Colorful | Phan | Completed

25%

By the time Phil and I walked in, my family was already eating dinner. I introduced Phil to my parents.

"How are you today?" Dad asked, giving Phil a firm handshake.

"Very yellow."

"I'm sorry?"

"Yellow. Like the stain on your shirt. It's sticking out to me." Phil smiled.

Dad's eyebrows were still furrowed when he sat down. Adrian snorted, taking a seat across from my mother. Phil and I sat next to each other, but we realized very quickly it was a bad idea since our elbows kept hitting each others.

"It's very nice to meet you." Mom said, grabbing some of her pasta on her fork. "Dan hasn't brought anyone here in a while! Besides, PJ of course."

Both Phil and I tensed in our seats. Dad turned his head to Phil. "D'you know PJ?"

"Yeah." I said quickly, cutting Phil off before he had a chance to answer. "The three of us are friends."

"That's good." Mom nodded.

"Did you get the telescope, Phil?" Dad asked, stuffing his mouth after he finished.

"Yes, thank you." Phil nodded, following my father and taking a bite of his own.

I turned to my mom. "Can Phil stay the night?"

"Your father just came back.." She averted her eyes to dad, as did I. Dad looked at me, and I widened my eyes in hope that he would understand.

Dad nodded deeply. "I don't see why not. I'm not leaving again for a while." He winked at me. A smile formed at my lips and I turned back to my plate.

Dinner ended quickly with a clink from the silverware and a deep groan from my father. I didn't even have time to blink before color boy was out of the kitchen.

"Where's Phil?" I asked my mom, bringing my dish to the sink.

"Adrian dragged him upstairs." She replied, scrubbing down the left over scraps.

My eyebrows knitted together and I left the kitchen in search for him. "Phil?" I called when I was outside my brother's door.

The muffled 'come in' allowed me to open the door. Small piles of wood were scattered on the floor, next to a hammer and a box of nails. "Wh-what is this?"

"We're building a rocking horse."

"Huh?"

"We're building a rocking horse." Phil repeated. Adrian gave me a smug look. "Wanna help?"

A 'no' almost rolled off my tongue, an instinct of an older brother, but I caught it. "Sure." I took a seat next color boy on the floor, waiting for a command.

"Can you hold the instructions?" Phil asked, holding up a piece of paper. I nodded, grabbing it out of his hand. "What's the first step?"

"Phil.."

"Mhm?"

"It's in Swedish."