A New Start

Chapter 21

"Connor, it's been three days," Evan said as the group sat in the cafeteria, hiding from the morning cold. "You've gotta be tired of sleeping on my couch."

Connor shrugged and tore apart part of a cereal bar, popping it in his mouth. "Larry hasn't done anything to make me want to come back."

"Con, Mom really misses you," said Zoe. "You should at least let her know you're not sleeping in the streets."

"Zo's right," Quinn said. "She must be worried sick."

"And yet she hasn't made an attempt to reach out to me," Connor sighed, propping his legs up on the table.

"Connor Murphy to the principal's office!" The school secretary called over the loudspeakers.

"What did you do this time?" Jared asked.

"What? Nothing! I actually didn't start anything this time!"

"Connor Murphy to the principal's office!"

"Well, get going!" Quinn urged. She knocked Connor's legs off the table. Connor grabbed his satchel and made his way out the doors.

"There you are," the secretary said when he got to the office. "I was just about to call you again."

Connor rolled his eyes and flipped into the chair in front of the desk. "Why am I here? I didn't even do anything." He chipped away at the nail polish on his fingers.

"Well, there's someone here to see you. Go through to Principal Bleeker's office."

Connor sighed and got up, walking into the small office. He was quickly engulfed in a hug by someone.

"Oh, you're alright! I thought- I thought... You know what? It doesn't matter," Cynthia said, pulling away from her son. She cupped his face in her hand and gently stroked his cheek with her thumb. "What's important is that you're safe."

Connor took a step back. "Right. Why are you here?"

"Come home Connor. Please?" She begged. "We miss you."

"Really?"

"Alright, I miss you. Larry's... well..."

"An asshole?"

"Hey, be nice, he is your father."

Connor clenched his jaw. "Sure. I'm not coming back."

Cynthia looked at him, begging him with her eyes. "I'll find a way for you to go to art school, even if it means twisting your father's arm, metaphorically or literally," she mumbled the last part. "But you'll go. And I don't care that you like boys instead of girls."

"You-you don't?" asked Connor, looking at his mother with something he rarely had- hope.

"Hell, no! All I care about is you being happy."

Connor felt tears prickling in his eyes as he looked at his mother. "Really?" He whispered.

"Really," Cynthia said with a smile. Connor engulfed the shorter woman in a hug as he felt a tear of relief run down his ace. "Thanks... Mom," he said, a bit unsure. When he felt Cynthia's grip around him tighten, he smiled. He made the right choice.

A/N: hello, my lovelies! I hope you enjoyed the fluff. Unfortunately, this book might be ending soon. On the bright side, i have another TreeBros fic in the works! Keep an eye out for If I Could Tell Him!