Speak [ phan ]

chapter twenty three

***

"Dan," Troye says, standing and walking over to them, looking at him with wide blue eyes, "I-I haven't seen you in so long."

Dan just sits there, staring at Troye, who is there looking slightly guilty and awkward. Troye casts his gaze to Phil before back to the floor, while Tyler stands behind him looking very uncomfortable, his gaze averted out the window.

"Who's this Dan?" Phil asks, frowning at Dan and then looking up at Troye with confusion, obviously sensing the tension between them.

"I'm Troye," Troye says, offering a small smile at Phil before flicking his gaze to Dan, "I was Dan's best friend."

"Was?" Phil asks, clearly getting even more confused.

"I was a huge jerk to him," Troye admits, looking at Dan, "and I'm so sorry Dan."

Dan shrugs, giving Troye a small smile. He honestly doesn't blame Troye, in that situation, Dan would've done the same. Plus, he knew it was unintentional. He can't forgive Troye because there was nothing for him to forgive in the first place.

Dan pulls his phone out, opening notes and typing a message in, showing it to Troye.

[what Dan types shall be in italics ]

It's okay.

"No, it's not Dan! I was a massive jerk to you!" Troye says sadly, his blue eyes filled with guilt, "I ditched you when you needed me."

I don't blame you, I would've done the same.

Dan shows his reply to Troye, who frowns at it, and then at Dan, filled with confusion and still sadness.

"I don't get it Dan, how can you just be fine with what I did?" Troye asks, "I wasn't a true friend to you."

No, but that's in the past. I have a true friend now, Phil.

"Can we exchange numbers?" Troye asks nervously, fidgeting with his fingers and looking at the ground, "you know, will you give me another chance to be your friend?"

Dan nods, handing Troye his phone for him to enter his number in it. He hands it back, a grin on his face now. He looks so similar, same bright smile, same wide, blue eyes - it's as if he hasn't changed a bit - but Dan's life is so different from when he last saw Troye...

"Uh, we'll leave you two then," Troye says, smiling at them both, "I'll text you Dan. Nice meeting you..."

"Phil," Phil finishes, smiling back at Troye.

"Right, bye guys," Troye says, walking back outside, Tyler following without saying anything.

And Dan is too caught up in his own thoughts to notice that Troye and Tyler didn't even order anything...

"That was... Different," Phil comments, staring at the door before back at Dan, "so anyway, how do you know Troye? Was he your friend but then ditched you? That's what I got from that."

Dan nods yes, looking over at Phil.

"I see," Phil says, "well, it's good that Troye apologised to you, I mean, if he abandoned you and all. It's nice that he wants to be friends with you again, but I'll still be your best friend right? That Tyler seemed a bit... I dunno, uneasy kind of. But it was probably just me overreacting, but I-"

Dan smiles, laughing silently before typing up a message on his phone, cutting Phil off by shoving the phone in his face.

You're rambling again.