Lunch was about half over and Desmond had already finished his food. It was only then that he noticed there was an open spot to his right. "Uh guys...where's Connor?"

Ezio and Leonardo were chatting in Italian about who knows what but fell silent at Desmond's question. Ezio looked at the empty seat at the table. "I...I don't know. Where would he be?"

Leonardo rested his chin on his fist. "Hm...I think I saw him walking towards the science classroom."

Desmond started looking around. "Well why the hell would he do that? He's supposed to eat lunch with us, that's a part of being in our group."

Ezio pointed with his fork to their friend. "Ah there he is now!"

Leonardo looked at where Ezio was pointing. "Yeah. With Altair."

Desmond spun around to look. "What!? Why would he do that? Didn't you tell him about the tiers of popularity Leo?"

"Indeed I did. He said he didn't care remember?"

"Well he doesn't have to bring that weirdo to us."

"He's not as weird as he is angry and quiet. But still I agree, Connor shouldn't be bringing him over here."

Ezio shushed them. "Be quiet they're..."

Connor, followed by Altair, stopped at the table. "Hey guys."

They all didn't make eye contact. "Uh hey Connor."

"Do you mind if Altair sits with us?"

Everyone looked down at their food, except for Desmond who didn't have food to look at. "Er uh...you know we um...actually Ezio's the leader so you should really be asking him. Whatever he says goes."

Ezio gave Desmond the look of someone who just got thrown under the bus. Then he looked up at Altair and Connor with an awkward smile; which was still gorgeous. "Well this table is kind of for members and potential members of the Brotherhood. Which unfortunately...Altair...isn't. Soooo..." Ezio was really hoping Connor would understand what he was implying, so he wouldn't have to flat out say 'no.'; but it wasn't looking that way. "The answer is no. He can't sit with us."

Connor looked at them. "Oh. Okay, why?"

"Like I said, he's not a potential member." Ezio figured that had been explanation enough.

"Why not?"

Ezio kicked Leo under the table, hoping for some backup, but there was nothing. "Uh...because...because um...he just isn't and therefore can't sit with us. Matter closed."

Connor turned to Altair. "Well I guess that's that."

Altair shrugged. "Whatever, there's an empty table over there." Altair carried his tray away.

Connor started to follow him as Desmond stood up. "Where are you going Connor?"

"I'm going to sit with Altair."

"But you're allowed to sit here."

"And I'm allowed to sit there too."

"But we're your friends."

"So is Altair."

The whole table gasped. Ezio seemed the most shocked. "Why?"

"Because I think he's a good person."

Leonardo raised his pointer finger. "Excuse me...what? He's not though. He's weird and..."

"And what? He could damage your social rank?" Connor looked disappointed. "I'm sorry, but I can't be friends with shallow people. If you took the time to know him you'd know he's more than an ill-disposed loner and you'd see that he is a good person." Then Connor turned and walked away to join Altair.

Leo's jaw had dropped. "Okay I have been called numerous things, but shallow has never been one of them."

Desmond sat back down. "What does that ill...whatever even mean?"

Ezio looked around nervously. "What's this weird feeling? It's sad and a bit angry yet...oh no. Did I just get rejected?! I've never ever been rejected!"

Leo put a hand on his bestie's shoulder. "Calm down. I don't think we should worry too much about Connor; this probably won't last long. Connor's too delicate to handle Altair. I mean really, judging by Altair's past behavior, this won't last long at all. At most a few days."

Desmond looked at where Connor and Altair were sitting and pouted. "Are you sure it'll only be a few days?"

"Uh...maybe a week...give or take."

Desmond put his head on the table. "I miss him already."

Ezio gently patted Desmond's head. "And to think we haven't really known him for that long. What an impact he's made. Like Leonardo said, he'll probably be back soon."

Altair glanced at the Brotherhood's table. "You're really picking me over them?"

