god thats a lot of flowers

They drank Boba Tea cause they're white

Connor has a phone. So does Zoe.

Zoe also (still) has the original post-it note with Evan's number on it.

So obviously, Zoe talked to Evan.

Like twice.

Two days after was work for both of them, Connor's shift being from 12 to 6 PM and Evan's overlapped, being from 9 AM to 1 PM. Zoe had her shift the same time as Evan, and despite not knowing each other very well, Zoe offered to meet Evan at a bubble tea place nearby.

Evan couldn't decline. It was rude. Evan can't be rude. That's against the rules. The rude rules.

The rude rules probably went something like this: Rule #1- Evan Hasen cannot be rude at all. Or something.

Evan didn't even like bubble, or boba, tea. The tapioca balls were fine- weird, but fine, but he just never liked the drink that came with it. He also got scared that he's choke on a tapioca ball when he first drank it and it's affected him since.

Wow, look at him- The kid who didn't like Boba Tea because he got scared once and never showed up back at the shop until a year later, in which he's dragged by a girl.

He's not even dating her.

Evan could recall Zoe from school, which made him wonder if Connor had already graduated or something, since Zoe played in the Jazz Band.

Did Evan have a crush on Zoe? No. Not anymore, at least. He did in the beginning of the year, but then he realized that he had no chance of ever being with her since she was much higher on the social ladder than Evan, and a few months after working with Alana, figured out that Alana might've had a crush on Zoe, by how she recorded all of Zoe's Jazz band performances and also mentions her way too much sometimes.

Alana totally deserves to be with Zoe. Alana is the coolest. Never mind homophobes, the pair would probably demolish every single one of them with smiles on their faces.

"Hey, uh, nice to see you again." Evan snapped out of his thoughts. He'd been waiting outside of one of the tea shops, staring at his phone but not actually paying attention to what's on his screen.

But there stood Zoe, with her hair in a half-ponytail revealing faded indigo streaks that she had gotten when she was 15 or 16. She was wearing a very cute outfit- Jeans and a denim jacket with a light yellow t-shirt that said "life is good".

"Oh, uh, mm, hi. Hi." He shoved his phone back into his pocket, smiling a nodding a bit.

"Yeah, sorry if I'm scaring you. We're not all psychopaths in my family. Just Connor." She started, awkwardly laughing a little bit. "Is this a weird place to meet? It's just the first place I thought of, we can always go somewhere else."

"No, no, this is fine." Evan assured her, opening the door and holding it out for Zoe, who slipped in gracefully.

There was a small line to the cash register, where a young teen stood wearing the most bored expression of her life. Evan and Zoe talked about what he and Connor did earlier.

"He took you to the orchard? God, that place closed like 7 years ago. Why does he even care about it? Sorry that he kidnapped you and tortured you like that. He probably gets it from my dad."

"What? No, h-he wasn't torturing me. I guess he took me there because he knew I liked trees? I-It's stupid, I know, but we kinda just got ice cream and talked and stuff. It was... nice?"

"Nice? Jeez, wish he'd be that to me."

Evan frowned. "He's not?"

"Yeah- Wait a sec. Can I have a Mango tea? Uh, what'd you want, Ev?" They were at the front of the line. Shit.

He quickly glanced at the menu, picking the thing he saw first- "I'll have the banana strawberry blend."

Shit shit shit. Evan hates the taste of artificial banana.

He prayed that they used real bananas.

They did, thank god.

"So, uh, yeah. Con and I? Not the best relationship. We're not the fucking Brady Bunch." Zoe scoffed coldly at the thought of it.

"I heard your dad and mom don't get along."

"Nope. Heard yours are divorced."

Did Connor talk about Evan behind his back? What did he say? Did Connor actually hate him, but pitied him because he didn't have friends? Did he take him to the orchard just to see how much Evan would geek out over the trees? Did he make fun of him behind his back about how he had no money?

"Relax. Connor likes you."

List of mind readers: Jared and Zoe.

"I'll just... Continue. You could say it's mostly Connor and my Dad's fault for all the shit that happens to my family, I mean, those two are the ones who get along the least, but it's all of us, to be honest.

Mom's trying her best to keep us together, but it's really hard 'cause then Connor gets an episode and Dad gets mad at him, because I guess he cares about Connor but he doesn't really understand mental illness or something."

"Oh, sorry." Evan looked down at his drink, which was halfway through. Zoe's really good at talking. She's one of those people. "So... Connor likes me? You sure?" He smiled a bit. Self-doubt always starts conversations that make people feel better.

"Yeah. He says that out of a billion people, he'd chose you. Y'know. 'Cause you're the closest anyone's ever been to him in a while. I'm starting to think you only talk to him because he looks hot." Zoe teased. He felt his cheeks burn as he tried to take a few sips looking casual. Evan was sweating. Not a good sign.

"I, uh, should go home." Evan sat up from their chairs in the corner of the store, thanking Zoe for paying for the drink, which was the second time the Murphys had money on them and Evan didn't, and left the shop, waving a small goodbye before speed-walking away until he knew Zoe wouldn't spot him from the window.

Ok, Evan can't handle being flattered. It's too much.