seat, crossing her arms, "I know and that sucks. Stupid bus route...it wouldn't take as long if we just walked!"

Connie chuckled, "Well, we're both lazy. Plus, I wouldn't get as much time with you..." he trailed off and his eyes widen as he let the last part slip. Sasha met his eyes and giggled, "You know you love me."

Connie snorted and rolled his eyes. "Anyway. You shouldn't be so excited since we have so long."

Sasha groaned, "I know..."

Connie caught sight of one of her hands, and curiosity invaded him. He held up one of his hands, his open palm facing her. She raised an eyebrow, but set hers on his, quite confused.

He adjusted his hand so that the base of his palm touched hers, aligning their fingers. He grinned.

"You have small hands."

She blushed and yanked her hand back defensively, "Do not! You have big hands!"

Connie chewed his lip as her hand disappeared from his touch. He liked the warm temperature of her skin against his cool one. Feeling slightly guilty for thinking this (since she was his best friend), he set his hand back in his lap alongside his other one and gazed out to window.

Who knows how long passed before he had another clever idea. He shuffled through his pocket, making Sasha raise an eyebrow yet again.

"Hey, uh..." he pulled his closed fist out of his pocket and held it out to her, "Hold something for me?"

Her eyebrows furrowed in question as she opened her hand under his to hold whatever it was.

"Ya know, whatever this is, it was fine i-in...your...pocket..."

She stared at their now adjoined hands, then moved her gaze to Connie smiling sheepishly. She slowly relaxed her fingers; letting the tips rest on his knuckles as a blush tinted her cheeks. Connie's heart rate picked up at this. She's letting him hold her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze as he looked out of the window once again; attempting to hide his own blush.

"So...swimming this year, eh?"

She nods, keeping her gaze on her free hand in her lap, "Yeah. I decided to do something new this year. Do you mind?"

"Nah. Swimming sounds good. ...I might blind everyone though." Connie chuckled. Sasha laughed, "You're not that pale!!!"

Connie grinned at her. "I am so!"

She nudged his shoulder with her own, "Nuh-uh."

Connie snickered, shaking his head as he looked out the window again. Five minutes later, he felt Sasha rest her head on his shoulder.

He looked down at her and smiled again. She wasn't asleep, but she looked tired. Her gaze was on their hands, and he started absentmindedly rubbing gentle circles with his thumb on her hand.

He looked out of the window once more, smiling to himself. His mind drifted off into nothing, zoning out. The next thing he knows: the bus is stopping and Sasha is pulling on his hand as they made their way down the isle of the halfway empty bus.

They stepped onto the dirt road that lead to Sasha's house, and watched the bus drive away. Connie used his free hand to adjust his bag on his shoulder and grinned at Sasha.

"Gonna keep holding my hand or...?"

She blushed and rolled her eyes. He felt her grip on his hand tighten slightly and she tugged him forward to walk by her side.

As they approached her house, a little doggy-door could be seen on the front door, and out of it rushes a little dog who headed straight for Sasha.

"Toto!" she squeals excitedly and lets go of Connie's hand to kneel down and allow the dog to jump into her arms.

"Come on!" she laughed as the overly-excited dog wriggled in her grasp, trying to lick her face. She opened the door with only a little struggle, pushing it fully open with ease.

"Where're your parents?" Connie asked as they made it to her room, setting their bags on her big (and soft, really soft) bed.

He watched with slight guilt from asking the question as her expression saddened. She situated Toto into a more secure position in her arms and forced a small smile.

"They're in Europe for work," she said, leaving off 'again', but they both knew it was there. Her parents are always off on work, and she rarely sees them.

Before Connie could apologize for bringing it up, she smiled again; this time it reached her eyes.

"I'm going to feed Toto. Be right back!" she said cheerily, then turning on her heel and walking off. Connie sighed, standing and looking around her room. Her dresser caught his attention, and he tilted his head as he walked closer and examined the many pictures in frames set in no order on the top of it. He smiled slowly, and a bit sadly.
It was them. Pictures taken of them together. Ranging from age six to last year's school dance.

A picture of them covered in mud made him laugh quietly as he picked up the frame and examined it.

He was ten, she was only a year younger. He was scrawny, wearing loosely-fitting swimming shorts. Her outfit, on the other hand, was another story.

What was at one point a cute little sundress was ruined in that moment. Barely any of the orange and yellow was visible through the almost black mud that caked it.

Connie chuckled again, looking at their expressions as they smiled for the camera. His ten-year-old self had a wide and stupid grin, missing one of his front teeth. Sasha's smile was bright, with her eyes screwed shut tight.

"That's one of my favourites," Sasha said from behind him. He only jumped a little, but smiled and set the picture back down, "Mine too. It was a lot of fun, huh?"

Sasha hummed an agreement, before plopping down on her bed. She patted the spot next to her as she rummaged through her bag.

Connie sat, looking over her shoulder curiously, but groaned as she presented a book they needed for a big project that wasn't due for a while, but it took a while to complete. She laughed and rolled her eyes, opening the book where it fit on both of their laps and sliding her hand into his between them.

Connie couldn't help the dorky grin and burning of his cheeks as he began focusing his attention on the words, instead of how pretty Sasha smelled.