"Hey, Kleinman! Is it true you slept with Jonathon Grey?"
"Oh yeah. Ya know, he has the tiniest dick I've ever seen."
Of course, none of that was true. Jared didn't know Jonathon's dick size, due to the fact they had never really slept together. But somehow it had become this big rumor that Jared had slept with one of his classmates. And whether this rumor was due to Jonathon actually wanting people to believe they slept together (doubtful) or some bored teenager wanting to make life hell for the both of them (less doubtful) didn't matter to Jared. Either way, the rumor was out there. And if there was one thing Jared knew about rumors, it was that they didn't die easy. So why not have some fun with it?
"Really‽"
Jared nodded slowly, biting the inside of his cheek to stop himself from laughing. "It was the saddest thing."
The girl leaned forward, her eyes wide and full of curiosity. "What else?"
"He makes chicken noises when he cums."
"What‽ That's not true!"
"Yes it is!" insisted Jared. "Trust me, I was there."
And that's how it went the rest of the day. Someone would come up to him, asking about Jonathon Grey and Jared would make up some absurd lie about Jonathon's sex life.
"He asked me to wear a mask of his own face."
"He kept quoting Star Wars lines."
"He wore clown makeup."
"He had a cock vibrator that looked like a rooster...Get it? A cock vibrator." (That had been the one where he had finally broken, laughing until he drove the other teenagers away.)
For awhile it was fun. His classmates would get this amazed look in their eyes and Jared would mentally high five himself, congratulating himself at just how great he was at this. But unfortunately, all good things must end. Because while Jared was spreading rumors, Evan Hansen was listening to them third hand, wondering if his boyfriend really said that.
The first few times he heard the rumors, he had managed to convince himself that that's all they were. Rumors. But by lunchtime he wasn't so sure anymore. Everyone was talking about them, as if just to shove it in Evan's face. Your boyfriend thinks your boring. Your boyfriend found someone else. Your boyfriend is going behind your back.
But after many mental pep talks, Evan had convinced himself that he wasn't going to believe anything until he heard it from Jared himself. That is until he was cornered by Jennifer Smith. She flashed him a grin as she swaggered to his side, leaning carelessly against the cafeteria doorway.
"Hey Evan."
Evan hesitated a half second, glancing around the hallway as if perhaps she meant a different Evan. But after a few moments he was forced to face the fact that there was no other Evan around and she was, in fact, talking to him.
"H-Hey."
"I was just wondering if you heard what happened between Jared and Jonathon?"
Of course that's what she wanted to talk about. Evan gave her a curt nod, unsure how to respond.
"Oh, you poor thing," she sighed, clamping a hand over her heart as she sent Evan a sympathetic pout. "But I don't think you should worry. Jared said he had a really small dick, I don't think he'll go back to him-"
"Jared told y-you?" blurted Evan.
He felt his heart stutter to a stop. This couldn't be happening. Jared couldn't have...He wouldn't, right?
"E-Excuse me," he muttered, trying to skirt around the girl. "I need to-I need to go...go somewhere-somewhere else-"
He froze, his eyes widening as he stared at the figure behind the girl. Jared was standing a foot or two away, for once looking hesitant and unsure. Evan felt his shoulders tense as Jared took a half step closer to him.
"Evan-"
"No! I-Ah-I've gotta-I gotta go-" Evan stumbled through an excuse, trying to ignore how genuinely heartbroken Jared looked.
He spun on his heel and bolted away from the cafeteria. He didn't care where his feet carried him, just as long as it was away from here. Away from the rumors. Away from Jared.
His shoes slapped against the hard floor, the sound echoing around the mostly empty hallway. His breathing was heavy and labored, whether from the running or the panic was unclear to Evan.
It wasn't until he stopped that he realized he was crying. Hot tears flowed steadily down his cheeks and dripped off his chin, splattering onto his polo shirt. Evan messily wiped his eyes with the back of his hand but it was no use. New tears replaced the old tears, leaving Evan's vision blurry and unfocused.
"Evan?"
Evan jumped at the sudden noise. He spun around quickly, despite already knowing who it was.
"J-Jared."
"I didn't-"
"Please leave," sniffled Evan, his voice shaky.
"What‽" Jared's eyes widened. "N-No!"
"Why‽" snapped Evan. "You obviously don't want to be h-here! You think I'm too boring? That's why you've been g-getting off with some asshole-"
"I didn't have sex with Jonathon!" shouted Jared.
"Don't spare my feelings now!" snarled Evan.
"I was making it all up!" insisted Jared. "We never actually had sex, I've only ever spoken to the guy once or twice."
Evan's face softened but from the way he stared at Jared, the shorter boy could tell that he was still suspicious.
"Wh-Why?"
"Someone else started the original rumor," muttered Jared, his eyes flickering down to stare at his feet. "I just...wanted to have some fun with it."
"And y-you didn't think to tell me?"
Jared took the risk of reconnecting his and Evan's eyes, but he immediately regretted it. Hurt was clear in Evan's blue eyes, even if it was hidden behind a layer of unshed tears. Jared wanted to cry himself. How could he have done this?"
"It slipped my mind," he said lamely.
Evan didn't answer. His lower lip was trembling and his hands were shaking slightly. Jared wanted nothing more than to reach out and steady them, but he knew better than to touch Evan during a panic attack. Except he couldn't tell if this was a panic attack or if Evan was just really, really angry.
"Evan?" he whispered, his voice tentative and almost unsure.
"I think-I think..." Evan trailed off, not sure what to think. "I want to believe you-"
"You should believe me," begged Jared. "I would never cheat on you. Evan, I love-"
"No. No. Not-Not now," Evan whimpered.
"Wh-"
"It-It would make this s-so much harder."
Jared felt his blood run cold. "What-What do you mean?"
Evan dropped his eyes to the floor as he wrapped his arms tightly around himself. "I think I-I need...I just need s-space."
"No!" blurted Jared, taking a jerky step forward. "No! Ev, please! I didn't cheat on you! You can't-You can't leave me!"
He was aware of how desperate he sounded, but he couldn't help it. He couldn't loose Evan.
"Not-Not forever," reassured Evan. "Just-Just to clear my head."
Jared hesitated, not wanting to let Evan go. If he let him go he might walk out of his life forever. simple thought of alive without Evan made his chest tighten painfully.
Evan paused, as if waiting for Jared to give him a reason to stay. But he didn't get one. So he turned and continued on his way down the hallway, his shoulders shaking.
Jared watched Evan leave, feeling empty inside. The further and further Evan got, the colder and colder Jared felt. And by the time Evan turned the corner, the only thing Jared could feel was numb.