Speak [ phan ]

chapter three

***

As Dan sits opposite his mother in the living room, he feels his phone vibrate in his pocket.

Mum: how was your day?

Dan: it was good. I made some friends

This is a regular routine for Dan and his family, as he can't speak, texting is the next best thing, because Dan doesn't have to write it out and waste tonnes of paper, and it's quick, almost like talking, but not quite.

Mum: that's good! When can I meet them?

Dan: I only met them today mum. :/

Mum: sorry Daniel, there's some food in the fridge if you need it, glad you had a good day. :)

Dan: thanks mum, and me too.

Dan hauls himself off the sofa before walking to the fridge where his brother has obviously ransacked it, damn him. Why'd that kid eat so much? And of course, he only ate all the decent tasting food in the house, leaving Dan with only his mother's healthy shit.

Dan sighs and manages to find a muesli bar hidden in the back of the cupboard along with a packet of chips. Dan takes them to his room, tearing open the chips while he sits on his bed, opening his laptop and opening all his favourite websites.

This is Dan's favourite part of the day, where he doesn't have to feel bad about not being able to talk. Dan has quite a few semi popular accounts on tumblr, Twitter and Instagram, and spends too much of his time watching YouTube, something he'd like to try if it wasn't for his inability to speak.

Dan loves the online world because he has so many friends there, people who don't judge him. Online, Dan has as much of a voice as everyone else.

Later that night, Dan's phone lights up with a text from his only other friend apart from the potential ones he met today.

Connor: hey Daniel what's up.

Connor: I just realised something!

Connor: YOU HAVE THE SAME MIDDLE NAME AS HARRY POTTER!!

Dan: are you high?

Connor: hey, I know you're a giant but there's no need to offend my height.

Connor: you know I'm short, which means no, I'm not high.

Dan: sometimes, I question your sanity.

Connor: sometimes, I question you ability to recognise brilliant humour.

Dan: touché.

Connor: we are not fencing dan. -_-

Dan: wow, please excuse me whilst I bang my head against a wall for a few minutes.

Connor: my jokes aren't that bad.

Dan: ...

Connor: eh, I just had coffee so...

Dan: it's like, 8pm dude...

Connor: I know but I wanted some cause while I was scrolling through Instagram, it felt like something was missing beside me.

Dan: I'll have to find you a coffee support group.

Dan: and you were high on caffeine. Boom.

Connor: shut up.

Dan: I started at a new school today

Connor: coooooool. Was there any dickheads I have to fly over and intimidate with my massive biceps?