Email Pals

Chapter Three.

Evan returned to school the next day in a relative good mood. His mom was actually there in the morning. Evan had thought about bringing up the Email Pal thing, but wanted to make sure it was more than one email exchange before saying anything. He didn't want to get her hopes up about him actually getting out there.

His mom did however notice Zoe's name on his cast, which lead to a large amount of questions. Although he didn't answer many of them. Just told her that Zoe was a girl from school. Of course, his mom was saying that he should go find her and thank her, invite her over. Everything that he couldn't bring himself to do. But he was still glad his mom was there, and showing some interest in his life.

And Evan was definitely surprised to find that Jared was walking up to him as he got to school. Which never happened. He was always the one who approached Jared, who would then try to get him away.

"Hey, Evan." Jared smiled, giving him a little wave.

"Um... Hey, Jared." Evan responds, although his voice was laced with confusion. Why was Jared talking to him? Well, he knew the answer. So he could tell his mom so he could get his car insurance paid for.

"No need to sound so confused. I am talking to you." Jared tells him, stopping a few feet away from him as his eyes drifted down to his arm. "Wow, you jerked off real good over the holidays, huh?" He asks with a smirk.

"No. It... It's not from that." Evan sighs. There's the Jarred he knew. The one who would constantly torment him.

"I'm sorta sad about that, weird right? But that would be a hilarious way to break your arm." Jared chuckles.

"I... I fell out of a tree." Evan says rather sheepishly.

"What are you, an Acorn?" Jared jokes. But this time it didn't sound like he was being an asshole. But he was lightly teasing Evan. Maybe he was reading into it too much, but the joke seemed rather light-hearted. Like friends do, maybe?

"I don't think so. I think an Acorn is alot more durable than me." Evan responds, trying to go along with Jared's joke. And to his surprise, Jared actually laughs. Which Evan had to admit, it felt really good. That he was laughing with Evan, and not at him. Well he was the source of the joke, but he was actually okay with it this time.

"Yup, Evolution is a bitch like that" Jared comments, standing aside slightly so both him and Evan could walk into school. "Although, we are the dominant species on the planet. So I'll take that over able to fall out of a tree without an injury." Jared adds as the two walk into school.

"I'm guessing this is where you're gonna go find your friends, huh?", Evan asks. This is what Jared would normally do. Talk to Evan for a few minutes, then walk off into school to find his other friends.

"Ha, about that." Jared says, and it was him who sounded sheepish this time. Which caught Evan off guard. "I.. I don't actually have other friends. I lied."

"Why?" Evan asks, his confusion growing.

"I just... I wanted to look cool to you, you know? But, I guess I just... Well, Therapy has helped me alot with how I feel. And that I shouldn't let what others think get in the way of my friendship with you." Jared admits.

"Oh." Is all Evan says. It's all he can think to say. He had never pictured Jared to be someone who would have anything to go to therapy for. "Is.. is that what you've been doing over the summer?" He asks, and Jared nods. "Oh. Well, that's... Good. I'm glad you are seeing someone to help you." Evan tells Jared. And Jared nods, although he was avoiding Evans eyes. But Evan could understand why. It was incredibly hard to talk about this type of stuff with people, expecting them to judge. But he wouldn't.