Connor sat outside the school, tears in his eyes as he slowly strummed his ukulele. He wished he didn't feel like he did. He had now way of fixing it, either. The only thing that seemed to help the poor boy was Music. He never sang to anyone. He never wanted to. He would feel like even more of a freak show once they knew what he did. He dreamt of being a professional musician, but his dreams were farfetched, and every time he thought of bringing them into reality, his eyes would glaze over and his anxious habits brought themselves into the beautiful light known as reality.
So, Connor sat, alone, his ukulele in hand, strumming one of his favorite songs.
Drink down that gin and kerosine
He took a sharp breath, his happiness dwindling when he realized that soon he would have to figure out a backup plan for his dreams, because reality was one cruel motherfucker.
Come spit on bridges with me
He whispered, unhappily.
Just to keep us warm Light a match to leave me be Light a match to leave me be
He stared at the other kids through the window of the musical theatre room. They were all prodigies . Connor mumbles something he diddly even hear, staring straight at one of the most talented in the entire school: Caden Thomas.
Connor liked to think he had a crush on Caden, for a while, but he realized that Caden's velvety vocals and lanky physique had every gay boy mooning over him within a fifty mile radius, so he got over it. Still, Caden had gotten into Juilliard, Connor's dream school, and Connor was stuck with a ukulele and a family who didn't understand passion.
I keep my jealousy close Cause It's all mine
He wiped a tear away
And I you say this makes you happy then I'm not the only one lying.
—
Evan Hansen knew the opening chords of Nobody Puts Baby In The Corner like the back of his hand, so he was surprised to hear the most beautiful voice he'd ever heard begin to sing it. He listened in, softly, keeping himself silent and out of sight as he listened to the flawless technique that was being applied into the music. He mouthed the words, instinctively grabbing his wrists when the chorus hit.
Keep quiet Nothing comes as easy as you Can I lay in your bed all day? I'll be your best kept secret and your biggest mistake The hand behind this pen relieves a failure every day.
Evan sighed, listening even closer as the verse was repeated. The song sounded so raw, and emotional, and—wait a minute. They're crying.
So wear me like a locket around your throat I'll weigh you down I'll watch you choke You look so good in blue You look so good in blue.
Evan turned the corner, humming the tune.
So wear me like a locket around your throat I'll weigh you down I'll watch you choke You look so good in blue You look so good in blue.
Evan noticed Connor abruptly stop, and he sighed. "What are you doing here?" Connor shakily asked, frantically putting away his ukulele.
"Why are you crying?" Evan asked.
"I asked you first." Connor hissed, staring up at Evan with an inquiring look in his eye.
"If you must know: your voice is beautiful and I love Fall Out Boy with all my heart. Why are you crying?" Evan spoke quickly, to the point. He looked at Connor inquisitively, sitting at next to him.
"You don't need to know." Connor sighed, turning his back to Evan, his hands shaking.
"Uh, Yeah I do." Evan put his hand on Connor's shoulder, rubbing his thumb up and down, smiling.
"I have big dreams but a small life. I'm not going anywhere." Connor shrugged, his fingers tracing over the mahogany wood of his ukulele. He called it Jeremy, and it was a beautiful Lanakai uke, with white trim and gold tuners. The strings were clear, and it wasn't an alto uke, or a soprano uke. It was a concert uke, making the size just right for Connor's fingers. He let his fingers drag over the strings for a moment, looking back at Evan.
"That's not true, Connor."
"Is too."
"Is not."
"How would you know, Evan?" Connor turned back to the boy wearing his usual blue polo. He frowned, staring at the slightly younger boy.
"Because, Connor. I know what you're going through. I bet you keep comparing yourself to flawless Caden over there, right?"
Connor nodded.
"I'm friends with him. You know what he said, the first time he met you? He said, That kud's got something that I want. He's got a gift. The past three years of his life he had been trying to match your skill level. He thinks you're jut as great as you think he is." Evan sighed. "Just because you don't have a scholarship to the most prestigious fine arts college in the country doesn't mean you don't have it. It means you are selling yourself short, and you haven't looked hard enough." Evan sighed. "It's a beautiful uke, you have."
Connor glanced down at the ukulele in his hands, back to Evan, then to the musical theatre room, where one person was standing outside, staring at the two boys. Caden Thomas looked at them, smiling. "It's true." He said, approaching Connor. "Hey man, could you teach me to play?" He whispered, gesturing at the ukulele.
"Uh, Yeah. Sure."
The three boys sat like that until the bell forced them to part ways as likely friends. That day was the day Connor found his true calling, and decided to follow it. After high school, he went to college, and got a degree in musical theatre. He went to audition after audition after audition, and finally made a role in a small broadway show that he still forgets, all with Evan Hansen by his side.
—a/n—
Hey look at how bad and half assed this one is
No one is updating so I gotta update to get my fix of the good shit
