Unlikely Lovers

49: Connor

After that weekend everything at school resumed to normal, or least the normal where Connor and Evan were pretty much inseparable. Connor had to admit he was nervous as he walked hand in hand with Evan over to Jared and Alana at lunch, especially since his last meeting with Jared was exactly the friendly kind. But as they sat down Jared just smiled.

"Good to have you back man." Connor smiled back at him and sighed.

"Good to be back." He said nodding. Connor wrapped his arm around Evan, pulling him close. Evan smiled as he snuggled into Connor's chest.

...

Connor caught a ride home with Zoe that afternoon, feeling the happiest he had been in a long time. So turned to Zoe.

"So tell me. How was your day at school?" Zoe shrugged.

"It was okay i guess, you?" Connor beamed.

"You know what? I had a really good day." Zoe laughed.

"That's good then, a nice change i suppose." Connor nodded.

"Quite right Zoe Murphy a nice change indeed." Zoe just shook her had as she laughed.

"Slow your roll Shakespeare you're not an actor yet." Connor burst out laughing as the pulled up into the driveway. Zoe hopped out and grabbed her stuff, unlocking the door as she went inside. Connor followed her in, slowly making his way up the stairs. He stopped. He could have sworn he heard crying. He put his satchel down in his room and ducked his head into the room over. Zoe was on her bed in tears. Connor walked in.

"Hey what's the matter?" Zoe looked up to see Connor standing over her. She wiped her eyes.

"Oh hey Connor, nothing I'm fine it's not big deal really." Connor shook his head. 

"You're crying so yeah it kinda is a big deal." Zoe smiled a little. 

"It's just that i found out today that my friends have been saying stuff behind my back and now none of them want to come to my Halloween party so I'll just have to cancel it." Connor sat there thinking for a moment, Zoe shook her head. "See i told you it was nothing." Connor put his arm around Zoe affectionately.

"Do you want me to kill your friends?" Zoe laughed, but Connor's tone was still soft and sincere. "I'll do it. I'll make it really bloody and gruesome and agonisingly painful for them." Zoe just kept laughing, wiping the tears from her eyes.

"No that's alright I'll save you the trouble." Connor shrugged.

"Alright then your loss, offer still stands if you decide to change your mind." He cut the joke. "Seriously though sorry, I'm sorry your friends are being dicks." Zoe shrugged.

"Friends will be dicks." Connor smiled. But it faded as his eyes scanned across something familiar in the corner of Zoe's room. He walked over and picked it up. It was the tree Evan had given him for his birthday. Connor felt himself tearing up with joy. 

"You kept it?" Zoe nodded.

"I knew you'd want it back." He reached over and hugged Zoe tightly.

"Thank you." He whispered and held the blue pot carefully in his hand. He smiled, "As far as the party goes, don't cancel it, leave it with me." Zoe frowned.

"Connor what are you going to do?" Connor winked at her as he walked down to his bedroom. 

"Something amazing!" Connor set up his laptop and got to work.

...

The next day Connor went around handing out invites to Zoe's party. By the end of the day he got most of the senior cohort to go. He got Michael to invite Jeremy and their friends. Connor went to Christina and got her to invite all the theatre kids. Connor managed to invite JD who invited Veronica who invited the Heathers who invited Kurt and Ram and Connor lost track of it from there. Overall this party was going to be huge. 

Connor sat down with Jared, Alana, and Evan at lunch and helped hire a DJ and a slushie machine. 

"Uh why the slushie machine Connor?" Connor shrugged.

"JD said he wasn't coming unless there was a slushie machine." By the end of that day the whole thing was organised, everyone was talking about the party Zoe was throwing. Connor laughed as he walked past Zoe's old friends. They looked livid. Connor just stared them down as he walked out of the school. Zoe ran up to him holding one of the invites.

"Connor did you do this?" He played coy.

"Wow! Zoe's Halloween party that looks cool!" Zoe just shook her head. 

"Everyone is talking about it, in like all of my classes." Connor shrugged.

"And so they should." Zoe bit her tongue.

"Should we be doing this?" Connor sighed.

"Zoe. It's a party. You're a teenager with a big house and rich parents, take advantage of it alright?" Zoe just beamed as she hugged her brother. Connor wasn't one for parties but he knew this was going to be one awesome night. One that would be talked about for months. And Connor did it all for his sister.