Reality And Us

Chapter Nineteen

Zane was breathless. Nick was exhausted.

They had been training at Lakeside - the gym they met at - for quite a while now, and in result of that both of them were pretty tired.

Zane was sitting on the ground, gulping water down his throat. It felt good, the cold of it was very relaxing. His eyes were closed, the blonde hair stuck to his forehead, there was a bit of water running down out of his mouth, but it didn't bother him.

It felt fresh and cooling against his neck, that it left his shirt to be a bit wet at some spots didn't matter.

Nicklas was standing, he definitely wasn't as exhausted as his friend, he had trained a lot more in the past after all, but that didn't mean that he would've liked to continue, his muscles told him it might be better to rest for a while.

He took his own bottle and drank and drank, until it was empty, he felt as if he was dehydrating and would die of thirst. They should definitely drink more often during their work-outs.

Zane looked up at Nicklas and asked, "What now?"

"We could go to the café again, if you want? I still got time.", Nick responded.

Zane nodded and stood up, he didn't mind spending more time with the younger, and he still had some time as well.

~~~

A little while later the two boys entered the café, Nick loved the familiar smell of this room hitting his nose.

"So, do you want me to get you this abnormal drink you had last time again?", he asked, but his tone wasn't as biting as these words might suggest. It sounded as if he was ready to pay for his friend again, actually.

"You aren't paying again, Nicklas, I don't want you to spend your money on me.", Zane answered, quite serious.

"Well technically it isn't mine but my parents', so. . .", the younger boy said, trailing off.

"Your parents money?"

Nicklas shrugged, "They give me a bit every week for me to spend on things such as food and drinks and tickets for the bus or something, and I give them back everything I didn't use at the end of the week."

The younger boy continued to talk, "I don't really get a lot of actual pocket money I can save or spend on random stuff, that'd be too much then."

Zane looked at the younger boy in curiosity. It was an interesting system, and he was sure that it wouldn't work with a lot of people, quite a few children would just keep the money or not give everything back. And a lot of parents didn't have the money, but since Nicklas was an only child . . .

"Still, let's just both pay for ourselves. It makes me more comfortable knowing I'm not taking your parents' money.", Zane smiled, "And I can get us the stuff."

Nick nodded and pulled his wallet out of his pocket, giving Zane the money needed for what he wanted to have. "Hot chocolate and a double chocolate doughnut."

"Do you always get this when you're here?", the older boy asked, receiving a 'It's my favorite' as an answer, before he went to get the order.

Nick sat down at a nice table, and waited for Zane to return with his beloved hot chocolate. It made him kinda happy that his friend remembered what he had gotten last time.

It didn't take to long, and the older boy was back again. He put the stuff onto the table and sat down opposite of the younger. "Here's your order, Nicklas."

"Thank you very much, sir.", Nick answered, grinning at the tone the other had used when talking, "You do know that I wouldn't really mind you just calling me Nick?"