As the days went by, Nora and Ethan settled into a new routine. They would meet up in the mornings before school, grab a cup of coffee, and talk about their plans for the day.

One morning, as they were walking to their lockers, Ethan turned to Nora with a mischievous grin. "Hey, Williams?" he said.

"Yeah?" Nora replied, looking up at him.

Ethan's eyes sparkled with amusement. "Want to come over to my house after school and study for our math test?"

Nora raised an eyebrow, feeling a sense of surprise. "Your house?" she repeated.

Ethan nodded, his grin still plastered on his face. "Yeah, my house. My mom will be there, so don't worry."

Nora felt a sense of hesitation, but then she shrugged. Why not? She could use the extra study time, and it would be nice to see Ethan's house.

"Okay, sure," she said, smiling up at him.

Ethan's face lit up with excitement. "Great!" he exclaimed. "And I'll invite some of my friends over too. We can make it a study group."

Nora's eyes widened in surprise. "A study group?" she repeated.

Ethan nodded. "Yeah, it'll be fun. We can order some pizza, study for our test, and just hang out."

Nora felt a sense of excitement. She had never really hung out with Ethan's friends before, but she was willing to give it a try.

"Okay, sounds like a plan," she said, smiling up at him.

Ethan grinned, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "Awesome. I'll pick you up after school."

As Nora watched him walk away, she couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement. She was going to Ethan's house, and she was going to meet his friends.

After school, Nora waited by her locker for Ethan to pick her up. She felt a sense of excitement and nervousness as she watched him approach, his smile gleaming in the fluorescent lighting.

"Hey, Williams," he said, nodding at her. "Ready to go?"

Nora nodded, feeling a sense of trepidation. What would the afternoon bring?

As they drove to Ethan's house, Nora felt a sense of wonder. The houses were beautiful, with manicured lawns and sparkling windows.

Ethan's house was no exception. It was a beautiful, two-story colonial with a wraparound porch and a big oak tree in the front yard.

Nora felt a sense of awe as she stepped out of the car and looked up at the house. It was even more beautiful than she had expected.

"Welcome to my humble abode," Ethan said, grinning at her.

Nora smiled, feeling a sense of excitement. She couldn't wait to see what the afternoon had in store.

As they walked inside, Nora was greeted by Ethan's friends, Rachel, Mike, and Chris. They were all sitting in the living room, surrounded by books and notes.

"Hey, Nora!" Rachel exclaimed, waving at her. "Welcome to our study group!"

Nora smiled, feeling a sense of relief. She was glad to see that Rachel was there, and she felt more at ease.

As they spent the afternoon studying and laughing together, Nora felt a sense of belonging. She was glad that she had decided to come, and she was excited to see what the rest of the semester had in store.

As the sun began to set, Ethan's mom called out from the kitchen. "Pizza's ready, guys!" she exclaimed.

Nora's stomach growled in anticipation as they all got up and headed to the kitchen. She was excited to see what the rest of the night had in store.