Connor took a bite of the "beef hot dish" or as others called it...meat mush. "Of course."

"Why?" Altair was messing with the zipper on his hoodie. "They're so much better than me. Well...except for maybe Desmond. But Ezio and Leonardo are so amazing and popular and..."

"And your friendship is worth more to me than all of theirs combined." Connor smiled

Altair was quiet and pushed the food around his tray. He never thought he could be...of any value to anyone. Even if he was he expected to be least valuable instead of most. "Oh." He felt like he should say more. "Um... It's their loss then. "

"It certainly is since they didn't get to meet you."

"Tone it down, you could kill someone with that kindness."

Connor laughed. "Sorry. It's true though, they're suffering the heavier loss. All I'm losing is a free ride to and from school, but that's not too bad of an inconvenience."

"I'd like to say I could help you with that, but...I kind of walk everywhere or take a bus."

"It's perfectly fine, I can get a cab or something. You don't need to worry about me at all."

Altair smiled again, it was still a small smile though. Then the bell that signaled the end of lunch rang and students bustled to their next class. Connor and Altair however had to empty their trays before joining the bustling. Connor waved to Altair as they went to their different classes.

Gym was as awkward as painting class since one had Ezio and the other had Leonardo. After warm-ups Captain Edward Kenway tossed a bag of foam balls into the center of the gym. "Alright you scurvy dogs. I'm a little hung-over so instead of teaching the next sport on the list, I'm just gonna let ya throw these at each other. This half is shirts and that half is also shirts. The first team of shirts are the...Privateers and the second shirts are the Corsairs."

Connor raised his hand. "Uh...you could've just started with calling us Corsairs and Privateers instead of..."

Edward picked up a ball and chucked it at Connor. "Shud up, I'm the authority here. Now go attack each other with these things! I'm gonna sit down and rest my eyes. These bright gym lights are making my headache worse."

And so a dodge ball battle began and what a battle it was. A kid next to Connor got hit in the stomach and practically crumpled to the ground. True, the balls were made of foam but when thrown at high speeds...they hurt. Connor went to pick up the ball at the same time Ezio was. Connor grabbed it, but then held it out to Ezio. "Uh...you can have it."

"Oh no, you're holding it."

"Well you can throw quicker."

"You have better aim though."

"Just take it. I'll go get another one."

Ezio looked directly at Connor. "Like how you got another, more important, friend?"

Connor narrowly dodged a ball. "Is now really the time to talk about this?"

"Why isn't it a good time?" A kid next to Ezio limped over to the bench

"Because we're in the middle of a fairly intense situation."

"I'll say. You just abandoned us for whatever kind-hearted quest you're on."

"Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"

"You think that just being friends with Altair will magically make him more likable? He's still going to be a jerk to everyone! I mean he was such an asshole to you at the beginning and then..."

"Then I got past that to know who he really is."

Ezio rolled his eyes and shook his head. "Well why don't you tell me who he really is way deep down?"

"It's not necessarily my tale to tell. All I can say is that he's not as weird, or terrible as you all think."

"Still. Why choose one person over three?"

"Because I'd rather have one good friend than three who don't care about anything but their appearance!"

"That is not..." Then Ezio got hit in the face by a hurtling ball. He was on the ground with his face buried in his hands. "Not my face! Not my beautiful face!"

There was a whistle blown followed by the sound of laughter from Edward. "Extra points to the Corsairs for that amazing head shot. Yoho Kenway, how is he?"

Connor helped Ezio up. "Are you alright?"

Ezio was still covering most of his face. "I don't know! I lost a good friend today and I just got a dodge ball thrown into my freaking face! What do you think?!" Then Ezio roughly shoved Connor and stormed out of the gym.

