Declan wasn't asking. He watched the other boy and just shrugged as a response. I don't do average. Okay? He chuckled, finding himself strangely amused by the confident person taking up space in the room. "Okay," he replied with a lopsided grin. "You win this round of the pity Olympics."

Kidding or not, Declan thought his statement had some truth to it.

"Well, I think you'll be alright," Declan said from where he sat with his book. He smiled broadly. "You seem to love yourself just fine even stuck like that."