A Door That Closes Too Soon

27 - Your Best And Most Dearest Friend

"Evan, we should talk about it, you know we should." It was Tuesday, the boys were on their way to grab ice cream in celebration of almost owning an apartment. And Evan was avoiding the topic of Saturday's outburst, something that Jared didn't particularly like.

"There is nothing to talk about," Evan replied, the same response Jared had gotten the other three times he had asked that question.

"Of course there's something to talk about!" Jared shouted, slamming his hands down the steering wheel. Evan flinched, and Connor felt lucky that they were at a stop light.

Connor set a cautious hand on Jared's shoulder. "Calm down, Evan can talk about it when he's ready. We don't...when he's ready." Evan looked out the window. "Evan, you good back there? You look like you're about to be sick."

"I-I'm...I'm f-fine," Evan stuttered.

"You don't sound or look fine, Ev," Jared noted, looking through the rear-view mirror to see Evan. "And 'fine' never means anything good, nobody ever says 'fine' and means it."

Evan's casual (ish) expression faltered. "Well maybe I mean it, Jared."

Jared opened his mouth to speak, but Connor cut him off. "Kleinman, leave him alone. You're giving me a headache, and I don't want to talk about it until all of us," he sent a glance at Evan, "are ready to."

Jared sighed. "Right. Sorry, Ev. But I do – oh, we're here." The three hopped out of the car and Jared grabbed Connor and Evan's hands. "Let's get some creamy ice bitches!"

"No." Connor put his head in his other hand. "Just no."

"Yes," Jared protested.

"No."

"Yes."

They went on like that for a few seconds before Evan intervened with, "Maybe."

"Maybe," Jared repeated. "Maybe. I like it. Maybe it is then."

"Why are you acting like 'maybe' is such an epiphany to you?" Connor asked. "I'm scared."

Jared smiled mischievously. "Because, idiot. It's basically us. Connor, you're 'no' because you hate everything except us." Connor smirked. "I'm 'yes' because I'm...the best."

"Well–"

"Shut up Connor you can't argue with the best boyfriend. No offense, Ev." Evan shrugged. "And Evan is maybe because he's like the middle ground between us."

"So?" Connor asked. "That's nothing special, it's just true."

Jared mocked offense. "It's special because I, the insanely cool Jared Kleinman – can we trademark that? I'll trademark it – came up with it."

"You're also insanely annoying, but you don't seem to want to trademark that title," Connor pointed out.

All of them walked inside of the ice cream parlor. It wasn't busy or anything, the only people that seemed to be there were an old couple and a teenager employee who was leaning on the counter. The employee straightened out when he saw the boys. Evan dropped Jared's hand. "Yo, what do you want? Aren't you the kid that tried to kill himself? Twice?" he asked, looking at Connor. Jared put a protective arm around Connor's waist.

"Yeah, I am 'that kid', what's it to you?" Connor asked, raising an eyebrow. "Pretty sure you aren't my therapist, so I'd much rather tell what flavor ice cream you can get my boyfriends and I here." The guy shut up, and Connor let out a slightly shaky breath, pushing Jared's arm away.

The three got their ice cream with no other issues and went into Jared's car to eat it, not wanting to deal with any more people.

Evan was the first to speak. "I'll talk about it." The sentence caught both Jared and Connor off guard.

"What do you mean?" Jared asked.

"The...what happened...Saturday," Evan replied tentatively.

Jared smiled slightly, turning around in his seat to face Evan. "In the words of the great Connor Murphy, 'when you're ready'."

"That isn't even what I said."

"Shut the fuck up or so help me I will lovingly snap your neck," Jared replied in a sweet voice. "Anyways, Evan...you were saying something?"

"Sorry, I...I don't know." Jared and Connor looked at Evan, but he looked anywhere but at them. "I just...I can't do this sort of thing very well. Emotions, that is."

"Take your time," Connor responded quickly.

Evan sighed. "That's what I'm talking about. You guys keep talking to me like I'm still this anxious high school kid who needs protection from the world. I mean come on Jared, I'm pretty sure I know what sex is too."

Jared chuckled. "Yeah, says the only virgin in this car."

"I'm not...okay fine."

Connor snickered. "Jared, come on, Evan is waiting for the right man to please him." Jared and Evan both laughed a little. "Or men," he added with a smirk.

"K-kinky?" Evan added with a questioning tone.

Jared sighed. "Leave the dirty jokes to the experts, Ev. And come on, that can't be the only thing you need to say, just look at your face. I mean, it's gorgeous, but you look like you want to implode."

Evan nodded and took a deep breath. "Okay, well I–" A rock hit the window of the car, and Jared rolled the window down.

"Alright suckers, follow my car, you're about to have the time of your fucking lives." It was Zoe, Alana behind her, stifling laughter.

"We were having a moment," Jared told her.

"Uh huh, and I spent like...500 dollars on this."

"No you didn't," Alana reminded her. "It was only 100."

"Well it was still my cash!" Zoe protested, putting a hand on her hip.

"Nope, your dad gave you 50 and you stole the other 50 from the same drawer Connor keeps his weed and condoms in," Alana replied. Connor raised an eyebrow.

"Wait, I did?" Zoe asked.

Connor frowned. "Yeah, when did you steal 50 dollars from me?"

"Before I got into 'Lana's car," Zoe replied before she smirked, looking extremely similar to Connor, "which was a few minutes before I had my first kiss, at a stop light, on the corner of Bemore Street and Chill Avenue, listening to some One Direction song on the CD that Alana stole from a guy that she broke up with in 7th grade when she realized she was a lesbian."

An awkward silence fell onto the five. "That was very specific, but at least Zo can't rant to me about how unfair it is that she can't get a girlfriend anymore," Connor said. "Congrats sis. So, where are we going?"

"You'll see! Jared, get your hella ancient car started." Zoe's smile was one of those contagious ones. Even Evan had to smile with her presence.

And for the first time in a long time, everyone was happy.

Hella is the gayest word ever, I should know, as I am a gay. (kind of I mean I don't like guys but I like gals and feminines)