alana:
Good morning, Connor.

me:
jesus alana can't you let me not sleep in peace?

alana:
No.

me:
awesome
what do you want today?

alana:
Check what day it is.

me:
tell me what day it is

alana:
It's Sunday.

me:
what's up with sunday?

alana:
You're going to go see the apartment?

me:
oh right
can't you tell me who it is so i can act accordingly?

alana:
Just act the way you normally do.

does she not... you know what, it's nothing. i've got to remind myself alana is a whole 'nother breed of human.

me:
remind me the address?

alana:
Just look back in our conversation.

me:
remind me the address.

alana:
[address redacted]
At 2pm

me:
what time is it?

alana:
Check the time.

me:
tell me the time

alana:
Are you a baby or something?

me:
i'm making your life difficult

alana:
It's 9:43.

me:
ok
i got a few hours

alana:
What are you going to do with those hours?

me:
idk
put some clothes on?
get high?
binge a series?
film a video?
cure cancer?
end world hunger?
fix climate change?
conquer the universe?
i guess we'll see

alana:
Be there at 2pm.

me:
no worries girl

i've got a few hours to do any of the options i sent to alana. one of things i'm not going to do with the hours is so math to figure out just how many hours. considering everything past 'binge a series' seems improbable (maybe not 'conquer the universe' as much as, say, 'film a video' but still). probably shouldn't get stoned, not a great way to go places that are important, probably should get dressed, that's a socially accepted way to go anywhere. i'm going to rewatch the good place or something and pray zoe doesn't bother me.

alana:
Connor.
It's 1:30, you should be on your way by now.

me:
jeez lady, if i go now i'm early
i'm leaving in a few minutes

alana:
Fine, but please don't be late.

me:
yeah yeah
no sweat

and now i rush to get ready.

i'm amazing, i've borrowed my sister's car and am heading to the address as per instructions, perfectly on time. i told her where i was going, gave her the address and alana's number. i'm not really scared of being murdered or kidnapped or anything, but being safe rarely hurts anyone.

i park the car wherever, it's not mine i don't care, and head to the building. i get in the elevator and tap my foot as it goes up at the regular elevator speed which is not fast or slow enough ever. elevators are basically constructed to be insanely annoying. i check my phone, making sure i've got the right floor and door number, and knock.

it takes maybe a second but the door opens a little and a big blue eye and part of a face peeks out at me.

"connor?" i feel like i should recognize the voice but honestly i didn't pay attention to anything but my own fears and problems during school. also it's been years.

"the one and only." i stand outside for a second, looking through the crack in the door at one sliver of a face. "can i come in or....?"

"oh-oh yeah, yeah of course come uh... come on in." he opens the door and i get a good look at him. large sky blue hoodie, jeans, short blonde hair, blue eyes, friendly features, an anxious expression plastered on his face.

"..."

"...?"

"evan hansen!" finally it comes to me. "mark evan hansen, but you'd always tell the teachers it was evan, not mark. but never during class."

"you remember that?"

"uh, clearly."

he laughs nervously, gripping the edge of the door. i realize i'm still standing outside, just with the door now open.

"shit sorry, dude." i step into the house and he closes and locks the door which is one of those things that only seem weird when you almost get murdered.

i stare at him, trying to form a good image of him from high school in my head. it doesn't work. he's also clearly getting nervous so i look away, at the room around me.

"nice place."

"oh uh... thanks." he's shaking his hands a lot. i'm betting on anxious habit.

"hey dude /i'm sorry." i say finally.

"/imsorry." he says quickly. "sorry uh... you start?"

"oh right yeah i was just reminded how much of a dick i was. sorry. i'm not saying i'm an angel now, i'm just saying i've figured out how to be more... better. at functioning." then i furrow my brow. "but what on earth do you have to be sorry for?"

"oh just that... that day in the uh... um... the computer l-lab..." he looks at his hands. "i-i i'm sorry... for uh... i dunno."

"oh yeah. dude, i overreacted, you didn't do anything. it's ok."

"o-ok."

"can we pretend we don't know each other? cause i've changed a lot since high school and i'm sure you have too." i offer.

"sure."

"great. nice to meet you my name's connor murphy." i hold out my hand for him to shake.

"evan hansen." he shakes my hand briefly before pulling his away.

"care to show me around?" i ask, gesturing to the apartment.

"oh uh... sure?" he looks at me for a second. "want me to t-take your... your coat?"

"sure thing." i take my coat off and hand it to evan, who hangs it on the hook.

"so..." he looks around. "this is the hallway."

"awesome hallway, dude."

---

I'd shown him the bathroom, the living room, the kitchen, the hallway and was showing him the room that would be his if he moved in.

"It's ki-kinda dark, I know, the—the window isn't very... uh... big but yeah.... here's the room."

---

i look inside. he's right, it isn't very bright but i have lights'n'stuff and maybe it isn't the hugest most luxurious room but i much preferred small places to large places, they just always seemed so empty.

"well this is why you don't have a roommate, your available room is shit!" i joke, then notice the way his hands are fidgeting and take it back. "i'm joking, dude. it's awesome."

"really?"

"no i'm just kidding, i find it super fun to fuck with anxious people." his look of terror is priceless but i'm being kinda mean and i realize it. "of course really!" he lets out a relieved sigh.

"w-want some tea?" he looked at me for me second then asks.