"Dear Ma and Pa," Norman began writing a letter. "I have arrived safely at the school and have been given a grant. Funny story, that, the admissions fee was raised by a gold so I didn't have enough. Luckily, Scarf remembered about the grant and I got not one, but two gold taken off of the six gold admission. So now I have an extra gold now. I'm not sure what to do with it so I'm writing you this letter. You know Crosswalk more than the rest of the family, Ma, so I would ask you... although Pa has a good sense of things. Maybe I should send it home? It is your money after all. Anyway, I tried making friends. There's Jack, who seems to be like a class clown, according to Ms. Gretchen's 'social standings of school'. There's Joy, who doesn't live up to her name. She seemed, I don't know, nervous?"

"Well it isn't everyday that the star student comes up to you and strikes a conversation out of nowhere!" Joy excliamed. 

Norman nearly jumped out of the desk he was sitting in! Norman was speaking aloud when he was writing. Something he didn't notice until Joy snuck up behind him. He was sitting at a desk in an empty classroom. The classroom had very few desks and many things that Norman thought to be crafting stations. This appeared to Norman to be a Sapphire classroom, specifically one for golem making and enchanting. Norman didn't know much about that. 

"Sorry!" Norman proclaimed. "I didn't mean to-"

"It's more than fine. My parents would agree with you, I don't exactly 'Live up to my name'." Joy sighed.

"Well it was still rude of me to talk about you behind your back." Norman apologized again. 

"And I told you it's fine! You're forgiven!"

Norman felt a sense of relief. He didn't like being rude or unfair to people, and Joy was being very nice to him at the moment. 

"Thank you." Norman said. He then noticed the other person in the room. A meek looking lad about three fourths Norman's size, both in width and in height. The lad had messy hair, as if he hadn't managed it in a while and smelled like mud. "Who's this?" Norman asked.

"Norman, I would like for you to meet Sam. Sam, this is Norman." Joy introduced the two. 

"I would shake your hand, Mr. Norman," Sam said meekly. "but I'm a little stinky."

Norman laughed a little. "I grew up on a farm and had to deal with a bunch of stinky situations! I don't mind!" He then reached out his hand to shake.

Sam hesitated. He didn't think Norman would be this kind. He was hoping he would but few things go the way Sam hopes for. Sam shook Norman's hand weakly. Norman noticed how soft Sam's hand and grip was. Norman didn't say anything about it though. 

"So, Sam, which gem school did you get?" Norman asked.

"Emerald." Sam said. "Just like you, but not advanced."

"That's what we wanted to talk to you about, Norman," Joy started. "Sam could use a buddy for his studies." 

Sam almost cowered into a ball. He didn't like asking for help unless it was from somebody he trusted, like Joy. Sam didn't know who Norman was and he didn't know how Norman would react. 

"Why does he need a buddy for his studies?" Norman inquired. 

"Well Sam tends to understand things in groups." Joy explained. "The bigger the group the worst he is off. The smaller the group, the better."

"How does that work?" Norman was very confused. 

"It just does." Joy spouted. "So, what do you say?" 

Norman thought there was more to this. He heard from Ms. Gretchen what Sam could be in the social standing of the school, and that was a sheep. Norman liked sheep, but there was something else about Sam...

"Sam, why do you want me to be your 'study buddy'?" Norman asked. 

"Well, like I said-" Joy started and then was interupted.

"I want to hear it from Sam, if you don't mind." Norman was very rarely rude like this on purpose. However, he was trying to get somewhere.

Sam finally looked at Norman in the eyes. Norman was a little tall for his age, had a slightly muscular build, but those eyes. Maybe it was because Sam wanted to see the good in Norman, or maybe he did see the good in Norman, but Sam decided to trust Norman for now. 

"I'm not very confident when I'm alone." Sam confessed.

Norman tried to analyze what Sam was saying. Sam didn't seem confident when he was with Joy! It seemed like... Norman figured it out.

"Do you need someone to help you with second guessing yourself?" Normand asked. 

Sam was shocked and so was Joy. Normand hit the nail on the head. When Joy first met Normand, she thought he was a simple country boy, but after seeing Norman get advanced Emerald classes and his interaction with her good friend Sam, she realized she clearly underestimated Normand. 

"Y... yes! That's exactly it!" Sam confessed. Same didn't know how Normand would react to this knowledge. Most people use knowledge against Sam.

"I'll be glad to help then!" Norman said. Norman had a study buddy when he was being tutored by Ms. Gretchen. He was honored to be that for someone, someone who appeared to need it.

Sam was overjoyed! This went better than he could ever hope for! He was able to tell Norman why he needed a study partner early, and Norman said yes to the proposal. So was Joy, as a matter of fact. 

"Fantastic!" Joy blurted out. "I'm sure you two will get along well! Just like peas in a pod!" Joy was a little embarrassed at that last line, but it got her thinking about something. "Where's Scarf? That's the other reason why I came to see you."

Norman looked puzzled. "He was supposed to be keeping watch." 

Scarf was having an adventure. He was positive that Norman could handle whatever came his way for the time being. Besides, Scarf had more important things to take care of.