Colorful | Phan | Completed

9%

"Beautiful choice in clothing today, Daniel." PJ complimented, sitting down in front of me at our table in the cafeteria.

I looked down at the Christmas jumper I was wearing, and glanced back up at PJ. "This was the only matching thing he had."

PJ burst out laughing, smacking the table a few times in the heep of it. "This kid kills me." He smiled.

I rolled my eyes, taking a bite of the school lunch. Why was cafeteria food so disgusting?

"Hey Dan?" Anthony asked, walking by the table. I looked up and my face immediately formed a frown. "Can we talk?"

PJ glared up at him, opening his mouth to tell Anthony to go away, but I cut him off. "Sure." I shrugged, nodding towards the empty seat near PJ. Anthony had been my friend for years.

"I... Uhm... I'm sorry." He muttered, slowly sitting down and looking at the crumbs on the table. PJ coughed lightly.

"You should be saying that to Phil." I reminded, folding my arms and laying them on the table.

Anthony took a deep breath. "Ian's taking me to prom."

"Oh." I replied, my emotions lightening up. I didn't actually know they were gay for each other... "That's awesome, Anthony."

He nodded, finally looking at my face. "But he wanted me to tell you something." I nodded in response. "He thinks you should be careful when you go to Phil's house."

"And why's that?"

"Because his parents beat him." Anthony explained, giving me a sorrowful look. "He said they do terrible things to him." He twiddled his thumbs together, pressing his lips against one another.

"Where did he hear that?" I asked, in hopes that it wasn't true. Anthony merely shrugged, saying his goodbye and leaving the table.

"Well, that was pleasant." PJ raised his eyebrows, slowly turning back to his lunch. I stood up as he forked his first mouthful. He glanced up at me, confusion spread across his face.

"I'm going to talk to color boy." I answered, swinging my bag over my shoulder. PJ shook his head, sending me away with the flick of his hand. I walked across the cafeteria to the lonely table Phil sat at. "Hey!" I greeted.

"Hi." He returned, sketching something with a pencil on the notebook in front of him.

"Why didn't you sit with me and Peej?" I questioned, watching his pencil trace the same circle over and over. I looked at his arm, and wondered how many bruises were hidden beneath the bright colored shirts.

"I like eating alone." He replied. "It's hard trying to eat in front of people and not be obnoxious."

"Friends don't judge each other on how they eat." I furrowed my eyebrows, staring as the lead went in the same pattern.

Phil stared as well. "You know, if you want to take the jumper-"

"I don't want to, Phil. That's the fourth time you've said that." I argued.

Phil stopped tracing and rolled his eyes. "Why do you have to be so stubborn?"

I was taken aback. It was strange to hear that sentence come out of Phil Lester's mouth. "I-I don't know."

Phil's eyes averted from his paper, to his lunch, to me, and then back to his paper. "I'm sor-"

"Don't be." I stopped him. "Do you wanna hang out after school?"

"Sure." He gave me a small smile. "Can we do my house, though? My parents want me home after school."

I felt my eyebrows furrow. "Oh.. Uh.. Yeah." I nodded.