Bad Boys Don't Smile / phan

chapter three

dan

"Bye mum," Dan says, standing in the doorway of his mother's bedroom, his arms folded over his chest at the unmoving, duvet covered figure.

"It would be nice to say goodbye to your son," Dan says loudly, an angry yet sad tone in his voice, "it's what normal mothers do."

"Oh, bye," his mother murmurs dismissively, the two unenthusiastic words becoming muffled from being said under the covers, her back still facing towards Dan.

Dan sighs sadly before turning away and walking downstairs. He lets Shawn out first, following him out and locking the door behind him. His mother wouldn't even notice if someone broke in - or care for that matter. He says goodbye to Shawn as they reach the primary school, promising to stop in and buy food on the way home, before continuing to his own school.

Dan doesn't have to pay for the food, his mother gave him her credit card long ago for him to run the household with. She also makes quite a bit from her job, as her station is surprisingly quite popular, but then again, she's a different person at work - happy, funny, laughing and smiling.

Dan walks straight to his locker, feeling particularly annoyed at the world this morning. His mother couldn't even muster the strength to say a legitimate goodbye to her son. It's as if her two sons simply did not exist in her mind - they didn't even share the same world.

He shoves his books roughly in his bag before slamming the blue, metal door of his locker shut, startling the people around him - both younger and older - and causing the hallway to fall silent. Dan turns, swinging his bag over his shoulder and walking quickly out, knocking a few people in the process, his footsteps echoing loudly around the empty hall.

Dan escapes around the back of school, where there is little people and no teachers. Sheltered by the tall, brick classrooms and next to the large, iron fence, Dan pulls a cigarette and lighter out of his pocket. He's not stupid enough to smoke weed at school.

He could take the anti depressants and bipolar pills he's been given, but he doesn't want another reminder that he's different, and he always will be.

Balancing the cigarette between his lips, he flicks the lighter, cursing under his breath when it doesn't work for the fifth time.

"What are you doing?" A voice asks, startling Dan, making him jump and have a miniature heart attack.

"What does it fucking look like I'm doing?" Dan asks sharply, his heart relaxing when he sees that it's Phil - the guy from the alley attack.

"Smoking, but one, it's terrible for you, two, we're at school and three, we're sixteen, so it's kind of illegal," Phil says, frowning as Dan continues to attempt to light the cigarette.

"Listen kid, right now, I'm not in the mood for a smoking lecture," Dan snarls, glaring at Phil, "so unless you have a lighter that actually works, please go away."

"No, I don't carry lighters with me," Phil says, before adding, "maybe god just doesn't want you to smoke today."

"God doesn't exist, and if he does, then he's doing a pretty shitty job for me," Dan snarls, throwing the lighter to the ground and stepping on it, crushing the useless thing.

"Well, maybe you just can't see that," Phil says optimistically.

"Listen kid, if you're not going to leave then I am," Dan says, handing the unlit cigarette to Phil and shoving past him, in an even more foul mood.

Dan slumps in his desk up the back of the empty classroom, unzipping the front pocket to fish out his two actually prescribed drugs. The quickly pops one pill of each in his mouth, swallowing before putting the bottles back inside his bag. He waits up the back, scrolling through tumblr on his phone as he waits for class.