On a Perfect Day

23 1 0

by GuitarQueen1

by GuitarQueen1

"What were the good things?" Zoe demanded.

"I remember good things." Evan spoke up. And then he wished he had kept his mouth shut. He didn't want to share the special moments with them. He wanted to keep Connor to himself, really. Evan was afraid. Afraid that as soon as he told the stories, they would disappear. And he would remember nothing of Connor at all.

The remaining Murphy's, all but Connor, stared at Evan.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said anything, it's pointless-"

"Tell us." Mrs. Murphy insisted, a small smile on her face.

Evan closed his eyes and thought, looking for a memory he would be willing to share.

The day Evan met Connor? No, that was too special.

That one time they went on a day-long road trip together? No, that was too... romantic, to say the least.

Or...

"See, he doesn't remember anything good." Zoe insisted.

"The orchard." Evan said out loud.

"He... He took you to the orchard?" Mr. Murphy questioned.

Evan nodded. "Sorry, that's not- I shouldn't have..."

"Tell us about it."

"Oh, um... Okay, well..." Evan summoned every detail of the memory, which was already fading. "It was... end of May, or early June, maybe. A picture perfect day. We drove down that dirt road and sang Taylor Swift. Went and got ice cream at A La Mode. We sat in this... beautiful field that was framed with the most amazing trees, and we just talked. Sang some more and made jokes. Just the two of us."

Evan took a deep breath to keep from crying. He would not cry in front of the Murphy's.

"Out there, you can see the sky for forever. And... The world seemed to be moving so fast around us, but we were stuck. The only people who took the time to see everything. We could have stayed like that until the end of time. Me and my... best friend."

Cynthia smiled, and Evan realized he should keep talking.

"We climbed this amazing tree. I followed Connor all the way until I could feel the sun shining on my face."

An excuse! Evan's mind seemed to scream. A lie about your arm.

"I fell. Out of the tree. And..."

Back to the truth.

"When I opened my eyes, Connor was there. He took me to the hospital." Evan held his arm up, displaying the cast, in all its glory, and the large lettering on it.

CONNOR <3

"Why's there a heart?" Zoe was intrigued, suddenly.

Evan looked for an excuse, but there wasn't one to be found. No excuse. No story. No lie.

He took a deep breath and plastered on a shaky smile.

"Connor was my boyfriend." Evan said. And he began to sob, letting out all of the tears that he had not allowed to come.