Society (Phan)

Chapter Seven

The next day I did as promised, went to collect Phil in the morning to we could make our commute to school. On the way this morning, we agreed to meet at Phil's house so we could begin this project, we're really behind and only have two weeks left.

I felt as if I could be closer to my actual self in front of him, it made me happy not being a prick for just five minutes, being like I used to be. Phil was different to any other, he may not be popular and accept me, but he brings contentment into my life, making me realise that popularity out of school isn't necessary, it's just a sociable desire.

I decided today wasn't a good day to beat this shit out of anyone, Phil and I were on correct terms at the minute, and this preferably is how I would like it to stay.

Our 'friendship' is still on ice, but daily, more water lands on the ice, making it thicker but if I slip up, intense sun shines down, melting and breaking it.

The first lesson I had PE, and Phil isn't in my topic so I didn't see him. Doing rugby early in the morning is the worst idea, twenty tired out teens being forced to run around frozen mud at nine am really doesn't do any good.

Next lesson was Science. Running late after having to explain to the PE teacher why I did nothing during the lesson and not having a plan for why I didn't, I sprinted to class and was three minutes late. As for this, I was kept behind at break, but for once, this was to my advantage.

The teacher kept me behind for the time I was late, and a lot can happen in just three minutes.

I went towards the rear of the school, were my 'friends' prefer to hang out, and Phil and his two nerd friends were already being help hostage.

I needed to be okay with Phil and if anyone was to see me, things would be a disaster; I would either have to help contribute to the beatings, or give the wrong impression to Phil. Again.

Knowing my shitty luck, whilst thinking this, Phil gave a brief glance in my direction, his neck being pressed against the brick wall by Tyler's hands, before looking back to the floor. I had to act. Fast.

"TEACHER!" I had replaced PJ's role, Tyler, Marcus and Alfie instantly dropped the hostages, before running off to the left.

Gradually helping the three up from the tarmac, I was then shyly thanked by Chris.

"Erm, thanks dude," His voice weary and timid.

"Yeah, thanks." The others chimed.

"I'll see you around," I didn't need to thank them, this was my way of showing them how sorry I was.

"Hey, Dan," Phil spoke with confidence, "I just need to speak to you really quick if that's okay?"

Unsure what this was going to be about, he summoned me over into a corner.

"I was just wondering, because you know, we're behind on this project, and,"

"C'mon Phil, I won't bite," He didn't look convinced.

"Okay, basically, I was just wondering if you would like to come round mine tonight and work on the project and stuff?"

You could detect the insecurity in his voice as he mumbled the last part with unease.

"Erm, yeah, okay, sure, but I don't think that is wise that Alfie and people see us going home together so I'll just run up and meet you again when they're out of earshot." I needed to stay on his good side for a while, with our music and Jekyll and Hyde project beginning to unravel, I needed to make sure that he didn't hate me and not help, I just want him for the work. I couldn't befriend him, not that I would want to seeing as I'm accepted in my group now and I don't want to loose this reputation.

"Okay, I'll see you then, bye Dan,"

"Bye Phil."

We walked in opposite directions as we still had five minutes of break left and returned to our groups. I know for a sure fact that I can't tell anyone I'm 'friends' with, it would make both our lives a living Hell, even though his already was.

"Dan, dude," Alfie partially shouted when I got closer to them, "where did you go?"

"I was, er, I wa-"

"Probably fucking Lester," Tyler shouted slightly too loudly considering anyone in the vicinity heard it and turned around.

"No, ew why would I do that? And no, I was 'asking for help on homework' while your sorry asses scrammed." I had to make up bullshit, no one could know.

"Oh okay, thanks man."

The bell then signalled for yet another two hours of hard work and stress.

-

After school didn't go as planned as Joe and Caspar started talking to me about boring stuff for ten minutes and at this rate, I would have to sprint really fast to catch Phil up.

The idea of having to socialise with him made me slightly uncomfortable. I could tell when he asked I was slightly sceptical about the concept and what Chris and PJ would think, but this Art project's due in date was soon as we're running out of time.

Joe, Caspar and I spoke for a total of fifteen minutes as I made up an excuse of 'my Mum wants me home now' before sprinting down Phil and mines direction.

Phil was about two minutes from his house at this point and he looked slightly confused about why I hadn't met him earlier down the way.

"Sorry," I'm surprised he could understand what I had just said, my panting was incoherent and made me struggle to talk, "Joe and Caspar wouldn't shut up."

"Oh okay, don't worry," He spoke whilst we approached his drive way, unlocking his door in the process, "I suppose we should just get on straight away with this and get it done, eh?"

The truth is, I wanted to kind of sit and engage conversation with Phil, maybe even discover some weaknesses I could taunt him about after the whole project bullshit has blown over. That and he just seems nice, he's accepted and forgave me after all I have done, including punching him and basically holding his closest friends hostage.

"Yeah okay."

We both took of our shoes and tucked them neatly in his claustrophobic hallway before darting up the stairs.

"Okay, I know my rooms pretty shit, and stalkerish if you will, but please just don't mention it to anyone." His insecurity about his room was high, it can't be that bad, he's probably just over reacting.

He opened the door and immediately looked down to the floor. Phil's room was different to how I expected it to be. Poster upon poster layered his walls, filling every area. Giant posters if his favourite bands, which we both share a similar taste in, photos of a random women invading his ceiling, this really must of taken him hours.

"Okay, I won't judge because this is pretty cool, but who the fuck is that women and why do you have hundred of copies of her face in your room?" I asked, pointing to one out of the hundreds that littered his room.

"Oh, er, that's Sarah Michelle Gellar, you know, from Buffy the Vampire Slayer?"

"Oh right, okay."

-

About an hour into doing our project, we were both bored out of our minds. We both sat on his double bed, me being propped against the back door and him sat closer to the door as if he could just make an easy escape if I did decide to randomly be a dick, and strangely, in a comfortable silence.

"Dan, is it okay if I were to ask you a question?" He returned to his shy self again, his glance permanently fixed on the floor.

"Erm, yeah, okay, shoot,"

"Who are you, Dan? What's the real you? Why do you act an asshole?"

It's like he knows, he can never know the real me, but who am I? It kills me knowing that no one will really know who I am and I can never really be me.

"I..."

A/N *updates bc hbd dil!*