Everyone else in the gymnasium was quiet...except for Edward Kenway. "Ooooo...dram-ma. Looks like you two aren't gonna be mates anymore. Boy I'll tell ya how the rest of this semester's gonna go it's gonna be awk-ward." Edward blew his whistle. "Alrighty we got 10 minutes before you get to go change. For this last round I wanna see how brutal you can be! I want to see some CARNEGE out there! Just uh...keep it down though. Still got a bit of a headache."

After getting changed back into his regular clothes Connor walked to the main doors of the high school. While he waited to meet up with Altair he saw Desmond and Leo waiting for Ezio to pick them up. Connor wasn't sure whether he should approach them or not. He hadn't really thought he betrayed them at all, but apparently they were pretty hurt by his actions. Then again he did call them shallow and say some things he didn't quite mean. Before he could make up his mind he felt a poke in his arm. He turned to smile at Altair. "Hey."

"Hello."

"Okay I need to get you my number. Can I see your phone?"

Altair handed him a flip phone. "Sure. I know it's old, but I don't really use it."

"Oh." Connor took it and after several button pushes he got to new contacts. Then it took forever to type his name in. Since you have to press a certain number so many freaking times and wait awhile before pushing another or else you'd end up changing the letter and it was just a long process. Finally Connor finished and handed it back. "Well there you go. I put my address in there too...just in case. So uh...you know, call me or text me whenever you like."

Altair put the phone back in his pocket. "Yep. Um...th thhh...thanks."

"Aw. You're welcome." Connor smiled.

Altair felt himself blush a bit, he still wasn't used to being...nice. He shrugged. "Yeah whatever. I don't generally thank people so you better feel pretty damn special."

"I'll see you later Altair." Connor held out his arms for a hug.

Altair looked him in the eye. "No."

Connor slowly lowered his arms. "Okay then."

"I'm gonna go now. I have to catch a bus, so...later."

"Good bye!" Connor waved and then Altair was gone. He looked at where Desmond and Leo were standing to see that they too were gone. 'Well guess I better call a cab.' First he sat down in the cafeteria and checked his backpack to see how much money he had. There was $3. Maybe he could call his dad to work something out.

"Hello this is Haytham Kenway."

"Hey dad I was..."

"Regrettably I'm not able to answer the phone so please leave a message."

Connor hung up before the beep. Alright that option was gone. Connor sat thinking when the janitor he'd run into before came to sweep under the table. "Do you mind moving boy? Some people have jobs."

"Sorry Achilles."

"Oh God it's you again. I should remember your name by now."

"It's Connor."

"Ah yes, Connor. Just like my boy's name."

"You have a son? That's great! How old is he?"

"You know what? I've got a job to do and I can't spend my time talking to you." Achilles started walking away with his broom.

"Wait! Weren't you sweeping under..." Connor saw that the old man wasn't listening. He had really hoped to chat more, maybe even ask for a quick ride. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Maybe he could ask one of the teachers who were still here. That would leave Shaun and Edward. Shaun would say no and Edward...he was still probably hung-over. Connor pulled out his phone again. There had to be someone he knew that wasn't at work, had a car, and free time to pick him up.

Connor was already outside when the black and red Jaguar F-type pulled up to the doors. Shay Cormac lowered his sunglasses. "Hello there Connor!"

Connor stared at the car. "This is what you drive?"

"Indeed. I bought it and had it customized today."

"What do you do for a living again?"

"I make my own luck." Shay put his sunglasses back on. "Alright let's move some furniture!"

"Wait...what? I thought you were giving me a ride."

"I am. To my new place to help me move furniture."

"No no no, you must have misheard me I need a ride home. To my home."

"Yeah, I know. That was after you help me move."

"I never said I would do that."

"You sure? I thought we discussed that."

"Not that I'm aware of."

"Huh. I guess I was thinking about asking you to help, but then I forgot to actually bring it up. That happens sometimes...or I just don't pay attention. Oh well. Feeling ready to use some muscle?"

Connor sighed. "I guess I don't really have an option."

Shay smiled and put the sports car into drive. "That's the spirit!"