Just by Chance- Phan AU

Chapter 7- Phil's POV

It started small. A nod in the hallway, the occasional smile during school hours. He stopped calling me "gaylester" and stopped physically hurting me. We laughed together during tutoring sessions. He started trying in class. He stopped going to parties. I noticed him pulling away from his friends a bit. Basically, Dan Howell was changing.

Sure, we weren't friends in school; I think he wasn't ready to fall from his place at the top of the totem pole; I don't blame him. Being at the bottom sucks. But I knew that he was making an effort. And he knew that I knew. For the first time since middle school, Dan was happy; truly happy. 

On a Friday a couple weeks after what we call "The Incident" Dan came over to my table, where I sat alone, during lunch. "I'm demanding the calculus homework from you; write some numbers and random shit down on a piece of paper." He whispered to me. I grabbed my notebook and started writing. "Okay." He said. "So, my mum does this thing the last Sunday of every month in which she has her best friend and her daughter over to our house for this big dinner. I'm allowed to have a friend over, and I wanted to know if you would like to come."

I stopped writing and looked up at him. His brown eyes were hopeful. God, his eyes were beautiful when they looked like that. "Wouldn't your girlfriend and other friends be mad if you didn't invite them?"

"Naw. I told them that I was grounded for two months after getting arrested. Which isn't true." Dan winked at me. "So, is that a yes?" 

I smiled. "Yeah, I'll make sure to tell my mum. Tell me the details at tutoring. I don't want your friends to be suspicious that you're over here too long."

Dan smiled and grabbed the paper. "Thanks." I watched him walk away. I went back to eating my sandwich when one of my almost-friend-but-not-quite from science came over. 

"Um, Phil. What was that about?" She said. 

I shrugged. "He wanted the answers from last night's calculus homework, as usual."

She looked at me doubtfully. "Are you sure? Because you don't look as upset as you usually do when Dan talks to you." 

I looked at her. "Yes, I'm sure. He's been a bit nicer since I started tutoring me." I knew that she could tell I was lying; the obviously repressed smile on my face gave me away. 

She rolled her eyes. "Mh. Sure. Just nice." She walked away.

That day at tutoring, Dan gave me all of the details. We laughed, we made fun of people at school, we did homework. Two hours were up before we knew it. Honestly, these tutoring sessions went too fast; my phone buzzed with my dad letting me know he was here way too soon. I got up, sighing. "Well, I've got to go. See you on Sunday!" I grabbed my stuff and felt Dan's eyes on my back as I walked out. 

I got in my dad's car. "Hey, Dad! I just wanted to let you know that I'm going over to Dan's house on Sunday." 

My dad looked at me as if I just said I was going to bomb the school. "Why would you want to go over to his house? Do you guys have extra studying to do?" 

I shook my head. "No. We're just going to hang out." I explained to him what Dan's mum did every month.

"Phil," my dad said, "I just don't understand why you would want to hang out with him. He's treated you like dirt for years! What is going on lately?!" 

I looked at my dad, surprised by his yelling. "He's changed, Dad. He's not the same person he was before he changed for the worst, but he's so much nicer now. I think we're friends. I'm going, and there's nothing that's going to change my mind."

"Okay, Phil. But if he hurts you, that's not my fault." 

We sat in silence for the rest of the ride home. When we got home, I got out of the car quickly. When I got inside, my mum greeted me. "How was school, Philly?" 

"Good." I responded. "I already told Dad, but I'm going over to Dan's on Sunday, just to hang out. His mum has some dinner thing she does every month and Dan invited me."

Mum looked at me skeptically. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Phil?"

"Oh my God! Yes, I'm sure! It's going to fine! I understand why you guys are worried, but I can make my own decisions!" I regretted the words as soon as they left my mouth. I started crying. "I'm sorry, Mum. I didn't meant to yell at you. I-I just got frustrated."

My mum pulled me into a hug. "It's okay, Philly. Stop crying, I'm not mad. I understand- you're almost graduated, you just want to have freedom to make your own decisions. I understand. It's just our job as parents to worry. We don't want you to get hurt." I pulled myself back form the hug after a couple seconds. 

I went to my room and laid on my bed. I knew Dan was changing- he was being so much nicer. I think I was changing, too. Every time I looked at him, I didn't feel anger or hurt. I felt something else. Friendship, maybe? But somehow different. I didn't know how to explain it. I got up to put in a Buffy the Vampire Slayer DVD to get my mind off of it. Alas, no amount of Buffy could get my mind off of Dan. Saturday could not come fast enough.