This Mess That We Are

The Tallest Tree

The blue sky blazed a bright hue above Evan's eyes. He sat there on a thin branch contemplating. A note sat still in his pants pocket, as he thought. Up so high, he hummed to himself enjoying the sound he made. The ground was far below, and he was ready to finally let go. No one would miss him, really, any way. His eyes went misty and warm tears spilled down his pudgy face. His blue eyes glimmering. His grip of the branch faltered as he prepared himself to let go of this world. The sun burned bright above him as if saying goodbye to the boy. He was about to let go when a person came into view. He heard loud curses coming from the bottom. The figure stared up at him. Evan felt the eyes bore into him even from the forty foot pine.
"Hey you up there," the gruff voice called," you okay."
Evan began to panic, what the fern was he doing?
He called down to the voice, " N-N-Not really."
Tears streaked his cherry red face.
"You can come down and we could talk about it." The figure called.
Evan didn't know if he could see him do it but he nodded anyway.
He attempted to climb back down, regretting his earlier actions, when his hand slipped. Whether he wanted to or not the pull of gravity weighted him back to the ground. He screamed his voice scratching. He landed softer than expected but it still knocked the wind out of him. The boy, he could see clearly now, raced over. His eyes pulled down and he didn't resist the lasting tug. His vision went black and all sounds blurred.

Evan awoke in a hospital bed the room white and blinding. He reached out, his arm begging him not to. He winced at the searing pain. He turned his head at his wrist, noticing a bulky cast wrapped around it. He heard voices near the room, and the door creaked open. A male in maybe his early thirties walked towards him.
" So how are you doing Evan, "he asked kindly.
"Okay, I guess, my arm hurts a lot."
He laughed at my remark. "That may or not be because you shattered almost all of your arm's bone structure. Luckily your shoulder wasn't dislocated."
"I'm Dr. Mulligan."
Evan reached into his pocket, the note was gone. His lyrics, emotions he had felt this entire semester, poured onto paper, gone.
He was ghastly pale. The person from the orchard turned to him blush engulfing the entirety of his face. Evan finally recognized the boy. Connor Murphy.
" That was quite a fall." He said in a joking tone.
Evan stuttered his response, "Y-y-yeah."
" Why are you stuttering?"
"U-um."
"Oh, the name's Connor by the way."
"I know." Evan said meekly.
"Huh."
"N-never mind." Evan says.
Connor stared at Evan his face turning red.
"Can I sign your cast?"
" Uh, s-sure."
In bold letters he spelled out his name C-O-N-N-O-R
"I should probably give this back," he said pulling out the note.
Evan blushed profusely.
"Where do you get that." He asked worried.
"It's a song right, never heard it."
"Uh yeah, It's my own." Evan said meekly.
"Waving through a window, nice title."
"T-thanks."
Connor reached out his hand and passed it back to Evan. Evan took it and shoved it back in his pocket.
"Well, see you at school... what's your name?"
"Evan, Evan Hansen."
Connor left the room and Evan opened up my song sheet. To his surprise an e-mail was scrawled on it.
***************++*+
Connor sat in the drivers seat of his car. His face was flushed, and his body warm. So he'll admit, before today he hadn't even met the guy, but reactions don't lie. Did he like Evan? Nah Evan was a goody two shoes, he refused to fall for a boy like that. He set his car in drive and pulled out of the parking lot. He wandered aimlessly around neighborhoods until he decided to stop at the orchard. He found an open field framed with trees and sat down to draw. His hand flitted elegantly on the paper forming a rough sketch. ( I know what y'all are thinking ' has. been rough' huh, well jared's not here so no kinky.!) He had practically mastered the physique of the short boy he met. His blue striped shirt, his ocean blue eyes, his adorable way of fiddling with his shirt.
'No Connor stop that' a voice yelled in his head. You barely even know the guy.
Connor pulled out his watercolor set from his messenger bag. And started to paint his illustration. When he was done he picked himself back up and drove home. Connor denied his developing crush, just as he did his depression. When he reached his comfortable home he turned the key. The moment Connor stepped in his mother began throwing questions like an interrogation.
"Where were you!"
"Since when do you care," he snapped back.
"Connor don't be like that." She responded weakly.
" If you think I got high, no I didn't ma, I helped some kid who hurt himself at the orchard."
"Oh.."
"Whatever."
Connor stormed up the stairs. His door slammed behind me. Zoe peeked in not long after.
"Hey you okay?" She pried
"Just go away Zo!"
"Okay, okay. Didn't realize you were on your period."
"Zoe!!" Connor yelled as he threw a pillow (is it weird how me, the author read that as printer?) at her.
Zoe chuckled, happy she had gotten to him.
"Fuck off Zoe, I'm so serious."
"Okay, I'll leave you be."
She closed the door, but quickly returned.
"Some kid emailed you." She said
"Wait really?"
"Yeah, goodbye."
"Wait Zo.."
"Oh now you want my company."
"I'm sorry okay, can you please show me what you're talking about."
Connor almost gagged at how nice he was being, it was unlike him.
"Sure" Zoe replied all bubbly.
She ran out the room and returned a few seconds later with his laptop. Wait Connor's laptop?
" Did you steal this from me?"
" No comment."
She opened the tab and showed him the message, it read...
Dear Connor Murphy,
Hey it's me, I never thanked you so- thanks. Still at the hospital, they said I could leave tomorrow, so maybe I'll see you at school.

Sincerely Me,
The tree boy, Evan Hansen

P.S your sister is weird, don't ask me how I know this.

He smiled at that last part and Zoe stared at him. Her look held confusion.
"What," he asked.
"You're smiling, what have you done with my brother you alien creature. "
"Nothing, I'm still the same old Connor, most famous for my reputation of being a pothead."
Zoe stared at his screen once more going over the message again, Evan Hansen, she knew that kid. Cute but awkward and worrisome. Did Connor like this kid? She stared at his pale face which was littered with a light layer of blush. He stared at her.
"What are you still doing in my room?" He said," The sibling moment is over."
"Trying to figure you out."
"What do you mean?"
" I mean you and this Hansen kid. Is he like your boyfriend." Zoe said.
Connor turned a bright tomato red, and made an awkward coughing noise.
"No he's not my boyfriend," Connor said.
"Oh ..."
"Well I guess I'll leave you to your gay fantasies. Bye bro."
"Oh bye, Wait what did you say?!!!"
" Nothing," he heard her call back.
Zoe was right, he did like this boy, but you can't love someone and know nothing about them. Right?