Ties of a Friendship
Chapter 6
Connor walked into the School of Anchor Beach Community Charter School looking for Jude he didn't really sleep much as he would've liked to because of the drama, but he managed to make it through. He spots Jude at his locker gathering his supplies.
"Hey Jude," Connor said leaning up next to the locker next to Jude.
"Hey Connor," Jude smiles looking at a depressed Connor who was clearly bothered by something, "What's wrong is everything okay?"
"Yeah just had trouble sleeping…" Connor tells his concerned friend.
"Tell me what's wrong," An attentive Jude said closing his locker he had given Connor his full attention, "its okay you can tell me."
Connor sighed as he signals Jude to follow him outside he didn't want to talk to him in a crowded nosey school. Connor finds them an empty table outside at they sit down placing their backpack next to each other.
"I had a weird dream last night it felt so real," Connor explained, "It was my dad I had a dream that after you left last night he came over, he was still upset about us being friends."
"Connor if this is my fault we can…" Jude tries to end their friendship, but Connor cuts him off.
"-No it's not that it I was frozen with fear I tried to run, but I couldn't he had me cornered and it wasn't anything I could do…I just frozen in fear of him Jude," Connor tells his best friend Jude understood that pain far too well as his been abused in previous foster's homes. Jude knew what it was like being hit and couldn't tell anyone as he just kept quiet he didn't want lose another home, but sometimes to you have to tell and stand up for yourself like Callie did for them, but Connor on the other hand couldn't he was an only child he had no one to defend him for fear of getting in trouble or being taken.
"It was very terrifying I couldn't move as if some kind of invisible chains were holding me or something…it was me being beaten by my father like I was nothing to him at all I mean it was surreal I thought I really felt all of the pain his fist were delivering…"
Jude wanted to comfort his friend, but he didn't want to start anything, he continued to listen to Connor's fears from his dream there was more to Connor than meets the eye maybe it was always there and Jude being here just surfaced the pain that Connor hid away with his charm and smile.
"…I'm sorry Jude," Connor finished off his dream to Jude.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Connor if anyone should be sorry it's me," Jude replied.
"No way man! You're a cool dude you're different from the people I've met since that time we chilled at your house, you've been a cool person I'm glad we're friends…I just wish I could stand up to my father you know?!"
"I understand Connor, but you can only do what you can hey we'll figure something out beside we have a lot of friendship stuff to talk about anyway we have science project to do anyway!" Jude replied smiling at Connor who smiled back.
"Yeah, I totally forgot, um I guess we can go over to my house and do the project since my dad isn't around and since I can't go over to your house anymore," Connor remembered just as the bell rings for them to go to class.
"Okay then I'll let Moms know then I'll see you later!" Jude said running to his class he class was further than Connor's. Connor was close to his he could walk to his.
The day went on like any other as the bells rang to change classes for math class Jude walked in class where Maddie and Chelsea were waiting for him. He walks over to the giggling girls to greet them.
"Hey."
"Hey Jude," Maddie replied back, "We're still on for the movies this weekend right?"
Jude almost forgot about the movies he forgot to ask his Moms to see if they would let him attend the movies with the girls he shook his head in disappointment.
"I forgot to ask Moms I'll ask them when I get home I had a lot on my mind yesterday and just forgot to ask, but I'm sure they'll me to the movies this weekend!" Jude told a disappointed Maddie, but they did have 3 more days for Jude to tell his Moms.
"You think Connor will come?" Chelsea asked Jude.
"I don't know actually…" Jude replied he didn't tell Connor about the movies either the last time they were talking he was upset with him and brush them off.
"You think you can ask him?" Chelsea asked Jude.
"Sure I can asked him I quite sure he'll come I'll see him later today then I'll ask him and let you know!" Jude smiled at the girls as they wave bye to him as he took his seat in the front of class.
"He's so cute don't you agree Maddie?" Chelsea tugged at Maddie as she blushes.
"Oh my god Chelsea I'mma kill you…why don't you worry about Connor it's obvious you like him!"
"I sure do, he's so cute and handsome don't you think and very athletic!" Chelsea said imagining being with Connor letting out a happy sigh.
"Wow you got it bad for him?" Maddie told Chelsea as she laughs, "I hope Jude can go to the movies this weekend it would be nice to have some time with him outside of school!"
"Yeah like that party, by the way kissing my man!"
"Um it was a game spin the bottle I totally didn't even kiss him for a second barely it was really Jude I wanted to kiss thank you very much, and since when was he your man?"
"Um always duh!"
"You need a reality check beside it felt a little weird though…"
"What do you mean?" Chelsea asked her friend who was puzzled in thought.
"Well when Connor came over and he said he didn't ask his dad what was that about it was like he was trying to impress Jude though I'm just saying it felt strange then his father came over after Connor snuck out the house to see Jude what was that about?" Maddie questioned many things at the party, but Chelsea hasn't thought about any of that.
"Wait a second are you implying that there's more going on between Jude and Connor?"
