For Phil {Completed}

Four

"I'm glad we've got the same homeroom and first period," Phil broke the silence as we arrived at school.

"Me too," I said truthfully, glad I had someone to talk to.

"I've got to go to my locker though," I said sadly, standing outside the school.

"I'll accompany you, if you'd like," Phil said. He sounded hopeful, and I couldn't help but nod. What about the bullies? I thought. Oh no, they'll get Phil. Or they'll get me and Phil will just watch me being beat up like a pathetic loser.

"Dan, are you sure you're alright? You've been zoning out quite a bit?" Phil said. He had a hand resting delicately on my arm.Oh god, he's touching me. And his voice seemed genuinely worried.

"No, I'm sure I'm alright. Just lost in thought," I told him, beginning to enter the school.

We survived the journey to and from my locker without running into the asshats I saw everyday, silently thanking God I went another morning untouched. Homeroom was, as usual, boring and uneventful. It wasn't until Phil and I were on our way to first period that things got interesting.

"...I mean they're just so cute, I've always wanted a dog. They're such great companions AND, they won't eat your dead body like cats will." Phil was ranting about how much he loved dogs, and I caught myself smiling stupidly at his reasoning.

"Hey, look. That fag's found himself a faggy boyfriend as well," I heard from behind me. Shit shit shit. Not now, please, God why."

"What?" Phil said, clearly confused.

"Just go, Phil, you don't need to stay," I said quietly, watching the guys approach us.

"What do you mean?" Before either of us could say anything else, I was pinned the locker, the hand around my throat not loosening, and I didn't think it would anytime soon.

"What the fuck?!" I heard Phil shout, and managed to see him approach one of the guys behind the leader, who had me in a deathgrip to the lockers.

"Back off, you punk fag," he said, shoving Phil quite harshly to the ground.

"P-phil.." I managed out quite weakly.

"Aw, don't like it when we push around your boyfriend, do you? That's alright, we'll just give you his beating." He had a mischievous grin and I knew what it meant- I'd be going through hell in no more than five seconds.

Wham! There was a blow right to my lungs, cutting off any air I had. I couldn't breath, I was trying to suck in air but all the oxygen had disappeared.

"Oh my god, Dan!" I heard Phil blurt, but only managed to see him get pinned to the floor before I received a hard blow to the face. I swear I saw blood splatter on the lockers before I was dropped. That's when the kicks started, feeling like harsh stabs in the side, stomach, and face.

"Stop!" Phil yelled, but I couldn't see anything. My eyes were clouded with pain and tears, something I'd grown used to through years of daily beatings. I felt a few more hard blows to my mid section before he finished by raising me by my throat and punching me as hard as possible right in the face. No doubt I was bleeding, he dropped me and began wandering off, motioning for his buddies to follow along.

As soon as the guy holding down Phil let up, Phil kicked him in the stomach. God I wish he wouldn't have done that. The guy didn't respond as harshly as I thought he would, thank god, but did land a harsh blow to Phil in the stomach, causing him to double over. After a minute of Phil collecting himself, he hobbled over to me, leaning down and placing a careful hand on my shoulder. I was sitting up, just barely, slumped against the lockers.