He avoids Nigel for a whole hour, and manages to limit his tears to only half of that. He is being ridiculous, he tells himself. Utterly ridiculous.
He's just decided that he need never run into Nigel on his own again, so to save on awkward situations, when the blonde boy comes stumbling around the bole of the tree Dennis is hiding behind. He's panting a little, as though he's been running.
Dennis is about to make his excuses and flee when Nigel gasps out, "It meant something to me too."
And those six words make Dennis so, so happy.