"I'm just saying…remember after the party Jude completely shut down on everyone and then I saw Connor visiting Vice-Principal Lena I tried to talk to him after he left he was clearly upset with dried tears from his face…I'm just saying."
"Well we don't know anything they have a special friendship I think it's cute that Connor and Jude care about each other to be honest you don't see friendships like that every day!"
"Yeah you right, they both obviously need each other in one another lives, but I heard them talking about his father…"
"You think his father purposely did that to his son?"
"I think so maybe that's why there so distant or whatever hopefully they can make up because Connor is Jude's first friend so that can affect someone on emotional level if not fixed I don't want Jude to shut down like that again!"
Connor met up with Jude at lunch they sat down and talk about their school project.
"Hey Jude," Connor said as Jude sat down next to him.
"Hey Connor, how was your day so far?" Jude greeted him.
"It going good," Connor replied, "how about yours?"
"It's fine…oh yeah before I forget Maddie and Chelsea asked do you want to come to the movies with us on Saturday." Jude told Connor.
"Um yeah sure I don't see why not?" Connor told him, "I want to talk about our project were doing you know about the friendship thing…"
Jude remember that Connor had picked their assignment for their science project it was friendship, but Jude didn't understood how they were going to pick a hypothesis to debate or can be proven for the science fair.
"I was actually wondering about that to be honest," Jude replied trying to wrap his head around what Connor wanted to do for his project, "I mean how are we going to use friendship studies for a project?"
"Well we'll use our friendship and maybe we can ask Mariana and then Maddie and Chelsea," Connor said, "See my hypothesis is how society affect friendships which means my father you being in fosters home over someone like Mariana and Lexi who've been friends since forever and Maddie and Chelsea who are best friends and still are today."
"Okay so how unlikely friendships can be form out of innocence and how society can affect the changes of the friendships?" Jude asked Connor as he nods yes.
"Think about it we've only known each other for 6 months and now we're best friends, compared to Mariana and Lexi who've been friends forever and now she's in Honduras, but yet they keep their friendship, but others aren't so lucky and then you see Maddie and Chelsea who are friends for a long time and still are its interesting when you think about it."
"It is, but it really for science or is it to prove something to someone?" Jude questioned the reason why Connor had wanted to friendship what was he trying to prove by making a project on friendship.
"I think it's both Jude," Connor tells him, "Did you ask your Moms if you can come over so we can work on our project we have to get this work done no slacking off!"
"I'll tell them," Jude told him.
"Good, so the movies with the girls? What movies you think they might want to see?" Connor wondered.
"I don't know I hope they don't want to go and see a scary movie because I really don't like scary movies."
"Jude…don't tell me you're scared of some stupid scary movies?" Connor laughs at him Jude kinda blushed in embarrassment.
"Hey don't laugh at me! I know there not real, but the suspension is scary to me!" Jude laughed.
"Fine fine Jude we'll make sure that we don't watch a scary movie, but I'm telling you man it's nothing to worry about."
"Easier for you to say!"
"Not really I already experienced real fear already," Connor tells Jude with a stern face.
"What does that mean?" Jude asked Connor pondered what could real fear compared to Hollywood cinematic fear.
Connor gives Jude a really face as if he have to ask about real fear as well as Jude know what fear is too from being beaten by his previous foster home, or losing Callie it was all something scary to think about as well as Connor dealing with his father.
"I'm sorry I forgot, of course you know," Jude said to Connor who was in serious thought, "Connor its okay you know that?"
"Jude the thing is I really don't think it's going to be okay I wish I could get my father to understand."
"It call due time," Jude told Connor as he smiles back, "Hey should we go to the library and gather some more information?"
"Hmmm let's go to the beach we got time to spare!" Connor said as Jude agreed nodding as they back up their trash and toss in the trash can as they head to the beach.
The fresh breeze air from the beach blew in the wind like an orchestral conductor directed the wind in a wonderful dance Jude and Connor sat next edge of a tree the line split the school line to where the beach begins the sun beamed reflecting rainbow refraction across the skies as the seagulls flies around the area the blue clear water shines as bright as the day itself.
Something about sitting there at the beach brought peace and calm to both boys the wind blew through their hair as they inhale the fresh air it was like being in paradise.
Something that both boys wish they could go, but sadly real world calls for them.
"Feel that fresh air man it's so great that we get to go to a school by the beach don't you agree?" Connor asked Jude enjoying the air and shade given by the tree they were sitting next to.
"Yeah I needed this!" Jude told him as he shakes his hair through the wind the breeze was very enjoyable.
"Hey Jude you should come to my soccer game this Friday," Connor told Jude, "I'm serious you've never been to one of my soccer matches it would be nice to see my best friend at one of my games."
"For real you really mean it?!" Jude asked Connor. Connor nodded an absolute yes. Jude didn't know what to say he never been invited to one of Connor's matches he wanted to see Connor in action after seeing all the trophies in room he family must be proud of him, "Sure I'll go then I can see if you really can play soccer or were those trophies given to you out of pity!"
