-Reaching Out-(Treebros)

12

Trigger Warning- Encouragement to end someone's life and harassment

Evan had dreaded going to school, not because he had to learn, no, it was because he almost always had to talk to someone. Whether it was because of a group project or asking a teacher a simply question they were trained to answer, it always made him overthink the conversation. It was a nightmare to him.

Gym was hell. Evan didn't like changing around other guys because he felt like they were always judging him and his body, and for some reason he sometimes caught himself catching glances at the shirtless jocks.

It had been a few days since the incident at the Murphies. Evan was willing to forgive and forget, mainly because he didn't want it to be brought up again.

Gym had just ended, and the students were allowed a few extra minutes to change. Evan quickly changed and exited the locker room fast but was cut off by a taller male with short black hair.

Evan's breath hitched, but he was determined not to show weakness. "H-h-hi, there.."

Pathetic.

"Hey, do you have any room for me to sign your cast?" They asked, pointing to Evan's cast.

Evan beamed a bit, "Y-yes, actually! O-on the other side of my c-c-cast!" He pulled out a black sharpie from his pocket, just in case something like this would happen, and held it out to the stranger.

"Thanks.." They said, taking the sharpie slowly, before yelling, "Grab him!!"

Suddenly, two other boys came up behind Evan and grabbed him. One held him against the wall, while the other kept Evan's arm pinned to the wall.

"W-w-what?!" Evan struggled in their grasp, he wasn't strong enough to break free of their hold. He didn't understand, why were they doing this?

"God, you're so retarded, you know that, Hansen? Oh wait, you don't," the stranger said, starting to scribble down hate messages on his cast. "Who would ever want to be your friend?"

Idiot
Slut
Hoe
Retarded
Unlovable

The list went on a bit more, as Evan stared down at it, before the bell for lunch rang. All of a sudden, a wave of anxiety hit him. He was going to see Connor in the Courtyard for lunch, it was a normal routine for the two boys. But that would result in Connor seeing the hateful messages inscribed onto Evan's cast, and Evan was almost completely sure he would get mad at this and demand to find out how it happened and who did it.

Usually, when Evan entered the Courtyard, he would feel calm, at peace. But not today. Connor was sitting under their normal tree, on his phone as he waited for Evan to arrive.

Evan took slow steps towards Connor, keeping his cast pressed against his chest, while he held his paper bag in his free hand.

Connor looked up from his phone and smiled, before patting the empty spot next to him. However, Evan sat a bit further away from Connor, in which made the big furrow his eyebrows. Evan pulled out his sandwich and fumbled with the zipper, clearly not trying to make any conversation.

Connor was determined to get him to talk. "So, how was.. Gym? I swear to god, I think it's gym..."

Evan didn't answer, in fear of revealing the harassment he'd just gone through. He simply bit his lip.

"Evan?" Connor called.

No response.

"Evan," Connor was starting to get mad.

Still, no response.

"Evan!!" He growled.

The silence was dreadful.

Connor pulled himself up onto his feet and trudged over to Evan, growling lowly. He forcefully put his hands into his shoulders, "Fucking answer god damn it!"

Evan jumped at his sudden actions and in instinct covered his face with his arms, revealing the hateful messages. He hadn't meant to, but Connor was terrifying in his mind when mad. Once realizing his mistake, he quickly tried to hide his cast.

Connor didn't let this happen. He grabbed onto his arm and slowly read the messages, making his anger boil only more as he did so. He couldn't help but assume the worst automatically.

"Did you.. Write these?" He said slowly, continuing to stare at the cast. He moved Evan's casted arm on his knee.

"Wha-What?! No no no, I-I swear I didn't!" Evan's voice shook, as he shivered slightly.

Connor gazed at Evan, directly into his eyes. Fear. That's what he saw. Nothing more, nothing less. But he could tell Evan was being truthful. He hated seeing these hateful messages on his cast, however, they'd just serve as a tool for torture. He had to fix it.

"Hey, do you have a sharpie on you?" Connor asked, making up his mind.

Evan made a small nod, pulling out the few sharpies he had. Connor grabbed a red one to cover the black covered letters.

He changed the word idiot to ideal,
Slut to silly,
Hoe to homie,
Retarted to reliable,
And unlovable to lovable.

Evan smiled down at his cast, blushing lightly at the newfound compliments splattered across it. Sure, Connor wrote over the hateful messages, but they were still nice to look at.

"Now, who did this?" Connor shoved the sharpie into his pocket and clenched his jaw tight.

"I-I didn't catch his name.."

"Then describe him!!!"

"H-he had short black hair.. Uh.. G-green eyes.. A M-Marvel shirt??"

"Fuck.. Fuck! How are we supposed to find him?!" Connor started to pace.

"W-we don't need to find him... It's, it's okay. Really," Evan tried to reassure him. He really didn't want Connor to fight anyone, especially for him. No, that'd just get Connor into trouble.

"Yes, we do!!!" Connor growled, turning around to him. "He was targeting you, Evan, and I'm not going to let just pass by!!"

"Connor... I-I appreciation your concern, but, but you'll get in trouble if you pick a fight!" Evan argued, "Besides, w-we don't have proof it was him."

Connor clenched his fist, obviously frustrated. "I-Just-God damn it!!" He whipped around and launched his fist into a tree, which only resulted in him hurting his knuckles.

"Fuck!!" He cursed, gripping his hand, feeling more frustrated than before. He failed Evan, he failed to keep the only good thing in his life get hurt. He deserved this.

Connor threw another punch at the tree. Then another. Then another. He just didn't stop.

Evan stated in shock, no, he couldn't watch this anymore. He quickly got to his feet and ran to Connor. "C-Connor, stop!"

Connor didn't listen, he only hit the tree harder, he could feel the blood drip from his knuckles and stain the bark of the tree, but he didn't care.

"Connor! Connor p-please-Just stop!" Evan tried to grab his arm to stop him, but Connor ended up accidentally jabbing him in the chest, making Evan grunt in pain. The second Connor felt his elbow hit Evan, he immediately stopped.

Connor looked down at the smaller boy, who was holding his chest, his eyed shut tight. Connor felt awful, he hadn't meant to hit him, it was an accident! But whether or not it was an accident, in the end he still ended up hurting Evan. He sighed and looked down at his now bleeding knuckles.

I deserve this.

"C-Connor..?" Evan opened one of his eyes, before opening the other and gasping, seeing the state his knuckles were in.

Connor sighed, "I'm such a fuck-up.."

Evan frowned at him, slowly moving his hands from his chest to Connor's palms, and gently pulled his hands down. He sighed, "You're lucky, you're lucky I have a f-first aid kit with me..."

Connor looked away from him, "I don't deserve it..."

"Yes, y-yes you do," Evan said softly but certainly.

"Now l-let's get you cleaned up."