Back to life, Back to a lie

☆4☆

mention of past abuse
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Zoe couldn't understand why Connor and Evan seemed to be all buddy-buddy now. Evan would come over constantly, or Connor would come home late from Evan's. Did Evan.. lie.. about lying?

She decided to confront Connor on it when they got home the next day, her heart practically beating out of her chest as she waited for him to come back from physical therapy. Connor hadn't been as.. aggressive as he had been before his attempt, but they hadn't really been around eachother for her to really tell.

She was puzzled over Connor's absence, but she didn't spend all that much time at home either. She'd bonded with Alana and Jared over the timespan of Connor's coma, united at first for their distaste for Evan and then later because they'd found they actually enjoyed eachothers' company.

She swayed back and forth a bit, picking at the stars she'd drawn on the cuffs of her jeans. She heard the front door swing open and looked up, expecting Connor but seeing Larry instead. "Oh, Hi dad."

"Hey, Zoe," he held up a paper bag, "I brought Taco Bell- Cynthia's working late and you remember the last time I tried to cook."

"Ah, yes," Zoe leaned back with a chuckle, "The day when you swore so much at the fire you basically extinguished it through intimidation."

"Also known as the day we all took a silent vow to never mention that part of it," Larry said, then turned and walked out of the room.

The door opened again, and Connor walked in, his gaze trained on the staircase as he obviously intended to go straight upstairs without a word. Zoe cleared her throat and Connor glanced at her, pausing. "What."

It was more of a statement than a question, and Zoe felt like a wilting flower under his glare, but she had promised herself she'd get answers. "Why are you and Evan friends?"

Connor stared at her for a moment, and then took a deep breath and continued to walk up the stairs. Zoe scrambled up, walking after him and grabbing his sleeve, "Connor, Wai-"

He whirled around, raising his hand as if he were going to strike her, "DON'T-" He seemed to hesitate when Zoe flinched and backed away, dropping his arm. "Don't touch me," he finished, calming himself down.

"I- I just wanted to k-know why you were friends all of the sudden.. I m-mean Evan said you never even really knew each other," she managed to mutter.

"He was there when you guys weren't. I thought he deserved a second chance, and he's a good friend," Connor said, point-blank.

Zoe gritted her teeth, "Connor, we couldn't keep coming. Mom and Dad had to work to pay your hospital bills and I had to do summer school to make up for the time I missed after you-"

"I never said I was mad, Zoe. I'm not. I get it. I wouldn't have stuck around either. I'm just saying, there's something special about someone who tries."

Zoe glanced at the ground, and then made eye contact with her brother, "Then.. I wanna try. W-what so you say we start over?" She asked, hopefully.

Connor stared at her with a blank expression for a moment, then amusement made it's way into his blue eyes, "I'm sorry, who are you again?"

Zoe looked confused for a moment, before a smile grew on her face, "Zoe Murphy. You are?"

"Connor Maxwell Murphy. Nice to meet you, stranger." He held out his hand.

She took it.

"Nice to meet you, stranger."

-

When Zoe went to school the next day, she was in a bouncy mood. Everything seemed brighter, and the Taco Bell they'd had last night wasn't even messing with her stomach.

Jared and Alana greeted her once she made it to her locker, Alana's hair newly cut to just below her ear and had it pinned back with a bright purple barette. She and Jared seemed to have switched glasses, Alana's gold rimmed glasses sliding off of Jared's face every three seconds.

"Nice haircut, 'Lana. Also, you're both dorks," She chuckled as she opened her locker, but frowned when she found a half-eaten stick of salami on the shelf. "Jared Kleinman-"

"Why do you assume it's me?" Jared asked, smirking as Alana let out a pretty peal of laughter.

"Because you're Jared!" Zoe declared, throwing her hands up in exasperation.

"And also because she has a key witness in this case." Alana said, glancing at Zoe and then pointing at Jared, "He did it."

"Fair maiden, Alana of Beck, why must thou betray me in such a manner? Surely thy must've heart!"

"The fact that 'thy must've heart' is technically grammatically correct angers me on exactly seven levels." Alana sighed, leaning against Zoe, who picked up the salami and bopped Jared on the head with it.

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hi welcome to chilis

Murphy siblings yay!

this one was kinda short but i just wanted to get relationships set. See y'all next chapter, hoes from now on most of the chapters will be □ Connor's pov □ and ○ Evan's pov○

☆Zoe☆
♡Jared♡
¤Alana¤

Word count : 888