froyo / dear evan hansen

thirty three

"where's evan?" connor asks as he and zoe sit at the froyo bar on saturday.

"that idiot had an allergic reaction." jared scoffs.

"to what?"

"mango."

"yeah, well, that's not special," zoe drawls, side-eying her brother. "connor's lactose intolerant and still insists we come here every weekend."

connor stiffens at that.

alana laughs awkwardly. "well, what can we get you two?"

connor still hasn't talked to zoe about that night. he asked larry about what happened the other day, but larry just talked about her being overwhelmed. but getting drunk? maybe if it were a party, connor wouldn't mind so much. but it's because it's his fault. it's always his fault.

but he just needed to think. that house is so suffocating. he can't do anything without cynthia checking on him every five minutes or zoe giving him a scowl every time they make eye contact.

with evan gone, connor chats reluctantly with jared, who frowns at him and has a slightly hostile tone. alana keeps glancing over to him, too, and zoe's straight up blanking him.

connor realises that, really, have they actually gotten closer as siblings? that was the whole point of being at this stupid froyo bar in the first place. to grow closer. put the past behind them and focus on establishing a new relationship. but zoe is as distant and as bitter as always, maybe even more so. she still hates him hates hates hates him and that kills him.

but he doesn't blame her. cynthia tells him that his past mistakes can help him grow. but mistakes are small. they're getting math questions wrong and washing a red sock with a white load. making someone hate you because of what you've done to them is too consequential to be a mistake.

"ready to go?" connor asks when they've both finished their froyo.

"i'll catch you up." zoe's voice is laced with poison.

this whole idea was pointless. she still hates him.