𝚝𝚘 𝚍𝚒𝚎 𝚏𝚘𝚛 || 𝚊𝚗 𝚘𝚛𝚒𝚐𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚕 𝚜𝚝𝚘𝚛𝚢

| 𝚜 𝚒 𝚡 |

They fell into an easy rhythm in the weeks that followed. Meeting in the park on Fridays became their "thing", and Carter found himself enjoying it. Sometimes they'd talk about their home life, sometimes they'd talk about what was going on at their respective schools, sometimes they talked about the most random things that came to mind. Case in point: they'd once had a conversation about whether the s or the c was silent in the word "scent".

But the best part was: she listened. She listened and she didn't judge him, she got it. She understood how it felt to feel that everything was crumbling around you; she understood how it felt to feel like you wouldn't ever be enough.

And it wasn't just one way: she talked to him too. About how her math grades were slipping and that was why she needed a tutor. About how she was jealous of her friends, and he didn't judge her either. He listened.  That was what he loved about their friendship: they both listened.

And then some days were a true testament to how crazy their friendship was. They were in the park, and she just asked him, without any warning, out of the blue: "Do you think pigeons have feelings?" He turned around in surprise, and Stella gave him a little shrug. "What?"

He lifted an eyebrow. "Did you seriously just ask me that?"

She nodded seriously. "It was a serious question."

He looked at her, amused. "Well, no, I don't think pigeons have feelings. And besides, most birds are evil."

She gasped in mock horror."How dare you insult the pigeons? Of course they have feelings. And you just hurt them! And where on Earth did you get the idea that birds are evil?"

Carter laughed and shook his head. "It's a book thing. Never trust ducks." The last three words had Stella shaking with laughter. "Bloodthirsty beasts," he added seriously.

She managed to regain her composure. "Birds have feelings."

He conceded, grinning. "Okay, okay, birds have feelings," he said, holding his hands up.

She smiled, victorious. "Of course they do." Carter shook his head and rolled his eyes, but he was smiling.

—

Yes, I added a TSC reference. Why not? Ducks are evilllll.

Thank you so much for reading and please vote!