Lost In The Inbetween

I'm Kind of a Tree Expert

(A/N: This verrry short story takes place at the very end of Dear Evan Hansen.)

Evan was walking through the old apple orchard that just reopened thanks to the Connor Project. The trees were just barely starting to grow in, sticking out like little hands in their mounds of dirt. Evan never thought that he would get to see the orchard opened again. And all it took was publishing fake emails and a letter that was mistaken for a suicide note. 

Evan was glad that he decided to tell the Murphy family the truth. He was also grateful that the Murphy family hadn't told everyone about his lies. He didn't know if he could take that.

After Evan spoke to Zoe in the orchard, he realized how much he missed her. They'd broken up after Evan told the truth about the emails and after that, they'd hardly ever spoken to each other. Their whole relationship was founded on a lie, so it made sense that Zoe couldn't trust him.

Evan wanted nothing more than to see Zoe play guitar in jazz band one last time. He hoped that playing music still made her happy after the mess that Evan had made of her family. He still loved her, but he knew that it was time for him to move on.

He felt tears start to well up in his eyes. He'd made such a mess. All Evan wanted was someone to talk to about everything. He told everyone he had Connor, but he didn't. Evan never had anyone he could tell anything to. Sure, he tried to be real friends with Jared, but Jared didn't want to be friends with Evan. He was lying to Zoe the entire time they knew each other, so he couldn't ever be himself around her either.

With tears blurring his vision, Evan sat at the base of one of the bigger trees. He let his body shudder with the giant, pitiful sobs.

"I am Groot."

Evan wiped his eyes, trying to see whoever was there.

"I am Groot."

He heard the voice again, but couldn't place where it was coming from. The voice was gravelly and earthy, sounding as if it came from within a tree. It was also kind of high pitched at the same time as if the tree hadn't gone through puberty yet. Evan laughed at the thought.

"I. Am. Groot!"

The voice sounded annoyed. "Who's there?" Evan asks. He still couldn't see anyone.

"I am Groot!"

Evan caught movement out of the corner of his eye. He turned to see the movement and jumped back in shock.

Planted in a red porcelain pot was a little brown-and-green figure, not quite human and not quite plant. The little creature was a twist of wood and leaves, the top of his head was even covered in green moss. He had big brown eyes and a cute little smile.

"Groot, right?" Evan asked.

"I am Groot," Groot said.

"Well, Groot, you are the cutest little thing ever. Do you have a home?" Evan said. He finally found a tree that talks back.

"I am Groot," Groot said, his shoulders slumping sadly. His head drooped and he looked like he was going to cry. Evan assumed this meant that Groot didn't have a home.

"Well, you can come live with me," Evan said. Groot perked up suddenly, reaching out to Evan.

Evan picked up the pot and walked home with his newfound friend. Little did Evan know what he was getting into by adopting a rapidly growing tree spirit...