Freakish (Dear Evan Hansen)

Anybody Have a Map?

"(Y/N), are you listening to that music again?" Amanda, (Y/N)'s mother asked, putting a hand on the teen's shoulder. (Y/N) looked up at their mother, taking one of the small (f/c) earbuds out of their ear. "I started to. Least it's on a tape, right?"

Amanda sighed in exasperation at her teen. At least they were trying to make an effort to interact instead of just nodding or ignoring her. They didn't have a problem with talking or speaking, they weren't even that shy. If they wanted, they could have shouted out to the world like no one was watching and flip people off. They just liked their personal space. A lot. They didn't want to interact with other people, not that they couldn't. They'd been going to counseling for it for almost a year now, with little to no progress on their state of social inactivity. The most (Y/N) had said so far to the counselor was a quiet and humble 'Fuck off'.

"The music is going to help, I know it will. If this doesn't, nothing will," (Y/N)'s father, Jonas, said to them as he passed by the two. "Wish it had Nirvana on the track. That would be better than this stupid Bruno Mars shit," (Y/N) said, popping the cassette out of their (f/c) Walkman. Amanda grabbed it put it back in, flipping it over to its B-side, hitting play in the process. "Oh, some dude named Bieber. Yay, this day is already going to hell."

(Y/N) continued to eat their breakfast as Amanda dragged Jonas into their bedroom. "What?"He asked. Amanda sighed. "Listen, I think they need more help with their social interactions, maybe you should hang out with them more or something like that. You've always been working, and now you're starting to get more free time with this new job at the aquarium. Hang out with them for the weekend," Amanda told him. Jonas cocked an eyebrow in confusion. "That was probably the most we've gotten out of them in years. They don't want to do this. I've told you that, but you keep them in counseling. They don't need any help, Amanda. I've never seen them go out of their way to make friends. Maybe they don't want them."

"I know you guys are talking about me!" (Y/N) called from the kitchen. "And mom, dad is right, just so you know!"

Amanda rubbed her eyes. "Well?" Jonas asked. "They've gotten better. We've just started them on this method, so it might take a while for her to get used to it. But we're making progress, right?"

"It's like you need a map or something to figure out our kid. It's simple, they want to be alone, so I'm going to leave them alone, let them do them. You and those therapists are making all kinds of shit up as you go. Our kid doesn't want friends, and that's fine. I need to get to work, sharks need feeding," Jonas told Amanda before kissing her and leaving.

Amanda walked back out of the bedroom and took a seat across from (Y/N). "You're listening to the tape, right?"Amanda asked. The teen nodded. "Do you like it?" Another nod. "You're not listening to it, are you?" Nod. "In Utero?" A shake no. "Insecticide?" A nod.

(Y/N) stood up and grabbed their (f/c) book bag, slinging it over their right shoulder carelessly. "Be careful!" Amanda called as (Y/N) walked out the old white door. "It's only the first day of Senior year, what could go wrong?" They said out loud when the door closed noiselessly behind them."Today's gonna be a good day, and one's gonna get in your way of that happening because you're awesome."