Ghost Connor AU

Ghost Connor AU Chapter Two

"Evan."

Connor's voice reverberated around the dull, and previously empty room, causing the owner of the name mentioned to flinch. He didn't look up, eyes fixated on a computer screen.

"No more, no more."

"Evan, listen to me."

"No more Connor project, no more orchard."

"What are you doing?"

"No more emails."

"Why are you doing this to them?"

"No more lies."

"Why are you doing this to my parents?"

"No more, no more, no more."

"Why are you doing this to us?!"

Evan flinched again, fingers hovering over his keyboard. Connor watched his eyes flit from the screen to his cast, which had been thrown haphazardly next to his bed after he got it off. The name on it taunted him, leered at him. He cleared his throat.

"They'll understand. They'll all understand."

"What about Zoe?"

Connor saw Evan tense, shoulder blades pressed together as he took in a shaky breath. "She said she liked me for me. It's fine. I'll be fine." Connor let out a bitter laugh. "Yeah, but you failed to mention that every single word that came out of your mouth was a /fucking/ lie."

Connor was suddenly in front of Evan, somehow, even though he was pinned against his desk. His eyes were filled with anger and sadness, and Evan pressed his palms against his desk, standing up and facing the other way. Connor, in turn, stood up next to him, eyes hard and hands shaking slightly. He hoped Evan didn't notice. "Evan, they're going to hate you," he said, bitterly. "My parents, Zoe, they're going to hate you for this."

"Please, stop."

"Why wouldn't they?"

"Connor, please."

"They're going to be /so upset/ at you."

"Connor--"

"I mean, of course they would be, because the son they wanted also lied to them and let them down."

"S-Stop--"

"You let them down!"

"Please--"

"You let them all down, your a disappointment!"

"Shut up, Connor!"

With that, the room fell silent. Evan looked over at Connor, eyes wider than ever. Connor wasn't looking at him, instead down at his open, shaking hands. He closed them. Evan broke the thick silence first.

"Connor--"

"How'd you break your arm?"

The question caught him off guard, and Evan fell silent, looking away from Connor. His mind flashed back to the tree, forty feet tall, urging him to climb it, to just get away. To him, scrambling up the tree and staring at the sun, note folded up in his back pocket, as he sat on the tallest branch he could reach. He closed his eyes, sucking in a breath, apologizing to people who couldn't hear him. And then he fell backward, falling and falling until he hit the ground, wishing for the numbness in his arm to spread to the rest of his body, wanting to be gone, gone, gone--

"/How'd you break your arm, Evan?/"

The question came with more force this the last time, and Evan swallowed dryly. "I was climbing a tree and I... I fell."

"Really, is that what happened?"

"/YES/, I-I was-- I lost my balance and I..."

Deep breath. 1..2..3.

"I fell, so..."

Evan looked up to see Connor's gaze had redirected to him, and that it had softened greatly. "Did you fall?" His eyes looked past Evan to his cast. "Or did you let go?"

Evan's chest tightened and he looked away, not wanting to face Connor. Not wanting to face anyone. He hadn't told anyone. "Evan, look at me." He didn't. "/Evan/." Blue eyes met grey, and Connor was smiling sadly, the emotion resting almost uncomfortably on his face. "You can get rid of me /whenever/ you want." His voice had a slight tremor, as if the concept scared him. "You can get rid of all of it. The Connor Project, the orchard," Evan looked down, not wanting to discuss it. He felt a hand on his face, lifting it up again. It was strangely comforting-- not cold like he thought it would've been. "But then all you're going to be left with... is /you/."

The hand left Evan's face, and for a moment, he thought Connor had left. He turned around to see him on the bed, looking around, almost sad. "End of May or early June, this... picture perfect afternoon we shared."

The familiar words shot through Evan, who couldn't respond. Connor continued. "Drive the winding country road... grab a scoop at À la mode, and then... we're there." Connor flashed Evan a smile, standing up again. Three words left his mouth before he was gone again, no trace of him ever being there left.

"Think about it."