Tree Bros Oneshots For Forever!

Jazz Band Jazz

Connor sat down in the back of the auditorium. It was never his goal in life to ever be in the room, yet there he was. But ever since his recent failed suicide attempt, his mother had been keeping him within earshot at all times. Which meant coming to Zoe's jazz band concert.

Cynthia sat up towards the front and waved him over. He reluctantly moved next to her, and she placed her purse in her lap. Of course, Connor liked his parents, why would he not? They spent 9 months of their time making him, he had to give them credit for that. So he did like his parents, but every other day it was something else they could complain about. And today was no excuse. Cynthia turned to her son, a stern look on her face. "Come on, Connor. Please just cooperate and behave for one hour. Just an hour. Please?"

Connor didn't respond, just kept staring at the stage where the band was setting up. Zoe sat down towards the lip of the stage, placing her guitar in her lap and looking out to the audience. She smiled at her mother, and scowling at her brother who in return mouthed "Fuck you" to her. He contemplated whether or not to flip her off right there.

"Oh gosh, Connor are you high?" Cynthia placed her head in her hands. This was the question asked on average 3 times each day. About 70% of the time it was in fact a solid 'yes' but his stash had actually ran out 2 days ago. "Connor, we talked about this."

"Talked about what?" Larry sat down next to Cynthia, and pulled out his phone to check his email.

"Connor are you high?" Cynthia asked again and waved a hand in front of his face.

"God, mom, why should it matter to you?" Connor said and slid a hand through his hair, closing his eyes. He didn't have the patience to deal with this today.

"I have paid for all your rehab, those $2,000 yoga retreats..."

"The yoga retreats where it ended with me beating up the instructor? Yeah, I remember them vividly."

"...and you just decide to sneak out and get high again! Connor, we've talked about this. Do you know how much your sister has to go through because of you? Do I have to search your room for again?"

"I'll go to some meditation circle or some other shit if you want, but it's not gonna help," Connor clenched his jaw and crossed his arms. People were starting to stare.

"Then what's going to help, Connor? Tell me so I can help you!" She turned to her husband in distress. "Larry..."

"You have to go to school, Connor."

"Larry, are you even listening?!" Cynthia groaned again and Connor's father took a moment to look up from his phone. He smiled helplessly at his wife and she sighed. In the midst of the chaos, Connor saw Zoe pluck a sting on her guitar out of the corner of his eye. The jazz band was ready to start.

The audience applauded, the house lights dimmed, and the drum set started a beat.

And, thanks the gods, (or whatever god was up there) Cynthia was forced to shut up.

Connor hated the jazz band, not just because Zoe was in it, but because the amount of solos they did each concert was relentless. It's almost as if everyone in the group had to show off at least twice, if not three times. And since Zoe was the apparently the best guitarist, she always had more solos than most of the members.

Every song sounded exactly the same to Connor and as they started their third song, he couldn't stand it. He needed to get out of that room or else he would die from the boredom. Although that didn't sound so bad.

As he attempted to stand up to go find a restroom. Cynthia grabbed his arm. "I swear Connor if you don't come back..." she whispered and he just rolled his eyes.

The bathroom wasn't difficult to find, but once he entered he knew he wasn't alone. There was another boy, drying his hands under the hand dryer, a cast on his left arm, muttering to himself. Connor stepped a little closer to the boy, who still hadn't seen him.

"And I'm gonna say, 'I'm sorry I didn't hear you. Carter, is that your name, Carter?'" the boy said under his breath. " And...and he's gonna say 'No, it's Connor, I said...'" the boy turned around, wiping his hands on his khakis, a confident look on his face but froze once he saw he wasn't alone either.

It was Evan Hansen, Connor realized. Jared Kleinman's sidekick.

"Connor?" Connor asked and crossed his arms, furrowing his eyebrows.

"No, it's just—"

"Are you talking about me?" Connor was almost furious.

"No, um you don't understand, it's a different...a different Connor?" Evan took a step back, intimidated by the taller boy's towering appearance.

"Fine, okay sorry," Connor took a step back, calming himself down. Evan scooted past him and was going to open to door to leave, but Connor stopped him. "Um...how'd you break your arm?"

Evan turned around, picking at the cast. "Um...it's actually a funny story because you see I worked at the state park this summer, I'm kind of a tree expert...not to brag or anything but..." Connor raised an eyebrow. "...yeah so I was climbing this tree...and then... actually I fell? 40 feet, and um and there's this...the funny part is that there was a solid 10 minutes that um where I was just laying there and waiting for someone...um...to come and get me? But no one did so."

Connor didn't say anything, he didn't know what to say. "That's...the saddest fucking thing I've ever heard. Oh my god." Evan laughed uncomfortably, his cheeks blushing and his hands getting sweatier. He didn't need this right now, not with Connor standing right there...

"Can I sign it?"

Evan looked up into the other boy's eyes, making eye contact for the first time that night. "What?"

"Well, no one's signed it so I figured... never mind it's not—"

"No, no, um it's ok," Evan said and pulled out a sharpie. "Here um..."

Connor took the marker, uncapping it and taking Evan's cast in his hand. He went so scribble a 'C', but instead wrote a '4' and proceeded to write the rest of his phone number on Evan's cast. Evan watched, stunned, then took the marker with shaky hands.

Connor smirked at him. "Just so you know, I know for a fact there's only one guy named Connor in this school." Evan let out a meek thanks, and Connor left the bathroom, slightly happier than when he entered.

As he sat back down next to Cynthia, the jazz band finished up their last song. They stood up while the audience applauded and Connor gave Zoe a huge grin. Zoe was stunned for a moment, but sent an even bigger one back to him.

He could fix the mess he'd created. One step at a a time.

Ew, what was that ending? But I finally have the motivation to write again so yay. I'm still trying to get over Kristolyn though, but the new Alana looks nice enough. I believe her name is Phoenix Best.

Also, Ben Ross went on as Connor last night!

He looks amazing, and he probably crushed it, his voice is heavenly.

Requests? Comment heere!