Misguided Ghosts | TREEBROS

•Chapter 2•

About three days had passed and Evan's happiness began to crash for no reason that would have bothered him before. He gets up and hesitantly gets dressed, as he got ready for school he thought of excuses not to go. There wasn't much of a reason for him to go anyway.

Connor... Right! Evan has a friend!

The only reason Evan turned up to school the past few days was solely because Connor Murphy, Evan's new friend and the brother of his crush. If he played his cards right he'd get closer to Zoe. So Evan made his way to school to enjoy the company of one seemingly-sincere friend.

Evan sat in his seat for third period, waiting patiently for Connor Murphy to take his seat beside him. Evan pondered what to talk about with Connor, he's been ignoring his texts but Connor can't ignore Evan at school. Evan's thoughts were shattered when he hears the shriek of the bell... no Connor, again.

"Why the long face Evan?" Jared leans back in his chair with a smirk, "your boyfriend isn't here so you're sad?"

"S-Stop Jared, I'm not gay and he's not my boyfriend. You know i like-... Zoe," Evan whispers her name so anyone who knew her couldn't tell her. Jared rolls his eyes in aggravation. Before he could retort a crackle from the ceiling interrupted.

"Evan Hansen to the office please," the monotonous voice of a middle aged woman cut through the room, Evan's stomach dropped in horror. He hesitated as he gathered his possessions and exited the room.

'Why call me to the office?' Evan panicked internally, he kept running thoughts of what he's done bad or what he could be accused of doing. His breath quickened and he nervously fidgeted with his hands as he approached the door. As he looked up to grasp the door knob he ran face first into the colour red.

"Sorry dude," A chill voice answered as Evan backed away. He looked up to see a tan boy in a red hoodie, he had a small smile on his face undisturbed despite the glasses.

"I-It's fine," Evan answered, the boy then leaned against the wall and Evan felt obligated to talk to him, "w-what's your-why are you here?" he finally gets out.

"They found a joint in the halls and thought it was mine," The boy shrugged, he looked down and Evan noticed the many retro patches that littered the crimson hoodie.

"Why would they-"

"Smell my hoodie,"

"Oh." Evan responded after catching the stale aroma of cannabis that was on the hoodie.

"Yep, so I'm here for a drug test, no need to worry though I'm clean right now," the boy confidently stated, "by the way I'm Michael Mell. Who are you?"

"Evan Hansen?" Evan answered... although it sounded like a question.

"Oof, you should head in there. There are some panicked adults asking for you dude,"

Fuck.

"Okay... thank you Michael," Evan awkwardly waved him off and headed inside.

The staff in the office eyed Evan with pity, like he was a victim of some tragedy... and that horrified him. One lady pointed to the principal's office and with a strong gulp Evan walked slowly to the room.

The room was stiff in atmosphere, Evan standing awkwardly as he was standing in front of two unfamiliar adults. The male had a hidden frustration, while the woman was a wreck of tears. Oh god.

"Where is... uh.. mr.-"

"He stepped out and... who are you?" The male's voice sounded deep and slightly intimidating, but also like a trademark suburban dad.

"They called me to the principal's office, I uh, I'm Evan-Can i leave now?" The boy was itching to get out of the room as he felt his whole body tremble and sweat. The faces of the adults churned with understanding.

"You're Evan Hansen?" The woman asked shakily, Evan nodded hesitantly. The male looked lost in thought, "Connor wanted you to have this,"

"We didn't even know Connor had friends," the male stated in disbelief.

The woman handed Evan a crumpled sheet of paper, she and her husband proceeded to explain to Evan what was going on. Evan was so shaken he didn't even open the paper in fear of what it was.

"It was made for you by Connor, he wanted you to have it," The lady politely explained while trying to hide her tears, "we found it in his pocket and it explained... well, it was titled 'Dear Evan Hansen' and it seemed passionate."

Suddenly Evan was hit with realization, he hesitated as he opened the paper to see the letter he wrote himself. The adults analyzed Evan's confusion and shock.

"S-Sorry for the misunderstanding but-" Evan started.

"You can keep the letter, you can keep his l-last words," The lady mutters with a shaky smile.

"He didn't-wait... w-wait-last words?" Evan felt tears in the corner of his eyes. The adults looked shocked and sad as they remembered the reality they lived in.

"Connor took his life, this note... they are his final thoughts," the woman finished, but immediately after she broke down. Her husband comforting her.

Evan was stunned, he felt his world crumbling around him. His best friend... Dead... Suicide... Evan felt like he was going to throw up, the acid rising in his throat. His eyes burned from the tears that threatened to fall... there were so many tears.

'holy shit' Jared's text to Evan seemed almost underwhelming.

'Connor Murphy is dead. Jared, I'm freaking out!' Evan frantically texted him, he was bawling in his bed over the loss of Con.

'HOLY SHIT!' Jared's emotions seemed more exaggerated in this exchange.

'JARED!!!' Evan began to grow frustrated from the lack of help he was receiving.

'dude i cant believe they think you guys were friends' Jared's first serious statement was made and Evan felt another lump in his throat

'We were though...?' Evan practically asked. Connor and Evan were friends, best friends or so he thought.

'tf no you werent. if your talking about how you talked a few times that one day thats just your gay ass being extra' Jared's internet dialect left Evan confused. He tried to figure it out, but honestly he was too emotionally damaged to take anything Jared said in anyway other than how it was actually sent.

'What?'

'you were overreacting you and psychopath connor murphy were not friends your man crush just got out of control' Once Evan realized what Jared was saying it clicked. Evan and Connor weren't best friends, Connor didn't care about Evan, Evan had no friends. If anything Evan is why Con took his life.

Instead of replying Evan just shut down his phone and curled up in his bed crying harder. Evan had no friend, Zoe was now farther than ever. Poor Zoe. Evan couldn't figure out why he was crying so hard, if he and Con er... Connor weren't friends why was he so torn up over his death.

"Agh!!!" Evan lurched up and threw every pillow off the bed in frustration, "Connor! What did i do to you!?!?" Evan sobbed harder.

His crying continued until he was just making noise of his bare bed, barely covered by the blanket. The sound of someone clearing their throat startled Evan enough for him to look up, seeing the impossible.

"Hey Ev,"