Dear Evan Hansen Oneshots! (A-Z)

S is for Scraped Knees

It was the summer before second grade and Evan and Jared were convinced that they could learn how to ride bikes on their own.  They had snuck out at six in the morning to the field by the basketball court in the park.  The sun was just barely rising, but the humidity was overwhelming, making the two boys feel sweaty and tired.

Jared had his tongue poking out between his teeth in concentration, as he fiddled with a wrench he had stolen from his dad's toolbox.  He was trying to take the training wheels off his bike.  Evan waited for him patiently, sweat beading on his forehead.  He watched Jared's focused mannerisms, finding them cute.

Finally, the training wheels landed on the grass with a satisfying thud.  Jared whooped happily and pulled his bicycle upright.  "We don't need training wheels, Evy.  We're grown up," Jared shared his wisdom with his friend.

Evan nodded and added weakly, "Y-yeah."

They both mounted their bicycles.  Evan wobbled unsteadily on his.  The bike was slightly too tall for him. 

"Ready?" Jared asked.

Evan's stomach churned with fear as he stared at the sidewalk before him.  But he couldn't have Jared know that he was scared.  He would think Evan was a baby.

Evan gulped and was about to nod when Jared pointed towards the basketball court.  "Who are they?"

Evan shielded his eyes from the sun and watched the four kids playing on the court.  "They must be f-fifth graders," Evan said in awe.

At the elementary school level, fifth graders sat at the top of the hierarchy, ruling over the lower grades.  Everyone looked up to them, but knew not to cross them.

Jared gaped, "You really think so?"

"I mean, they're tall," Evan answered.

Jared had soon lost interest in the strangers.  "Let's go!"

Evan started of shakily, trying to maintain balance.  After a few minutes of falling over he seemed to be getting the hang of biking.

"I think I got it!" Jared called from behind him.

"Race you!" Evan giggled.

By now, Evan was pretty confident with his balance, so he sped up.  He enjoyed the feeling of the wind ruffling his hair and the world flying past him.  He smiled gleefully and laughed.

Just as they were nearing the court, Evan heard a crash and a yell from behind him.

Evan braked and dropped his bike to the floor with a loud clatter.  He ran towards Jared who was lying on the grass, with his bike next to him.  Evan neared Jared's side when the fifth graders approached.

"Aw.  Poor little baby can't ride his bike," the tallest girl teased.

Evan watched helplessly as tears rolled down Jared's dirty face.  Evan gasped once he noticed the bloody scrape on Jared's knee.

"Is he crying?" One of the boys mocked.

Evan tried to ignore them as he helped Jared up and supported his weight, but their laughter filled up his head.  He didn't like the fifth graders so much anymore.  He helped Jared limp to the bathroom, while the older kids called taunts after the pair.  Once they made it to the bathroom, Evan lifted Jared up to sit on the sink counter.  Jared was whimpering softly and his glasses were filthy from the dirt, or tears, or maybe both.

Evan gently took them off and ran them under water to clean them. "Don't cry, Jared," Evan said softly.

"I'm not crying," Jared wiped his obvious tears away.

Evan wet a paper towel and pressed it against Jared's knee, and a smaller scrape on Jared's cheek.  Jared winced but had stopped crying.

Evan rummaged through his pockets and pulled out two bandaids.  "For emergencies," he took the paper off the first bandaid and placed it on Jared's scraped knee.

Jared sniffled, "Why does nobody love me?  All those big kids were laughing at me when I hurt my knee.  They don't like me."

"I l-love you," Evan unwrapped the second bandaid.  When he looked up, Jared had broken into a gap-toothed grin.

Evan stuck the bandaid to Jared cheek and then kissed it lightly.

"I love you too," Jared leaned down to hug Evan.

Evan and Jared were both blushing bright red.

"Those bullies don't know what they're talking about.  You are the bestest person I know," Evan reassured Jared.

Jared smiled, "You really think so?"

"Of course I do!"

Evan reached for Jared's hand shyly and Jared grabbed on.

"Soon you'll knee will be as good as new, Jar," Evan squeezed Jared's hand.

The two set out two find their bicycles.

A/n: young kleinsen gives me life.  Please leave suggestions for T-Z (but not X or W) because I am taking requests.  School starts on Monday help me.