Evan wakes up and he H u r t s.
"What the..?" Jared moves just slightly in his sleep. Evan shoots up. It hurts.
"Jar-?? Oh my God..." Jared jolts awake from the movement.
"Huh? What?"
"I'm - oh God, I feel like I've been hit by a truck and I look like I fought a squid and I feel dehydrated and -"
"Oh- shit- okay just calm down. It's okay, I can go get you water." He looks at his phone.
"And I hope you're okay with being late to school."
"And we're late!!??" he painfully shoots to his feet to throw some clothes on.
"Shit shit shit!"
"Ev, Ev, its fine. We'll just get your mom to call in and say we woke up late. Unless you want to stay home."
"no no no, I CANNOT let my mom see me like this!"
"Fine. Fine just get dressed and let's go." Evan rushes through getting ready and they're out the door. They get there late but it's not too late. They missed the first half of first bell. Evan is questioned vigorously by Alana in first bell.
"You weren't there this morning! When did you go home? Are those from Connor?? Is he your boyfriend??"
"Uh... C-can we talk about it later..?" Jared just gets embarrassed by the whole band. Except Zoe. She's confused.
"Kleinmannnnn late and all banged up."
"Sure you aren't loving on Zoe's man? Heard he's the same."
"It was just a coincidence. I mean, Zoe's got some marks too." Zoe blushes so hard. Alana did mark her pretty hard....
"Good point."
"So how is Evan, Zoe? He seems like he'd be gentle." She glances at Jared behind everyone who is shaking his head vigorously.
"Uh, not really..."
"Oh??"
"I don't really want to talk about it."
"Give me deets later, I gotta know. Your man is just... Ooh, you know?"
"He's weird, but Mmmmm." She chuckles nervously.
"Y-yeah...." One guy nudges Jared.
"So who'd you get it with, J?"
"Oh, uh, N-no one you know."
"She cute?"
"Uh........ to me? Yes. Absolutely."
"Sweet. Got a pic?"
"No? Why would I?"
"Didn't see you as the type to fuck if you weren't an item I guess. Sucks. Whatever man."
"I-I mean we are! I just... don't have a picture.."
"You don't have pictures of your girl? Dang man, lucky, my last girlfriend sent me so many freakin selfies and I could never decide which to get rid of so I just had a ton on my phone..."
"Well that's why there's this app called SnapChat." The guy laughs and that's that. Next bell Zoe and Evan sit next to each other. Evan is obviously extremely embarrassed.
"So..." she whispers.
"Not from Connor?"
"Not from Connor..."
"........ but Jared?"
".... I vaguely remember telling him to make sure everyone knew I was his and to fuck me up..."
"Well he fucked you up. But now everyone thinks I did it."
"I mean... That's what we were going for, right?"
"Well they also think you did this." She pulls down her collar just slightly.
"Oh God... H-How is Connor, by the way? I uh... Feel bad about last night. We did almost... B-because I was high and I... Texted Jared to ask permission instead of just saying no because I'm taken..."
"He's... a little upset but I think he can deal. I did punch a hole in his wall though..."
"Oh gosh... I need to talk to him..."
"Just.. be careful. Okay?"
"Yeah... I've got lunch with him, I can talk to him then..." he's also got lunch with Jared which is who he meets with first usually. Today is no different.
"Jared, I have to talk to Connor today. He eats in his truck in the parking lot."
"I'm coming with."
"You think that's a good idea? You aren't exactly master of being delicate."
"I'll let you do all the talking. Promise."
"... All right. Well... Let's do this..." They get out there, Jared staying close to Evan. He just wants to make sure Connor doesn't try anything. They make it to Connor's truck where Evan knocks on the window. Connor rolls it down and oh. That's a lot of smoke. Does he seriously smoke like this all the time? All right...
"C-can we talk?"
"Come to tell me I'm an ass?"
"N-No..." Jared tries so hard not to make snarky comments. Just staying behind.
"I'm really sorry about last night, I should've just said I was taken and denied, I kind of... Screwed us both over."
"A little. But it's fine. It's whatever."
"Is... Is your jaw okay?"
"Bruised. But I'm fine." Jared crosses his arms. He doesn't even want to think about Evan even wanting to do anything with Connor Murphy.
"So... Are we all right?"
"Yeah. And I'll still take Alana to Homecoming Saturday so Zoe can have fun while you two... Do that." He gestures to Evan's neck.
"Nice to see you decided to bury the evidence, huh?" he sounds... Hurt. Jared can tell too. Well too bad. He got to Evan first. Evan blushes.
"I..."
"I get it, it's fine. Not like I had a shot anyway." Evan's heart hurts a little for him. Jared turns away when Evan looks at him. He doesn't want to be mean but there's nothing he can do. Evan takes a breath.
"I'll see you then, all right, Connor?"
"Mhm. If you ever want to smoke again, you're welcome to." They share a look and Connor rolls the window up. Jared follows Evan back inside. He didn't say anything, like he promised.
"... I feel bad."
"Yeah......"
"... What am I gonna do..? I'm gonna have to go over again sometime..."
"....... Would.... would you like it if I tried to at least be.. acquaintances? At least?" He's trying to help.
"... If you could..? I'd appreciate it."
"Yeah okay...." So then after school, Evan goes home and Jared goes over to the Murphy's.
