If I Could Tell Him

Chapter seven

EVAN POV

The last thing that Evan remembered clearly was being knocked to the ground. And now he was in the hospital. He tried to think about what had happened, and it slowly all came into focus. Oh my god..Connor.. he sat straight up. Pounding in his head forced him to slowly lay back down.

"Evan!" His mother rushed over to him and gave him a crushing hug.

"Ouch." He squeaked, not loud enough for her to hear.

"Baby are you okay? Where does it hurt? What happened? Who is that boy outside?" Heidi shot questions at him.

"M-mom I'm okay! I'm okay!" Evan pushed her off of him. She looked hurt but relieved that he was at least speaking. "Can I t-talk to C-Connor? Please?" He heard himself ask. Heidi narrowed her eyes.

"The boy who brought you in?"

"He h-helped me!" Evan pleaded. His mother finally relented. She walked over to the door and opened it. Connor was standing there as if he was debating whether or not to knock. He looked surprised when the door flung open.

"Hi Mrs. Hansen, can I talk to.." he cut himself off when he saw Evan, who was struggling to sit up. Evan smiled brightly and hoped he didn't look too nervous. He couldn't believe Connor had waited there! He couldn't believe he had save him either. It seemed too good to be true, like something out of a fairy tale. Connor practically ran to Evan's side.

"Th-thank you." Evan put a hand on Connor's and tried not to squeal with excitement I'm touching Connor Murphy's hand!! And my hands aren't even that sweaty! He regretted the thought when his hands began to sweat. He quickly took his hand off of Connor.

"Oh I um..I have something..for you.." Connor flushed and looked in his messenger bag, pulling out a pot of slightly smashed marigolds. "I hope you have a speedy recovery." He didn't look Evan in the eye as he placed the flowers on the bedside table.

"Ohmygoshyoudidnthavetoothatssosweetilovemarigoldsthankssomuch." Evan cursed himself for talking so fast, but he just couldn't help it. Maybe if he kept talking, Connor would stay. He cleared his throat. "S-sorry." He said. "They're v-very pret-pretty." He congratulated himself on the slower rate at which he was speaking.

"You don't have to apologize." Connor glanced into Evan's face. It was the same look he gave him in the car on the way to the hospital. Evan liked that look. It felt nice to be looked at like that. "How do you feel?"

"My arm h-hurts a l-little and I've got a-a-a headache." Evan felt his tongue trip over the words. He hated his stutter. Why couldn't he just speak normally?

Connor reached as if to examine his arm but seemed as if he'd thought better of it and stuck his hand in his pocket.

"He's going to need his arm recast and he had a moderate concussion. Young man do you know what happened?" A man with a stethoscope around his neck addressed Connor. Evan felt himself jump. He didn't want anyone to know. Not yet. He looked pleadingly at Connor and shook his head slightly.

"I think when he wants to talk about it, he'll talk about it." Connor said without missing a beat. Evan felt his head flood with relief. And something else. Something nice. His mom's voice interrupted his thoughts.

"Evan what happened?" She bent to look into his eyes. Evan shook his head and looked away.

"Please don't m-make me talk ab-about it right now." He said softly. His mother nodded understandingly and hugged him, softer this time. He looked at Connor's blue eyes and saw them searching his face. He smiled weakly at the boy and Connor smiled back, triggering fireworks to go off in Evan's heart.

"Hey text me if you need something ok?" Connor handed Evan a slip of paper with his number on it. I GOT CONNOR MURPHY'S PHONE NUMBER he mentally screamed.

"O-ok." Was all he managed to say. Connor turned to leave.

"W-wait!" Connor looked back at the other boy. "We-we're friends now. R-right?" Evan held his breath. Of course Connor was going to say no! He was just being nice. Who would want to be friends with Evan anyways? Hadn't Connor just seen him at his worst? Who would say yes to that? He hung his head in anticipation of the answer that he was sure would come.

"Yeah. Yeah of course." Connor said to Evan's surprise. Evan looked up just in time to see Connor flash him a smile that made him melt, and then the tall boy walked out.