"Oh so you think you funny now?!" Connor snuffed at Jude who was giggling.
"I'm pretty sure I'm not, but I'm just saying who knows if you can really play since I've never seen you've play before remember?"
"Point taken, maybe I can teacher you!"Jude laughed at Connor's suggestion, "why are you laughing are you scared or something?!"
"No, I'm laughing at the fact that you think I can play soccer I'm not good at sports like that you're the athletic!" Jude responded in laugher as Connor soon followed through laughing.
"Hey what are you two laughing at?" Connor and Jude turn around to see Maddie standing there holding her books.
"Oh hey Maddie we we're talking about Connor playing soccer he said he wanted to teach me," Jude greeted Maddie.
"Well you never know until you try Jude!" Maddie told him.
Connor nudges him giving him a nookie on his head messing his hair as Jude laughs trying to get out of Connor's hold he finally get out of the headlock with his hair a mess as they all laugh while Jude blushes fixing his hair after Connor mess it up.
"See someone agrees with me so I'll teach you!" Connor tells him.
"Looks like I'm outnumbered then," Jude sighed as his classmates laugh at him, "So Maddie you want to come to Connor's soccer game with me?"
Maddie was shocked by Jude asking her to join, he was usually nervous and shy, but so was she, but to have a chance to hang out with Jude she wasn't going to miss this opportunity.
"Sure when is it?!" Maddie asked.
"It's Friday and I'm show you Jude that I got game!" Connor pushed him as they both get up dusting themselves off.
"Okay sure then if you say so!" Jude pushed back.
"Alright you guys we got to class so stop horse playing around Connor save it for Friday's game," Maddie told him as they both stop pushing each other and follow her to class.
Maddie, Connor and Jude were heading to their class when Jude notices Lena walking out of the office, "Hey guys I'll catch up to you guys in alittle while!"
"Okay don't be late," Connor told him as he and Maddie continued to walk towards the classroom.
"Hey Mom, mom wait up!" Jude called out to Lena as she turns around to see Jude running behind her.
"Oh hey sweetheart is everything alright?" Lena asked.
"Yeah I was wondering how everything went?" Jude asked.
"I think it went well I'll hear from them next week," Lena tells Jude, "How's your day been so far?"
Jude shrugs, "It's been okay I was wondering can I go over to Connor's house to work on our project since…you know he's not allowed to come over to our house anymore?"
"Um…I don't know honey I have to ask your Mom and see what she say did Connor's mom say it was okay?"
"I think so I'll ask him when I get to class, because we only have 3 weeks before it's the science fair and Connor wants us to be finish before the last week," Jude explained.
"Okay I'll see you later after class and me and your Mom will have an answer for later today," Lena told Jude as he smiles giving her a hug.
"Okay thanks mom!" Jude thanks her running away heading to his class.
Lena walks over to her car as she get in her car she calls Stef who was at work working on a cases. She hears her phone go off she sees the caller ID that it's Lena calling her she sits down at her desk before she answers her phone, "Hey love what's up is everything alright?"
"Yeah I just got out of the meeting…"
"Yeah, what did they say you think it's a good chance you got your job back?" Stef asked her wife knowing that Stef took up some extra shifts to make up for Lena quitting her job.
"Yeah I believe so I made a solid case and I told them I jumped into conclusion and wasn't thinking rationally at all I think I won them over so we'll hear from the board next week," Lena explained to her nervous wife.
"Okay honey that's great anything else?" Stef asked.
"Yeah Jude wants to know if he can go over to Connor's house today they have project they have to do and of course he can't come over to our house because his father forbid him I told Jude I'll talk to you about it," Lena added on as a frustrated Stef was indecisive about the decision of sending her son over to Connor's house.
"I don't know Lena, are we sure Jude will be safe over there?" Stef asked, "I mean our really sure about this?"
"We have to trust Jude's decision and it looks like they have project whether or not Adam agrees they have to do this project and it's no point in trying to avoid it," Lena reminded her.
"Okay honey I see you made your point I guess I can pick Jude up on my way home tonight then," Stef finally agreed with her wife.
"Okay honey be safe…I love you," Lena said to his wife.
"I love you too," She replies back hangs up her phone getting back to her case at work.
The end of day Connor and Jude meet up as Lena walks over to the two boys to give Jude permission to go over to Connor's place.
"Hey, Connor."
"Hey Mrs. Fosters," Connor said timid a little shy as he scoot his backpack on his shoulder from sliding off.
"Listen Jude I talked it over with your Mom and we agreed that you can go over to Connor's house, but you have to call when you get there and Mom said she's going to pick you by ten so you boys have fun," Lena explained to both of the boys.
"I understand Mrs. Foster I'll make sure nothing happens to him thank you," Connor told her.
"Okay be careful you two!"
Connor and Jude turn from Lena as they walk towards Connor's home, Lena smiles looking at both boys hanging out mending their friendship.