"[color=00aeef]I'm leaving now[/color]," Conner said as he left for school. It was just another typical day. School, then home, then whatever else needed to be done, then school again and so on. The endless cycle of normal every day life. Conner liked that. Everything was kept track of and perfectly fine. On a day like this, what could possibly go wrong?

"[color=ed1c24]Heeey! Conner, wait up![/color]" 

[color=00aeef][i]Oh yeah, there was also that[/i][/color], Conner thought as Kimberly caught up to him. "[color=00aeef]Hello to you too, Kimberly[/color]," Conner greeted his childhood friend. Kimberly flashed him a smile and began some small talk, "[color=ed1c24]So, Mom asked me, [i]again[/i], if I wanted to skip another grade. I keep telling her, 'No, Mom, it's ok. Conner's not skipping, so why should I?'[/color]"

"[color=00aeef]I know I've told you this before, but you don't have to hold yourself back just because I'm not moving ahead[/color]," Conner said. "[color=00aeef]I'm sure you'd be in better places by now, too[/color]."

"[color=ed1c24]I never asked you before, but, why [i]aren't [/i]you skipping ahead?[/color]" Kimberly asked. "[color=ed1c24]I know you're smart enough to do it, maybe even skip high school altogether[/color]." Kimberly reached over to grab Conner's hand, but the moment they made contact, there was an audible [i]zap[/i], and Conner pulled his hand away reflexively. "[color=00aeef]Ahh, jeez, are your hands [i]still[/i] discharging static?[/color]" Conner asked in annoyance.

"[color=ed1c24]Yeah, sorry. I was kinda hoping that that would've gone away by now[/color]," Kimberly said guiltily. "[color=ed1c24]Um, anyway, back to my question. Why aren't you skipping?[/color]"

"[color=00aeef]I just don't feel any need for it[/color]," Conner said. "[color=00aeef]Sure, it's great academically to skip ahead, but I also need to think about other things in life, y'know? I mean, I certainly don't want to be seen as some oddball because of it, and I would'nt have much else to fill my days if I didn't go to school. I doubt many people would want to hire a 14-15 year old kid for a full-time job or anything either[/color]."

"[color=ed1c24]So basically you're too lazy to do anything else[/color]," Kimberly summarized teasingly. "[color=00aeef]Shut up[/color]," Conner said as he looked away, which earned him a small giggle from Kimberly.