Summer Camp | Phan (1/3)

Chapter 14 - First Day Of School

I looked at Phil on the bus, he looked so nervous. We agreed not to tell anybody about our secret for a while, at least not today.
'You okay?' I mumbled when he looked up,
'Yeah, just a bit worried.'
'You have no reason to be!' I replied,
'But what if they don't like me, or you leave me, or I just don't fit in!' He spoke, his voice spilling with fear.
'No don't say that! Everything will be okay, I promise.'
'If you say so..'

The bus pulled up, our school was only a road away, so we walked down in less than five minutes, and reached the gates.
'I love you.' I mumbled, I could feel my face blush violently.
'I love you too..' He spoke, his voice unsure.
'It will be fine!' I reassured him, as we began to walk.
We'd need to check in using the front office and find out what lesson we should be in, by getting the timetable.

Once we'd done that, we began walking to the lesson. We had Maths, which I'm so terrible at.

Reaching the door, I looked up at Phil, who's face was terrified.
'It is okay, you are going to be fine!'
'I hope so..' He whispered in reply, as I pushed open the door.
As if on cue, the the class started shouting around.' Hey, Dans back!' And 'Wahay he actually showed up today!' I chuckled in response.
'Ahhh, Mr Howell, you decided to show up at last, and you brought a friend along? Philip Lester?' Our teacher spoke, Miss Baggers.
'Yeah, we over slept, he didn't arrive until like 2 in the morning.' I replied, as I looked around, I saw all my friends smiling back at me.
'Okay, well Dan, you can sit at the front, and Phili-'
'Miss- it's er- Phil.' Phil stuttered, his face a light tint of red, making me want to run over and hug him.
'Phil, you can sit at the back with Josh.'

- - -

Nothing much happened, I caught up with some of my friends, and I checked on Phil a few times, he seemed quite chatty with Josh. Which was good, but I couldn't help but feel a tad jealous.

- - -

'Okay, well, it's lunch time, do you want anything from the canteen?' I asked, jumping up to Phil after History, yet another lesson I wasn't allowed next to him, but we had English last, and she usually did not mind.
'Er can I have a- hmm- a-' he stuttered. I felt a slight bit of guilt, he was building his confidence up so well.
'Chicken wrap?' He requested, I nodded, walking over and getting him a chicken wrap and me a cheese and tomato with chicken panini.

'Also how are you finding it here?' I smiled, praying he was enjoying it.
'I prefer it to my school, everybody is so friendly! I swear nobody gets bullied or anything!'
'They do, it's just-' as if on cue, Josh and Toby approached us.
'Ready for the first beat up of the year, this kid stood on my toe mate!' Toby yelled.
'Come on, hey Phil you can watch!' Josh shouted. I could almost feel Phil's disappointment. I was like the people that picked on him.
'Er- yeh, come on Phil..' I mumbled, as we began walking up to a year 8 boy, he was quite slim, no muscles and wore cheep glasses, his rucksack looked old and his face was sprinkled with spots. Within seconds he was on the floor, the adrenaline was pumping in my body, as i began to join it, oh how I missed this. Myself, Josh and Toby punched him multiple times.

I kicked him once more before turning back, only to find, Phil nowhere in sight.

- - -

The bell for the last lesson rang, English, but Phil wasn't here, he wasn't anywhere! He wouldn't have gone to the lesson alone. Where did he go?

Bathrooms!

I raced to the first set of bathrooms, in H block, then G block, then E block, now, I was about to check S block.

'Phil?' I shouted, entering. I felt an instant presences.
'What?' Came a small mumble from a cubical.
'Are you okay?' I whispered, now leaned up against it.
'I can't believe you did that to him, Dan I thought you were good, not like the rest, not like everybody else!' He moaned out.
'Phil I am different, I'm sorry!' I replied, with genuine guilt.

'Imagine that boy Dan, going home to his parents looking like that, then them panicking or even worse, they don't even notice. Do you know how much it hurts for your parents to completely ignore your pain, or if they notice, call it banter, or play fights! I couldn't watch that, or else I would have tried to stop it, I should have stop it. I'm worthless!' Phil cried, whispering the end.
'Phil! You aren't worthless! What are you doing in there?' I screamed, sudden panic stuck me. He doesn't cut himself, does he?
'Nothing,' he replied suspiciously.
'Open the door right now!' I ordered.
'No!'
'Fine, I'll just climb over the stool.'

And that's what I did, using the cubical next door, I jumped onto the toilet seat and wedged myself up on and over the side.
'PHIL!' I screamed, as I saw cuts littered across his arm, how didn't I notice before?
'I couldn't help myself.' He mumbled, turning away in embarrassment.
The blood was pouring out in what felt like gallons, his face began losing colour. 'Phil, are you okay?!' I screamed.
'I feel, dizzy.' He spoke slowly.
'Oh no!'