Unlikely Lovers

4: Evan

Evan was sitting on a bench outside reading a tree encyclopaedia when he was startled by someone jumping up behind him.

"Hansen!" It was Connor. He swung himself over the bench and landed gracefully in a seating position. Did this guy do martial arts or something? Evan looked up shyly from his book.

"Oh hey Connor, is there something i can do for you?" Connor shook his head smirking.

"Oh no Hansen but there is something i can do for you, today is your lucky day my friend." Evan found himself startled at the word friend. Connor was taken aback by it too, it wasn't like he had any friends.

"We're friends?" Evan felt his chest flutter. Could he possibly want him as a friend? A real friend? The thought made Evan's head spin in circles. Connor replied coolly.

"I mean yeah sure, if you want that's okay i guess. If you have no one else in mind." Evan smiled, his nose crinkling up. It made Connor laugh.

"Yeah that- that would be great." Connor nodded casually shrugging his shoulders before standing up.

"Well Hansen, follow me. I'm about to change your life." Evan stood up and swung his backpack over his shoulders.

"Then by all means lead the way."

Connor led Evan to the Cafeteria, which was pretty much empty before school, and over to the table where Zoe was sitting. Her hair was messy and her books were splayed across the entire table. Evan stopped. He shook his head violently.

"No no no i cant do this." Connor laughed.

"She needs help with English, she has an exam tomorrow and she's freaking out about it." Evan shrugged and started biting his nails.

"And what do you want me to do?" Connor pinned the bridge of his nose.

"I don't know, help her?" He gasped, his eyes full of mockery and exaggeration. Evan seemed too nervous to care though.

"Look, i know you are really good at English, all the teachers brag about your essays so i think we have ourselves a bit of a win-win situation in our hands here." He gestures to the table, "You go an help Zoe. She gets a free tutor and you get time to impress my sister with all your English expertise and i get to go away and smoke something and everyone is happy." Evan nodded slowly. Connor slapped him on the back, "Alright then, go get em." Evan walked up to the table, his whole body was shaking. How could he do this? Talking to Zoe Murphy was just something impossible. How was he supposed to introduce himself let alone sustain a conversation? He found himself at the table. Zoe didn't notice him at first, her head was buried in a book, piles of notes were everywhere. Evan looked back at Connor, who gave him an enthusiastic thumbs up before walking off. Well here goes nothing.

"Oh hi Evan, Connor said you might be able to help me. I'm really having trouble with these questions and I'm sorta freaking out." She smiled. Evan felt his heart melt inside of him. That smile of hers. Sort of subtle, and perfect, and real.

"You're Zoe Murphy!" He practically squeaked. So much for a smooth introduction. "I- ah- yeah sorry, yeah sure sure i can, i can help you. If that's what you want, I'll try my best and all that..." Zoe nodded slowly. Shit he was freaking her out wasn't he? He set his stuff down on the floor beside him and took out his English textbooks. To Evan's surprise, the whole ordeal was actually pretty easy from there. They just sat there going through all the different content, Evan answering any of Zoe's questions as he went. He found out she was pretty easy to talk to, she even laughed at some of his jokes!

"Okay okay, but what about this one. What did the tree do when the bank closed?" Zoe smiled.

"I don' know Evan. What the tree do when the bank closed?" Evan shrugged it off.