Pride and Joy ✓

twenty four

TUESDAY. 21. DECEMBER. 21. | English translation for the French at the end

"SHE said she's already seeing some improvements in my work," he beamed, his eyes bright with excitement as he handed his latest essay over to Denver.

"See?" Denver asked, taking the essay and glancing over it. "I told you the tutoring was worth it."

"She said if I keep going then she thinks I could be an A student by the end of next semester," he grinned, nudging into Denver as they began to walk down the hall together.

School was peaceful now that all of the hallways were deserted. Nate had wanted to stay behind to speak to his English teacher about the latest essay he turned in and Denver had waited patiently outside the classroom for him, keeping himself busy in his friends' group chat and checking to see how Maria was doing (a lot better, thankfully).

Some ten minutes later, they were walking down the hallway together and discussing the essay for class that was due after Christmas.

Denver hadn't expected Nate to be thinking about it too much, especially since it was the last day of the semester and they wouldn't be coming back to school for another two weeks, but apparently he'd been wrong. It seemed to him that Nate was actually really looking forward to working on the essay after he'd proposed that they work on it together.

"Don't think this means that I'm going to type it up for you," Denver warned as they walked through the hall together and neared the front entrance.

"I know, I know," Nate assured, giving him a small smile. "I'll do all the typing myself, but you are going to help me with it?"

"Of course," Denver nodded. "We'll do them in a few days or something."

"I can't do tomorrow," Nate informed, "because I'm going back home to hang out with some old friends. We're going to the Winter fair, you wanna come?"

"I don't think so," Denver replied. "You should think about spending the day with them instead. When's the last time you guys hung out?"

"Almost a month ago now."

"Exactly," Denver shrugged. "You see me practically everyday, go enjoy their company. I think I'm gonna go Christmas shopping with my sister anyway."

"I've never met your sister," Nate remarked curiously.

"You've never met anyone in my family," Denver smiled, scoffing a little.

"I've spoken to your parents once or twice when they come over to my Nana's," Nate pointed out. "Nice people."

"That's what you think," Denver muttered dryly as they pushed open the doors and were instantly greeted with the bitter kiss of the winter breeze.

Nate laughed. "Shut up," he grinned, gazing at Denver as they jogged down the stairs. "I can't do the day after tomorrow either because I told Dylan I'd take him out for food."

"Nice of you," he said, smiling softly at Nate. "Guess we're both pretty booked up over the next few days."

"You should come over on Christmas Eve," Nate nodded, a little nervously if Denver wasn't mistaken. "We don't do anything, you know? Christmas Eve and Christmas are usually lazy days in our family."