All Because Mom Wanted Ice Cream

Really, Mom?

Heidi marched into Evan's room.

"You're coming."

"Really, mom? Why?" Evan sighed, horrified.

"Because you need to get going again, honey."

"But-"

"Evan, hon. I love you, really, but... you can't hide forever. Besides, nobody knows but you, me, and the Murphys, right?"

Evan looked at his mom, and said, "Wrong. There's someone else."

-

"Mom I really hate the grocery store. It's too loud."

"Enough about the 'too loud' thing, Jared." His mother snapped. "You'll be fine. Bring your headphones if you really need them. But you don't really have sensory problems honey. It's all in your head."

Yeah, Jared thought, it's in my head. It's a MENTAL PROBLEM.

Jared sighed and shook his head. "Whatever."

"Perfect. Let's go." Mrs. Kleinman pulled Jared up off his bed and they left for the store

(TIME SKIP BROUGHT TO YOU BY "IS HE SINGLE?")

The freezer aisles. The home of the ice cream.

Evan was standing behind his mom awkwardly, his arms crossed and his head down.

Jared was approaching the area, jamming out to his music and not paying attention to anything at all.

So, it was not a surprise when he ran directly into Evan in the grocery store, knocking them both over.

"Gees, watch where you're going." Jared mumbled, rubbing his shoulder that had made contact with the ground.

"Oh, um, I'm sorry I was just standing here in the way that's probably really annoying and I can- Jared?" Evan looked up to the face of the bulldozer.

"Perfect." Jared mumbled, sliding his headphones off of his ears. "You're here."

"Um, sorry. I don't really, um, want to be here." Evan said quickly, hoping it wouldn't sound rude.

Jared rolled his eyes. His mother approached behind him and noticed Heidi, and suddenly there was a reunion going on.

"Heidi, how are you?" Shannon, Jared's mom, asked, giving Heidi a hug.

"I'm doing well, and yourself?" Heidi asked with a smile.

"Things are good." Shannon smiled as well. "How is Evan?"

Evan hated the way she talked as if Evan wasn't right there, but he didn't say anything.

Heidi didn't miss a beat. "Oh, I think he's been good. I feel like I never see him. And Jared?"

"I'm right here." Jared said. "If you wanted to know something. But asking my mom about something she doesn't know sounds like a fantastic plan, so. Carry on."

"Oh." Heidi's face fell for a moment, but she picked it back up. "I'm sorry, that must be annoying. How are you Jared?"

Jared shrugged and pulled his headphones back over his ears.

"Evan honey." Heidi turned to her son. "Aren't you going to say hi to Jared?"

Evan tugged at his shirt and and shrugged. "Hi, Jared."

Jared nodded his acknowledgment but didn't respond. He turned and pretended to be interested in the non-dairy ice cream shelf. He didn't want to talk to Evan.

"Our boys need to get talking again." Shannon said to Heidi. Heidi nodded enthusiastically.

"They really should." Heidi then laughed. "I feel like we're planning a play date, like we used to for them."

Shannon laughed along, agreeing. "Jared? How does that sound? Hanging out with Evan?"

"I'm not five mom." Jared rolled his eyes.

"Jared..."

"Yeah, okay, whatever. I'll hang with Evan. Tomorrow. I have nothing else to do."

"Perfect!" Heidi said. "He's been lonely, my boy."

Jared shrugged again and sighed.