Dear Evan Hansen, It's Connor Murphy~

[3]

I looked at the screen, my eyes scanning the words that littered the e-mail. Honestly, I wasn't expecting a reply, let alone this soon. When he returned, he might have mocked me for a bit for being a 'stalker', and then got on with his own life.

Dear Evan Hansen, It's Connor Murphy.

Of course I remember who you are, it was only yesterday that I spoke to you. But anyway, I've been at home, not really in a state to go to school. 

Thanks for your concern I guess.

Sincerely, me.

I slouched back, carefully crafting a decent response, sending it to the other person after a few minutes of reading it over and over. Without a beat, Connor's response appeared on my desktop, as if he was sat at his computer awaiting for an e-mail from me. 

The previously quiet house had received the peaceful ambience of keys being pressed as I continued sending e-mails to Connor, updating him on today's homework, what was learned and continuously making sure that he wasn't too sick, as well as making sure I wasn't keeping him up. 

"Evan?" The familiar voice echoed through the building, urging me to slam my laptop closed. "Are you still awake, honey?" I shot my mother a smile as she entered the room, her platinum hair slightly frizzed and a tiredness about her eyes. 

"Uh, yeah, sorry," I retorted softly. "I got caught up with some homework."

"No problem sweetie, at least I got to see you, right?" Sauntering over, she pressed a light kiss to my forehead before exiting the premises of the bedroom.  

~

The back-and-forth messaging continued, conversations becoming more personal from the usual updates about school with every new e-mail. Connor had been absent for four days, and yet no one seemed to notice one bit. No one cared, no one seemed phased about the fact something bad could've happened, not even teachers. Zoe, too, did not act as if she was worried about her brother's health. 

I stuffed my final book into my locker before closing it shut, a figure appearing in the corner of my eye. 

"Hey, Evan." I glanced up at the person towering above me, a gentle smile appearing on his face as appose to the unimpressed frown that usually resided there.

"O-Oh, hey, Connor," I began, somewhat nervous despite the fact we had been talking practically non-stop for the past few days. "I didn't know you were coming in today."

"Yeah, well. I was....I was feeling a bit better." His eyes eventually made contact with mine after finishing his sentence. They were a warm shade of brown, and surprisingly nice to look at.  

"Ah, well....that's good to hear," I said, offering a smile back. The bell to first period rang, cutting our conversation short and forcing us to disperse to our own individual classes. I delicately glanced over the room to find my seat, before placing my body down. 

"Evan Hansen, did you see who made an appearance today?" Jared hummed, leaning on my desk with a grin on his face. "Of course you did, you two were talking together." I turned my head slightly, somewhat embarrassed that Jared had not only noticed us conversing, but had thought it was abnormal. I wasn't embarrassed of Connor being near me or anything, though. 

"Your point?"

"Are you trying to make what I said come true or something?" He teased, running his finger in little circles on the table as if he was a love-struck girl from an old movie. 

I swiftly shook my head. "No! W-We can be friends, you know? There's no laws against being friends with Connor Murphy."

"Wow, that almost made me shudder," Jared joked, standing up to return to his own place. "Maybe if you both are 'friends' you won't kill yourselves." Walking away, his joking laugh still slightly audible, I pulled out my notebook. To be fair, it was still strange to say I had a friend, let alone Connor Murphy, the school's infamous 'bully' and substance abuser. I didn't mind though, as I've mentioned before, there's a lot more to him than meets the eye.