I Need A Minute

Chapter 3: This is not who I am

"What do you mean 'who is Dan?' That's you!" Ben slightly shouts.

"Don't shout at me! And let me out of this place you fucking weirdos, you kidnapped me didn't you?" Dan shrieks, still curled up on the couch.

"Dan-"

"MY NAME IS NOT DAN SO QUIT CALLING ME THAT!" He screams. "Just let me go..." he whispers calming down a lot.

I take a seat next to him on the couch and he recoils back into his ball, "I'm not going to hurt you, I promise." I already have...

He looks at me and I see those eyes I know so well, but with a strange emptiness inside them. It's scary.

"I promise. Okay? Do you trust me?" I say softly as I can.

Slowly, he lowers his knees away from his chest and sits normally on the couch, though still tucked into its corner. "S- sure... But only if you promise."

"Promise what?"

"That you'll keep me safe until I go home."

I want to grab his shoulders so badly and just scream 'you are home!!! I'm your best friend and you know that!' But he is still trembling slightly from everything that happening so I just carefully place my hand on his shoulder and whisper, "I promise."

The tears are really burning the back of my eyes.

+++++

After some convincing I was able to get him to not fear Ben and Platz, which did take a bit more motivation with Ben. I don't blame Dan, Ben can be sweet but he hides it with his toughness and deep voice.

"Hey Wayne... That's your name, right?" Dan says tapping me on the shoulder.

"Yeah. And what's up."

"Can, can uh we just talk... Like uh, you and me..."

"Uh, sure." I answer a bit puzzled, what would he want to talk about that he wouldn't want to say in front of Ben and Platz...

We walk down the hall and enter the bedroom we share. Well at least I know we do, Dan clearly doesn't remember since he asks, "Is this your room?"

"Yeah..." And yours too...

"Then why are there two mattresses?"

"Oh, I just have a friend who comes over occasionally to spend the night."

"Cool, could I ever meet them?"

"No..." I breathe heavily

"No? Why not?"

I can't keep doing this, I can't keep lying to him, I just can't.

"Wayne... Why are you crying?"

I didn't even realize those burning tears had started coming out of my eyes until he said something. I quickly rub my eyes, but to no avail, the tears keep coming.

"Did I say something that upset you? I'm sorry."

"It's... It's fine. It's just... I don't know if I'll ever see my friend again."

"Wait what... Why?"

"Because he is... Is-" That's all I can get out before sobs just overtake me.

I lay down on my mattress as Dan looks upon me with fear... No, not fear, a longing hurt, like he understands.

Dan kneels down and wraps his arms around me, he's hugging me... He's hugging me.

"What... What are you doing?"

"I don't really know you Wayne... But something inside me can't stand to see others hurt... I don't know what it is... But I feel like I need to be here for you."

"That's the Dan I know..." I mutter, voice still tear ridden.

"Is this Dan your friend I can't meet?"

All I can do is nod.

"Can you at least tell me why I can't meet him?"

I take a deep, stuttered breath and say, "because you already know him... He's you." And with that I can't control my words anymore. And the last thing I can see before the tears fill my eyes is Dan, leaned back onto his knees, tears filling his own eyes.

"Wayne... I'm here."

A/N: Wow! Okay sorry for such I long break between chapters, searching for scholarship money has taken up a lot of my time. I hope this chapter at least made some coherent sense. I'm trying. It will be a while before the next chapter is up because I need to decide where to take this (if you have any suggestions please tell me!) and because tomorrow I leave for Nicaragua for 10 days and won't be with any internet. I love you all 💜