Don't Move | A Tree Bros Fanfic

Chpt. 3 - A Spark

The next day, after school, Evan walked into the computer lab, hoping to catch Connor. He flipped the lights on and sat in a rolly chair, waiting patiently. "Why are you in here, again?" Jared popped his head into the door, staring at Evan through his spectacles. Evan couldn't tell him exactly what he was doing in the computer lab because Jared would have something negative to say about him waiting for Connor.

He simply looked at Jared, and said, "I'd just like to be alone, thanks."

Jared shurgged, then left the computer lab, finally leaving Evan to himself. Evan continued waiting for Connor, not even sure if going to the computer lab was a common occurrence for him, but he knew he needed to apologize for something his "family friend" had done. About twenty minutes went by before Connor finally showed up, surprised to see Evan yet again. "You're here. Is this, like, a hang out spot for you, too?" Connor questioned, dropping his bag in an empty chair.

Evan was attempting to find his voice as Connor eyed him from across the room. "Well..." He started, but Connor shushed him. "It's fine. You don't have to explain yourself." Connor's long, dark hair was covering his blue eyes. His hoodie's white strings were uneven, catching Evan's attention, but he decided to ignore it almost at once. "Sorry... I just wanted to apologize for Jared's behavior the other day. Implying that you were gay and stuff. Bullying is totally not okay, and he shouldn't have done that! I'm sorry, he's not usually like that at all. I mean he is kind of an ass sometimes, but that was still so uncalled for!" Evan droned on, not even stopping to take a breath.

Connor let out a chuckle. Evan couldn't see how anything he had just said was funny, but he decided to join in, nervously laughing and awkwardly scratching the back of his head. "Jared's always been like that to me." Connor muttered, which was true. Jared had always bullied Connor, from the first day of primary school, Jared picked on him and called him a million different names. The names ranged from fag to twink all the way to school shooter. The gay jokes never ended all because his hair was a little longer than the average males and he painted his nails black every once in a while.

Jared had even speculated once that Connor was actually a girl posing as a male. Connor never told anyone about the bullying and no one cared enough about him to notice, not even his sister paid enough attention to him to care. "I'm sorry." Evan apologized yet again, feeling as though the previous apology wasn't nearly enough. "If it makes you feel any better, uhm, Jared only even talks to me so his parents will pay for his car insurance... If it weren't for that, he might even bully me, too."

Evan succeeded at making Connor feel slightly better about the entire situation at hand.

"Well at least you're nice to me... Edgar, right?" Evan had told Connor his name the previous day, but he could hardly remember. He knew it had to have started with an 'E' at least. "Evan..." He replied.

"Right, right... Of course." 

For the rest of their time together, they mostly just sat in the refuge of the computer lab, secretly enjoying each other's presence, but unable to find any words to break the lingering silence between the two. A spark had struck within the pair that day, causing the both of them to consider each other close acquaintances, but not yet friends. They both understood each other without even really trying. Connor wasn't used to having someone pay attention to him the way Evan did, and Evan wasn't used to always having someone around, even if the two didn't share many words. Connor's presence was enough for Evan and Evan's kindness was enough for Connor.

Evan would eventually have to head home soon, but Connor felt as if his parents and sister wouldn't even realize he hadn't arrived home yet. "Evan... Mind if I walk with you?" He inquired, hoping Evan wouldn't mind him walking him home. Evan's eyes lit up almost at once. "Well, yeah! Of course... If you want!" The two left school grounds and trekked to Evan's house on the far side of the neighborhood. His mother wasn't yet home and Evan immediately felt bad again. That usually meant she'd be working late tonight. "Where are your parents?" Connor asked. Evan sighed. "Parent, actually. She's working." Connor didn't ask any further questions, although he had them, burning within him. He wanted to ask Evan about his dad, but decided not to. He didn't want to ruin something that had just barely begun, he had the tendency to do that a lot, especially when it concerned his parents and sister.

Everyday was another fight amongst the four of them, usually they were yelling at Connor, telling him to get his life together... But, how could he manage that? His life was being pulled apart at the seams, but was hopefully going to be sewn back together with the help of Evan Hansen. Connor grinned at the thought. "Thanks for walking me home. See you at school?" Evan held his hand out, waiting for Connor to shake it. He wasn't sure if that's what friends did... Shook hands as a way of parting. Connor stared at his hand for a minute, then gently shook it. "Yeah, see you at school." Connor left Evan on the porch of his house, heading his own way home.

'Today wasn't so bad,' Connor thought as he ventured on home in the dark. Streetlamps illuminated all around him, giving off an eerie glow. He walked past the park, having to stop himself from walking over to the swingset and taking a load off... He needed to get home. He wasn't sure if his family was even worried about him in the slightest, they never seemed to care before... Why would they care now? Connor pulled his hood up over his head, then stuffed his hands into his pockets. He could see the outline of his house, and he began to speed up but a figure walked in front of him, gripping him by the collar of his hoodie. He wasn't sure who the person was who had just grabbed him as he could barely see in the dark. "Where were you? Mom's worried sick!" He knew it at once to be Zoe... Relief instantly flooded him.

He had never been mugged before and he never really wanted to be either.

"So what... I'm home now, aren't I? Let go of me." Connor snapped, pushing Zoe away from him.

He walked the rest of the way home, leaving Zoe behind him.