twisted (phan) || book #2

eight

P H I L ' S P O V

"Hi, Nyla."

Her smile faded upon our blood-drained faces."Where have you two been?" She questioned sadly. "You just left. . . I didn't know what to think."

I gulped. "It was too hard for us to say goodbye. But we're happier here," I lied.

"Why are you here?" Dan piped in.

"Support group burned down a little after you two left. No one was in the building, luckily, but it's a goner. They're supposed to rebuilding it. . . . After that I decided I didn't like that town so much anymore, and felt unsafe, so I left. I've always wanted to move to the U.K., it's just crazy that I run into you two. Same reason, I presume?"

"Yeah, of course," Dan forced a smile. I felt sick.

"I-it burned down?" I questioned softly.

"Yeah. A group of teens. The cops still haven't found 'em. Law enforcement is pretty shit in America. Oh, the teens also vandalized the sidewalk."

"What was the message?" My boyfriend blurted.

"'We'll get you.' Nobody knows what they mean though. I think they're just horror movie fanatics, y'know?"

I'm gonna throw up.

Dan locked eyes with me, his breathing picking up. "We should go somewhere more private."

Nyla helped to move Dan to our car, his grip tight on her sleeve.

"Are you sure he's alright?" Nyla whispered to me, glancing over at Dan who was laying in the backseat.

"Yeah, he's fine. That kind of stuff just freaks him out," I told her. She nodded.

"So where are you two living?"

I cleared my throat. "Not really anywhere yet, we've been traveling a lot so we don't see the point in a house. Also our friend, Bryony, recently moved here so we three are renting a hotel. What about you?"

"Apartment. My roommate's pretty cool."

"That's good," I replied. "So how've you been?"

"Okay. I've overcome my eating disorder, I have a part-time job, and I'm planning on starting college next year. From then on- well I'm not really sure. Just graduate and see what happens after, I suppose," I nodded. "What about you, Phil?"

"I've been better," I responded truthfully. She nodded.

"And Dan?"

I sighed. "He's hanging in there."

She nodded once more. "Well, are we going to the hotel?"

"Yeah, Bryony should be there. Wait- shit! We forgot our ice cream!"

Nyla laughed. I missed her laugh. I missed her voice, actually. Really, I had missed her.

When we arrived at the hotel, Dan had fallen asleep. I cautiously picked up Dan and carried him bridal-style to our room with Nyla following suit. The man at the desk shot us a weird look, but I brushed it off, pushing past his gaze and towards the elevator.

Once in the room I spotted Bryony, sketching in a notebook, with her feet propped up on the desk. She turned, a smirk on her lips.

"Took you long enough- oh." She cut herself off once she saw Nyla. "And you are. . ."

"I'm Nyla." She smiled. "You must be Bryony?"

"U-uh yeah, nice to meet you." She moved quickly from her seat to shake hands, a hopeful smile on Bryony's face, something that looked like maybe blooming was capable in her life, and not just dead flowers.

"What happened with pastel boy?"

"Long story," I told her. Her mouth parted but I shot her a look look, hoping she'd shut up.

"Well, I've been having to wee for around two hours now, so I'll be right back." With that, Nyla walked into the bathroom and locked the door behind her.

I set Dan on the bed, finding a towel and using a water bottle to wet it. I placed it on his forehead, making sure he was comfortable. Bryony moved next to me, whispering.

"What the fuck is going on? Is that the old Nyla from the US?" She hissed.

"Yes, that's her. Look, we were just eating when she appeared out of the blue. Dan, being Dan, ran out and caught her attention. She just thinks we moved away, so we're good."

"Okay, but why the hell does he," she gestured to my boyfriend, "look like a corpse?"

"Bry, they burned my support group down."

"Who's they?"

"Wirrow's group," I said. She swallowed roughly.

"How do you know it's them?" She lowered her voice.

"Because they spray-painted a message on the sidewalk. 'We'll get you.' They're after us."

"But that was awhile ago!"

"Either way, they're willing to kill anybody in the way if it means they'll get to us. We have to do something, or else shit like this will continue and-"

The bathroom door swung open, Nyla sashaying out and whistling. "I feel ten times better."

Suddenly we heard a groan behind us, turning to see Dan was waking up. I immediately kneeled next to him, looking at him cautiously. He flinched in pain, holding his head.

"Does anyone have any painkillers?" I asked for the sake of my lover.

"I've got some in my purse," Nyla piped up, pulling the leather off her shoulder and digging through it. She pulled out two tablets, handing Dan them. He took a glass of water and downed them, slowly sitting up.

I reached out, touching his jawline carefully. "Are you alright? How are you feeling? You're not anxious anymore, are you?"

Dan shook his head, taking my hand and removing it from his jawline. I ignored the ping in my chest. "I'm okay," he mumbled. "Just a headache."

Nyla huffed a sigh. "The mood here is too gloomy. Come on, people, lighten up!" We all looked at her. "Actually I was planning on going clubbing tonight with my friends, you three should come."

"I don't kn-"

"I'd love to." Dan grinned once he swallowed his meds, cutting me off.

Again with the mood swings, I mentally noted.

"Are you sure about that? You had a panic attack not even thirty minutes ago."

"Like I said, I feel fine. I haven't been to a party in forever, I think it'd be fun. A celebration that we ran into Nyla. Besides, it's not like we're doing anything tomorrow."

Nyla smiled at him, putting her hand out. Dan put his in too. "So Dan's in. . ." She eyed Bryony.

Bryony exhaled, throwing her hand on top of Nyla's. "I'm in." They all eyed me and I frowned.

I stood, uncrossing my arms to lazily place my hand in. "Fine. I'm in."