Dear Evan Hansen, It's Connor Murphy~

[12]

My eyes flickered open and I was greeted by an intense beam of light that had peered through the curtains and directly onto my face. I rolled over and gradually became more awake with every second, in turn being able to take in my surroundings. I was not in my room. This was not my bed. They were not my curtains. The realisation slowly hit me to where I actually was- Connor's bedroom. I glanced down at the taller boy who was peacefully sprawled out on the floor with a pillow beneath his head and his curly brown hair masking it. 

"Connor~" I hummed quietly after crawling onto the ground and hovering over his body. I didn't want to wake him, but it was necessary. Connor merely grunted quietly in response. "Dude, is everything alright? How did we get here?"My questions appeared to force the taller male into an upright position, as he let out a quiet yawn and rubbed his eyes.

"You...uhh...you fell asleep," He managed, trying to relive what happened in order to explain accurately. "In the park...and I carried you here and put you to bed." 

"Ah...right." I scratched the back of my neck awkwardly. He should've just woken me up, instead of having to carry me. I must've been pretty heavy for him. Though I wish I was awake enough to be able to actually remember him carrying me, to be able to have his arms around me and look up at him. "Well...thank you....and, uh, sorry."  

Removing a hair tie from his wrist, Connor tied his hair into a messy ponytail and smiled at me. "It was nothing. You looked so cute when you were sleeping anyway~" I could sense the lighthearted mockery in his voice, though a part of me wished he was being serious. In all honesty, I was probably just searching for any suggestion that he perhaps thought about me the same way I thought about him. It was unlikely. After all, to him, I know I'm no more than a good friend. I can't make him feel differently, so there was no point in burdening him with the knowledge of how I felt and ruining what we already had. For now, moments like these, being able to spend this much time with him, were enough for me. 

~

I waved over my shoulder as I headed into my own home, thanking him for the lift. I hoped my Mom wasn't awake, or noticed the time I was coming in, even though I had told her I had gone to Jared's. The door quietly creaked open, though the sound was outshone by the sound of movement and my tense-sounding mother muttering my name from inside. 

"Evan, I think we need to talk," she hissed, trying to confine her anger. My heart sunk and thoughts of what she could possibly be mad about whirring through my mind. "I was on facebook at work and I had seen a video being shared around by friends, involving you."

"Yeah..." I managed. 

"Not only that, but on the way home I saw you in the park with a boy...Connor Murphy? The one Jared's Mom had heard bad stories about? Not at Jared's house. Like you had said." I closed the door gently behind me and stood with my back against it. I was trapped. She had discovered the Found Project, my speech, and my friendship with Connor. "Is there anything else I should know? What else have you been keeping from me?"

"Nothing..."

"You lied to me...you said you were at Jared's house all this time, and yet you were off gallivanting with some drug addict, probably going over to his house every other night, giving speeches...god! It's like I don't even know you."

"Connor isn't just 'some drug addict'," I murmured, yet my voice slowly growing louder. "I don't understand why you're mad? Connor gave me the confidence to talk publicly...he doesn't think that I need to be fixed like you...so, sorry for living my life?" She stared at my blankly for a while, the anger dissolving from her eyes and being replaced with an essence of remorse. 

"You're right...I-I'm sorry Evan...ah..." She replied. Though, I didn't think she needed to apologise. I had been lying to her after all. "Do you need any refills?" She spoke quickly after a moment of silence, leading me upstairs and picking up a nearly full container, a puzzled look sweeping over her face.

"I haven't...needed them." 

She gently put them down, and hugged me. "Well...good! That's great, Evan. Those letters must've really helped some, huh?" I rolled my eyes playfully, hugging the woman back. 

Mom pulled away, yet still holding my shoulders. "I'm proud of you...but...please talk to me about these things...tell me where you're going, OK?" She dispersed out of the room, leaving me alone. 

~

Connor Murphy: Hey Evan, look what I changed your nickname to.

Tree boi: That's great Connor, but I need to tell you something.

Connor Murphy: Hang on, I'm going to change mine and yours again.

----

Tree bro #1: You were saying?

Tree bro #2: Well, my Mom found out about the Found project. And that I hang out with you and not Jared.

Tree bro#1: Right...is everything okay?

Tree bro #2: Yeah...she was a bit shouty at first...but she calmed down. 

Tree bro #1: That's good then. I was worried for a second. 

Tree bro #2: There's no need to worry ^-^

Tree bro #1: In other news, it's a nice day today. Shall we go to the orchard today? There's a river we could paddle in.

Tree bro #2: We can do. Sounds like fun. 

Tree bro #1: It's a date! I'll pick you up in ten. Oh...and Evan, tell your Mom where you're actually going now, so you don't get into trouble. 

~