Two Player Game

~Chapter Twenty-Seven~

"I'll kick you guys from the call if you start having sex." Jared ends their call and crashes his lips on Evans. Evan lets out a surprised sound but melts into it.

"I love you so much."

"I love you more."

"No way. Not possible." Evan chuckles and kisses him again.

"All right, if that's what you think." Jared kisses him all over.

Evan giggles. "You'd think this was the last night we'll see each other with the attention you're giving me right now."

"I'd always give you this much attention, anytime you want."

"I'm flattered, Jared, to think you really like me that much"

"I have for a long time."

"You forget yourself, good sir." He's blushing hard. "What did I do to deserve you? Honestly."

"Just you being.... you. I love that."

"Sure. That's it. You'd be about the second. Right after my mom. Thanks. That's two of you. Maybe three if..." Jared pauses.

"Are you okay?"He hesitates.

"Yeah, I'm fine. I gotta stop thinking like that, that's no need. I've got you. It's okay." he smiles a little. Jared's concerned. He's got this glazed look in his eyes, like he isn't there, really.

"Evan, I'm serious. I want to know if there's something wrong."

"It's not... It's not that anything is WRONG, per se..." he looks at his hands. "I got a letter from Zoe today."

"That's good!"

"She- She said something about Conner in it and I..." he closes his mouth.

"Evan.." he says in his softest voice.

"I called him on my break." He's still got that little smile and that glassy-eyed look. Jared's eyebrows furrow and he takes Evans's hand.

"He-... He didn't answer. It was still his number, I know it is, it had the same dumb voicemail message that just says "This is Conner and I'm not gonna check my inbox, so hang up now." I called three times just to hear his voice. " Jared doesn't say anything. He knows he misses Connor... what if whenever they're together, Evan tries to think that Jared is Connor instead of... Jared.

"I don't even want him back, I just wanted to talk to him. Wanted to hear him again. Wanted... Something. It's stupid. I just..." he pauses. "Jared, I love you. I love you so much and I don't want to ever miss you as much as I miss him."

".....what did Zoe say?"

"That things were going great in California. That Conner was getting better. That she'd been accepted to UCLA. That Conner said hi. That she'd love to hear from me." Jared smiles slightly.

"That's good....."

"..... Did he ever care, do you think, Jared?" He's so quiet. He sounds so small. He FEELS so small.

"I think that he did. He cared a lot about you for both of you."

"... Then why wouldn't he answer? Why hasn't he called? Why hasn't he texted, sent his own letter? I send Zoe letters all the time, why did she bring up Conner, why can't I get over the fact she brought him up??"