Unlikely Lovers

7: Connor

Connor counted down the hours, the minutes, the seconds even until that bell rang. And when it finally did, boy he was gone. He could have waited for Zoe to finish, she only had a short rehearsal but he just decided to walk home. And it was nice, he never really stopped to notice his surroundings before; everything just seemed brighter and more colourful. Or maybe just was just because of the fact that Connor kept replaying the thought of Evan in his mind. The way Evan fidgets with his shirt when he's nervous, how he looks down at the ground when he shy or shifts in his seat when he's uncomfortable. That sort of half smile he gets when he's trying not to smile, or how he blinks and shrugs his shoulders when he's trying to play it cool. All these little things Connor saw, he never realised how intricate people can be, how the finer details really make up a person. But there was one image in particular circling his thoughts. He kept replaying that moment behind the school, when he and Evan were both laughing in the grass. He just lay there, staring at Evan as his whole face crinkled up, watching him laughing like it was the most natural thing in the world. Because it was, or at least it felt like. In that moment time just seemed to stop and there was nothing, no one else. Connor arrived home and went up to his bedroom. He threw himself on the bed, he didn't even care to unpack his stuff. He just lay there, rolled up the sleeve of his hoodie and traced the numbers absent-mindedly. He smiled as he typed the numbers into his phone.

Connor: Hi

Connor put his phone down, and went to start unpacking his stuff. A text popped up. Connor leapt across the bed to his desk to check it.

Zoe: Connor where are you?

Connor: Sorry i walked home

Connor scolded himself for feeling disappointed. Evan was probably busy studying or something. But his phone went off again and while he told himself not to, he opened it straight away.

Evan: Hi

Evan: This is Connor right?

Connor told himself not to do it. That it was mean and not funny. But he did it anyway.

Connor: No it's your stalker. I'm outside your house. Give me all your money or die.

Connor: Yes it's Connor geez

Connor saw the three dots appear and waited for the reply.

Evan: Ah Connor! Don't do that I genuinely freaked out for a sec.

Connor: Sorry, sorry. What are you doing?

Evan: Laying on my bed texting you

Connor: Alright smart ass, what are you planning to do?

It took a couple of minutes for Evan to reply. He watched as the three dots appeared and disappeared, then appeared, then disappeared again. Until finally it came though. But all the message said was a couple of words.

Evan: Keep texting you

Connor felt his chest go all tight for a minute. He didn't really know how to respond. He just stared at his phone smiling, never before relaxing how nice it felt to be wanted.

Connor: what no Beyoncé dancing?

Evan: Well truth be told that mainly reserved for the shower to be honest.

Well let's just say Connor forgot he was sitting on the edge of his bed and was so shocked he fell right off it, well shock with a side of arousal. Zoe came crashing through the door.

"Connor what the he- wait what are you doing on the floor?" Connor propped himself up on his elbow.

"Just, chilling. You?" Zoe just shook her head and left. Connor remembered it was the day of Zoe's exam. He got up and went into her room.

"Hey! Get out of my room creep!" Connor put his arms up, surrendering.

"You were literally just in my room hypocrite but i just remembered you had your exam today, how did you go?" Zoe calmed right down and her expression became unreadable- well more unreadable than normal. Like she seemed like she was about to cry but wasn't sad either.

"Yeah it went well, i think." She said quietly. Connor nodded.

"Well that's good." And he walked back into his room.

Him and Evan were texting for hours, talking about the most random of things. Like how Connor is lactose intolerant, but finishes the milk in the fridge just to piss people off. And how Evan likes to watch broadway bootlegs in his spare time. He promised Connor that he'd introduce him to his favourites some day. And how Evan wants to be a park ranger after school, and how Connor doesn't know what the fuck he wants to do. And how both Evan and Connor seem to have jerk-offs for dad's which is just great.

Connor: We should be the "Daddy Issues" squad

Evan: Ha we could take T shirts

Connor: And wristbands

Evan: And buttons!

Connor laughed, and was so caught up in texting he didn't even notice his mother open the door.

"Oh hey sorry mum." She shook her head.

"No dont be i just, i just came up to see what you were doing. I heard you laughing, you, you haven't down that in a while." Connor smiled, pointing to his phone.

"Yeah Evan and I are thinking of starting a campaign." His mum nodded slowly.

"Who is Evan sweetie?" Connor shrugged coolly.

"Just a friend of mine. Hey mum are you alright?" Connor looked up to see his mum was crying.

"Yes, yes of course dear that's just, that's wonderful. I'm so happy. I'll be downstairs if you want anything, I'll be cooking dinner soon if you're hungry." He nodded.

"Ok thanks mum." She smiled as she walked back down the stairs.

Connor: AND SOCKS

Evan: YES WE NEED SOCKS

Connor: So hey, on an unrelated non-campaign note I was thinking we could hang out some time

Evan: Yeah like what?

Connor: I dont know what do you like to do outside of school

Evan: Honestly? Not leave my house for the most part

Connor felt like he could relate to this on a spiritual level.

Evan: But i like trees?

Connor: Yes Hansen i know you like trees

Evan: No but like the park, we could go there and i dont know "hang"

Connor: If you have to put the word hang in quotation marks don't use it

Evan: Okay sorry

Connor: I didn't say apologise

Evan: Okay sorry

Connor: Take a hint Hansen. Stop apologising!

Evan: ...

Connor: Don't do it

Evan: ...

Connor: Hansen. Hansen no.

Evan: ...

Evan: ... sorry

Connor: i hate you

Evan: :)

...