Connor woke up to the searing pain that was still body. Kate's slap over the face didn't leave a bruise like Connor thought it would, it was just slightly swollen and tender. So Connor was thankful he could avoid any questions at school. He took off the bandage Troye has wrapped over his arm the night before and went into the shower. He tried to avoid putting his arm under the water but decided to go through the pain, knowing he didn't need it to become infected. He dressed himself in a grey sweatshirt and black jeans, with his same black converse and a grey beanie to cover his unruly hair. Once being satisfied with his appearance, making sure the new bandage he replaced on his arm didn't show, he walked quietly up the stairs remembering where he had left his bag and because of the previous night's happenings he got none of his homework done, there was not much, just a science activity he could complete in another lesson and a couple math questions he could also find time to complete.
There was fifteen minutes before school started so Connor grabbed an apple from the kitchen and a bottle of water to keep him going, he realised he had not had a proper meal in days and knew his body wouldn't be able to hold him up for much longer so he needed to fix that issue when he got home.
He bolted quickly out the front door, avoiding Kate at all costs, to start his walk to school. Ahead of him he saw Tyde and Sage walking together laughing and talking. Connor wondered where Troye was. That was till he felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see the same blue pair of eyes that rescued him the night before. Although they didn't appear as bright as they usually did, they looked puffy, as they would from crying and a lack of sleep, but Connor didn't question it.
"Hey Con," he said, Connor blushing at the nickname.
"Well in that case, hey Tro," Troye's cheeks blushing as well at his nickname.
The pair walked together. Troye didn't bring up the night before and Connor kept it that way, he didn't need any more sympathy from Troye, he felt pathetic enough. They walked in their usual silence until Troye spoke up.
"You should wear beanies more often," Connor scoffed at the compliment, trying not to blush again, and Troye gave a toothy smile back.
They then came up onto the school entrance entering and walking to homeroom.
.-.-.-.-.-
School yet again didn't seem to go too slowly. Soon it was the last period, English with Miss Singh. Being the laid back teacher she was she gave the class the last bit of the lesson to socialize. Soon the class became loud with chatter, Troye sat to Connor's left and the two turned to one another.
"Con?" Connor turned to his new nickname he now loved to be called now by his new found friend. "Do you wanna come over this afternoon, you know, to hang out?" Connor would like that more than anything, anytime he could spend away from Kate's reach he grasped with both hands.
"Yeah, I would like that, thanks Tro," Troye's cheeks flushed red and so did Connor's, both boys not noticing each other's effects they had on one another.
Is it normal to think of Troye like this? Is it normal to blush at your friends words? Connor asked himself.
Connor had never really been sure about his sexuality, he knew that he never felt anything with girls he had previously been with, but always tried to reassure himself it was because he had not found the right one yet. He knew his parents would have never had a problem with it, but Connor never got the chance to speak his feelings to them, as there was always a thought that maybe they will not be okay with it. Let alone that he would be the talk of the town in his conservative school.
