When You're Falling In A Forest

Chapter 5

⚠️TRIGGER WARNING: SELF HARM⚠️

After a few hours of Zoe and Evan sitting on the couch and doing their homework, everyone decided to go to bed.
Connor had stayed in his room the whole night, except for the time he came down to the kitchen and grabbed a whole box of leftover pizza and took it back to his room.

Zoe went upstairs to brush her teeth and Evan stayed in the living room so Cynthia and Larry could talk to him.
"So Evan," Cynthia said. "We're gonna let you sleep in Zoe's room and she'll just stay down here on the couch."
Evan was pleased by the offer but didn't want to let Zoe sleep on the couch because of him.
"Oh, she doesn't have to do that." Evan said. "Honestly I'd rather sleep on the couch, I've already inconvenienced you guys and Zoe enough already."
"Are you sure?" Larry said. "Because Zoe is absolutely fine with it."
"No, I'm sure." Evan said.
"Okay then," Cynthia said. "I'll find you some blankets and we'll tell Zoe."
Larry went back upstairs and Evan sat on the couch. He couldn't focus because his mind was racing.

will Zoe be mad that I didn't want to sleep in her room?

He thought

Mr and Mrs Murphy made it sound like she really didn't want me to have to sleep on the couch, but I don't want her to either, so she can't be mad at me for that, or will she? Should I just leave now before I cause any more problems?

Evan had to stop himself before he went crazy. His thoughts kept getting more and more confusing and he needed to calm himself down.
Evan got pulled out of his darting thoughts when Cynthia came back with some blankets and pillows for him. She set the neatly folded pile on the couch, told Evan goodnight and then went upstairs to her and Larry's bedroom. After a few minutes, Zoe came back downstairs to tell Evan goodnight.

"You sure this is alright?" Zoe said to him. "My parents said you'd rather sleep here."
"Oh yeah, I'll be fine." Evan replied.
"What time do you usually get up in the morning?" She asked walking closer to the couch.
"Usually 6:00." Evan said .
"I get up around 5:30," Zoe said. "want me to wake you up?"
"Oh, uh sure." Evan said quietly.
Zoe stood there for a moment, then told Evan goodnight and went upstairs to her room.

Evan laid the blankets and pillows out on the couch making it more like a bed. He realized he didn't brush his teeth, and still needed to change his clothes. He walked toward the steps to go to the bathroom, but he stopped when he heard yelling coming from down the hall toward Connors room. Evan peered up the stairs and could partially see into Connors room. He could tell Mr and Mrs Murphy were yelling at Him.
"Your sister told me that you drove home without her! You're not even supposed to be driving, Connor!" Larry yelled.
"Larry be quiet please," Evan heard Cynthia whisper. "we have a guest right downstairs, be quieter."
Evan tried to move out of view incase one of them looked down the stairs and saw him, but he kept listening.
"It didn't even matter," Connor said. "she was already getting a ride with that dork downstairs."
"Seriously, Connor-" Cynthia started to yell at him but Larry cut her off.
"Zoe said she didn't even know she was going with him by the time you left, so how could you have known?" He said.
"That's not true!!" Connor yelled defensively. "She told me she had a ride so I left without her!"
"And who are we supposed to believe, Connor?" Larry said.
Connor looked a little hurt but Larry went on. "You aren't really known for telling the truth around here."
"Whatever." Connor said shutting the door on his parents.
Evan glanced back up the steps and saw Mr and Mrs Murphy go back to their room, obviously giving up on the argument.

Evan went upstairs quietly to brush his teeth. He walked into the bathroom with his toothbrush but realized he didn't bring any toothpaste. He was going to ask somebody for some, but he saw that Mr and Mrs Murphy's light in their room was already out so he didn't want to bother them. He was going to go see Zoe but how weird of a question would that be
"Hey do you have any toothpaste?" Evan said in a mocking way in his head, already picturing how stupid he would sound.
He decided to give it a shot and walked toward Zoe's room but stopped because he saw her light was already out too. That left one person to ask. Connor.

Evan slowly walked toward Connors closed door and saw from underneath that his light was still on. Evan felt his hands get sweaty and got especially nervous because he knew Connor already wasn't in a good mood because his parents had just yelled at him. Or did that stuff not even effect him like that?
Evan tried to steady his breathing as he stood there and planned what to say. He decided he would just walk in really quickly, ask if he had or knew where any toothpaste was, and then he would walk out accepting whatever kind of snobby answer Connor gave him.
He shakily grabbed the doorknob and was going to try to make this fast to avoid any confrontation. He took a deep breath, and pushed the door open stumbling a few feet inside Connors room.
At first Connor was out of sight, but then Evan glanced down and noticed that Connor was sitting on the floor against his bed with tears pouring down his face as he took a blade to his left arm and made small cuts.
Connor looked up and saw Evan and started to freak out while trying to hide his arm and the knife.
Evan pretended he didn't see anything, and started rambling."Hey uh sorry didn't mean to bother you but do you have any toothpaste or anything I don't know it really doesn't matter I'll be fine I just wanted to know if-"
"What?! Get out, GO AWAY!!" Connor yelled through sobs as he quickly got up off the floor and leaped toward Evan to shove him out the door.
Evan ran quickly out of Connors room but tried to stay quiet and not wake anyone else. Connor shut the door and Evan saw he turned off his light. Evan went back to the bathroom and closed the door. He leaned his back up against it and slid down on the floor.
Evan put his head between his knees and cried.
was he just cutting?
He thought
was I seeing things?
is it my fault? He was probably only doing it because he was upset at his parents, not me.
but that still doesn't make it right.
should I tell his mom and dad?
he'd kill me if I did
but if I don't he might kill himself first.
Evan forgot about brushing his teeth and changing his clothes and just went back down stairs and laid on the couch, still lightly crying.