"I guess... it's the perspective that's comforting. Nothing feels so serious if you hold it up to those standards," Johnny said with a shrug. "Plus, it's just cool. The best picture of a sunset out there couldn't top any image of any nebula—these huge interstellar clouds of dust and ionized gas glinting light-years away from us. Nothing Man can make could ever look that amazing."
                          
The dreamy smile had settled back in and Carter's heart filled up at the sight. He smiled playfully.
                          
"I get the feeling you're the type of guy who has a favorite nebula," he teased. When he saw the look on Johnny's face, he leaned over the table. "Oh, my God—you do!" 
                          
"Whatever." Johnny rolled his eyes, but he was still smiling. "I'm not the weird one for having a favorite nebula. You are if you don't." 
                          
"Tell me," Carter asked. 
                          
Johnny scoffed. "Not after you made fun of me." 
                          
"I didn't," Carter assured him, putting his hands up. "I'm not making fun, I promise. I want to know." 
                          
Johnny trapped his bottom lip between his teeth apprehensively and Carter's eyes zeroed in until he released it. He met Johnny's gaze again, unapologetically. 
                          
"Heart and Soul." 
                          
Carter shot him an inquisitive look. 
                          
"It's technically two nebulae. One is Heart and the other is Soul," Johnny explained. "They're like two giant star-making factories. When you see images from NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, it looks actually breath-taking." 
                          
Carter's lips slipped into a big grin and Johnny bit down on his own smile, self-consciously. 
                          
"It's late," he said. "We should help Mrs Lewis clean up and go." 
                          
"Right," Carter agreed, looking around. "Where did she go?"
                          
Johnny shrugged. "Let's just put the books back in the shelves and leave."
                          
They did as he said, in silence. Carter would not have believed it if somebody told him in the beginning of the year, but he was starting to learn where each book went and how the library's organization system worked. 
                          
Mrs Lewis came back when they were almost done, thanked them with a smile and they bid her goodbye. None of them said anything until they were inside Johnny's car.
                          
He tuned the key in the ignition and the car roared in hiccups before it faded to still and quiet again. Johnny tried again, and then again, before he huffed slapping both hands on the wheel.
                          
"Are you kidding me," he mumbled.
                          
Carter watched him try one more time, before he asked, "Should I call Mike or something to pick us up?"
                          
"No, it's fine," Johnny told him. "Sam does this sometimes. Likes to act up, but never lets me down. You don't know this, because she's been in her best behavior when you're around."
                          
Carter looked at him with his eyebrows raised. "Sam?" He repeated.
                          
Johnny shot him a daring look. "My car has a name and that's also not weird. You're the weird one if you don't name your cars."
                          
Carter laughed. "I don't even have a car," he said.
                          
Johnny just rolled his eyes before trying to start the car once again. Sam didn't give in. Johnny let out a loud sigh and Carter pursed his lips around a smile. 
                          
"You should tell me more about Heart and Soul," he mused after they sat in silence for a couple of seconds, in the emptying parking lot of their school.