Whiskers

Project Day

Dan's POV

Me and Phil had been through so much already, and stayed together. He was my best friend. He had reserved the first spot of our team project. We had to do a project on the other person. I had mine put together pretty much, but he took the first slot. I would have to go after him, which meant mine had to be really good. I'm really nervous, too. Throughout all the shit I've been through, Phil has gotten me through it. All the shoves and pushes and hits I've taken, he's motivated to keep going.

I was going to point that out. Point out how much I've been through, which means calling out all the big shots at our school. But, i can't become more of an outcast can I?

I take a deep breath as i walk into my first period class. I look on the board, me and Phil are last? Oh no, that means we have to be really good to leave an impression. I had always been into theater and acting, but had never done anything.

I sat through all the other stuff, all the other kids who didn't really give a shit about the project. They just made jokes about the other person, i could tell our teacher was not impressed. Then it was Phil's turn, he stood up shyly. What was he going to do? I suddenly get so nervous.

He walks over to the computer and puts in a flashdrive. "I did a project on Daniel James Howell. But instead of telling you all of his personalities, i will show you a video." He says, and signals for our teacher to turn off the lights. She does, and he presses play. It starts playing on the big screen. The video starts off with me in the shot, in my scrolling position. Molded into Phil's couch, i was searching tumblr. Then it shows me smile and laugh at something Phil did behind the screen. Then his voice over starts, "Daniel James Howell goes by Dan. His wardrobe and room mostly consists of black. He has brown hair with left fringe and deep, but normal, brown eyes." I start blushing. "He had been home schooled for all of his life, well most. He was pulled out of kindergarten when he was bullied. He was bullied from day one, and still is." The shot changes from me on the couch to us shopping, me picking out various black shirts. "But there is more to Dan to just a bullied brown-eyed boy. Hidden within him is a very deep boy." He shows a picture of me as a kid, with cat whiskers? I expect everyone to laugh. How did he get that?

"The whiskers come from within. It's a way of expressing yourself like your clothing" Another shot of me in all black, "Or your hair." A shot of my hair when i was younger. I cringe inside. "They represent something inside, who you really are. They stand for what you believe in and what he believes in," A pause, and a shot of me in the hallway and being pushed against a locker by Jacob. "Is for everyone to be happy." Then a clip of my voice. "To me, the meaning of a human life is to be happy. It's to achieve happiness right now and make sure you're happy in the future so generally when you look back on your life you're like, 'yes, that was satisfactory'." At that point the class laughs, but not at me, at my words. A good-matured life. "Do whatever you have to do to be happy." My quote finishes. Now the class is silent, looking at the screen.

"And what Dan does to be happy," it's Phil's voice again, "is express himself. With his hair, clothing, whiskers and voice." I freeze at that. Then the screen goes black, but the volume is turned all the way up. It's me singing. It's me singing Skinny Love with a piano part behind my voice. Everyone's listening, oh my god.

I'm extremely afraid of audiences, so when they all turn to me, i feel like i can't breath. But when the song is over, everyone claps. I smile in relief. "Daniel Howell is more than just a boy. He has meaning, a purpose. He exists in this life. He is amazing." Phil's voice finishes. No one screams 'gay' or 'fags' or anything. For the first time, i fell as if i belong.

Then i realize something, i can't possible call everyone out now. "Shit." I curse as the lights go back on.

I slowly get up to the front of the class.

"Phillip Micheal Lester is also amazing." I start, with sweaty palms. "In fact he is so amazing, he wouldn't hurt a fly. He had always felt like he never belonged." Once i started, the words didn't stop. "Everyone, look at his eyes," i pause as everyone looks back, "They are beautiful and out of the ordinary. Phil has always just wanted to blend in and not stick out. He wanted to be normal. But that's not a good thing, being out of the ordinary is better. Most boys, when the repeatedly getting ignored, or called names, or constantly looked at as though he doesn't belong by his own family and peers, would turn to anger or violence. Phil could never physically hurt anyone. Did you know he has never hit anyone before? Or even cursed? He is a really good person."

I take a deep breath. "He always says, 'You should never make fun of something that a person can't change about themselves'. And, 'It's a good thing to be strange. Normalness leads to sadness'. He may have just been saying that to cheer me up, but let's help him believe it." I pause as some people laugh. "He may not fit in with the crowd, but he is amazing. He is amazing Phil. He befriended the outcast being bullied everyday and stuck with him through everything. For the first eighteen years of my life, i didn't have a best friend. Now i do, and his name is Amazingphil."

I bow my head, and point to Phil. Everyone claps, and he smiles really big. He has the best dopey smile of his face. All big and goofy, and after hearing myself say all of that... I realize I love him. I love Phillip Lester.

~~~~~~~~~~•3•~~~~~~~~~~~~~

OMG

Tell me what you think with a comment!

Vote?

All quotes belong to Phil or Daniel!

Thanks for reading!