Two Player Game

~Chapter Twelve~

They make it all the way there and Evan is now just sniffling. Jared takes him up to his room, which is definitely cleaner than Evan's.

"Just... Stay here for a moment. Make yourself comfortable." He sits down stiffly. He's not comfortable. He won't ever be until these Marks go away. Jared comes back with a small blanket if he wants it and a cup of tea which he knows Evan likes. He remembers. Evan takes it with a tiny tiny smile.

"Thank you so much, Jared."

"No Problem.... buddy." He's gonna wait until Evan is ready to talk. It's a while. Eventually though, Evan looks at him like he wants him to say something.

"So... How do you feel? In General." He's trying.

"I... Emotionally? I'm a mess. Physically? .... You don't wanna see that."

"okay, yeah. Probably." Jared's a mess himself but he's worried about Evan. Much more than himself.

".... I just only seem to do things wrong. I say the wrong things, make the wrong moves, and I screw everything up. Always. "Somehow. I always do. And I - I just feel so terrible all the time now. Like I can't do anything right, like... Like I deserve this." Jared's listening carefully. He needs to say something to help him. But what? He's already tried to tell him that it's not his fault. Evan won't listen to him.

".... I just gotta survive. I gotta get through it, because I can't leave him, Jared."

"Why can't you?"

"... We're all we've got. He doesn't even get along with his family, my mom is never home, even you insist that we're only family friends." he shifts and cringes as pain shoots up his side. "We were doing so good. He's... It's because he's leaving. He didn't get this way until he found out they were leaving, I-"

"He's just... taking it hard." He hates to admit it. "He doesn't wants to lose you but he's forced to."

"I know. I know. But... He's done a complete 180 on me, he was so gentle, so loving, I-... Jared, I lost my virginity to Connor. I love him so much, and I hate that all I do is make things worse for him." Jared needs to tell him that he didn't lose his virginity to Connor. What happened that one night. But later, Evan won't be able to handle that.

"...Everything about me is just terrible."

"No. Evan you're perfect. You're you. and that's enough. You're not terrible, nothing is your fault. You're doing your best, and that's all that matters. Connor will fix himself."

"And what if he doesn't???" This is the first time Evan has raised his voice. "I've literally had to talk Connor out of hurting himself more than this, what if he doesn't FIX himself, Jared???? What if he comes out worse???" Evan rips his shirt up to expose his pale stomach and chest, riddled with ugly, dark spots.

"What if this is what he does. Worse than this, to himself and I'm not there to stop him???" Jared's quiet. He's never yelled at him before.

"....God, Jared, I-...I'm sorry, I shouldn't've yelled, it's not your fault, I-" He's still blaming himself. For Everything.

"Evan, it's alright. Just... keep talking."

"That... That's all I've got to say. I don't - I don't know what to do now." There's a sharp knock at the front door, Evan jumps at the sound.

"Don't. I'll get it. I'll be back." He gets up and goes downstairs to open the door. It's Connor. He looks absolutely livid.