forum O/O with @Caustic-Fraust-is-The-Pokemon-Champion

Started April 14, 2020 by @MusicElle-is-here

tune

Nick grinned. “I don’t know about you, but English is my best subject.”

"Right…" Cas laughed weakly. "I'm… um… not fantastic at it…"

“Not everyone can have my awesome writing skills,” Nick joked, trying to ease the tension a bit.

"Haha… yeah…" Cas stepped into the classroom and sat down with a soft sigh.

Nick took his seat and followed along with the lesson, honestly a bit bored. At least until the teacher mentioned a new assigned reading. Nick loved reading.

Cas sighed softly when he heard the word 'reading'. Finally, class ended, and he got up.

Nick put his stuff in his bag as usual, excited. He had already read Catch-22, which was their assigned book, and was looking forward to discussing it. He was basically the model student in English (in science or math, not so much).

Cas was not a model student in any subject at all. He was just immensely stressed at the moment and he felt so stupid. He didn't know anything that they were talking about in school.

“So, have you read Catch-22 before?” Nick asked Cas, once he’d walked over. “It’s a pretty good book.”

No, I can't read. "Um… no… I don't really read much…" Or at all. Cas sighed softly.

“Oh, I get it,” Nick replied. “Well, if you need a study buddy or something, I can totally help you out!”

"Uh… yeah, sure. Whatever." Cas took study buddy to mean 'you'll give me the answers' instead of 'we're going to read a book together', of course. Either way, he forgot that he was illiterate. "How do we do that?"

“Well, I can offer you my copy of the book, and then we talk about it and I can explain whatever you don’t get,” Nick said. “And if you miss a reading deadline I can give you a summary of it before class.” He laughed.

"Oh, okay… thanks." Cas still seemed a little uncomfortable at the thought of reading. He hadn't told his foster parents that he couldn't yet, which was probably why he'd been thrust into a grade with his age level rather than one where he could actually figure out what to do.

Nick grinned, trying to make up for Cas’s lack of enthusiasm with extra enthusiasm on his part. “You’re welcome!”

"I think we have next period together too, but I could be wrong…" Cas glanced down at his schedule. He wasn't quite sure why he still carried it.

“We don’t, but we have fourth period together,” Nick responded. “If you want to talk about the homework or anything we can meet up then or at lunch.”

"Sounds good to me. See you later, then." Cas waved and headed off to his next class.

“See ya,” Nick repeated and waved, walking off.

(time skip?)

(fourth period)

Nick looked for Cas in the hallway on the way to fourth hour, trying to talk to him.

Cas was at his locker, grabbing the books he needed for fourth period. He didn't seem to notice Nick.

Nick saw him and grinned. “Hey Cas!” he called.

Cas jumped a bit when he suddenly heard Nick's voice and looked over to him. "Oh… hi, Nick. Do you need something?" He asked.

(sorry it took so long!)

“I was just being friendly,” Nick responded. He had just assumed that the other boy wanted to be friends in the first place, but maybe not?