Losing Summer {Phan Short Story}

Autumn

"The leaves are changing." I said softly. My head on Phil's shoulder. We were in a spot I used to call ours. Now it was just a patch of mud near a musty old river. The leaves fell as the wind shook the branches. It was hard to hold on to the branches since they were dying. So they fell off the tree completely and died. The sky was dark and it would probably rain soon.

I looked at Phil. He was in deep thought. He bit his bottom lip. I sighed and lifted my head up. He looked at me like he wants to say something, then looked away. "Did you want to say something? Because you've barely even looked at me." I said irritably.

"You're obviously angry at me and I don't know why." Phil said looking at me. That same childish and naive look on his face. He knew what he'd done. It wouldn't work this time.

"Yes you do." I said, stretching. He seemed surprised. "Don't look so shocked. I know you're talking to her again. Ask me who and I'll throw you in the creek." I said angrily. Phil looked at me shamefully.

"We don't do anything."

"You spend all day with her."

"Her mum has cancer." I heard his voice waver.

"Don't lie to me, damn it!" I said sadly. He looked up at me through his dark black fringe, shamefully. "You broke every promise you've ever made."

"I'm so sorry." Phil sobbed for the first time. For the first time in so long, Phil was the one sobbing in front of me. "I'm so sorry, Dan. I'm a terrible person. I'm a piece of shit. I know already!" Honestly I was taken aback by what he said.

"I never said that."

"You thought it. All of it. I deserve it." I hugged him. I hugged him tightly even though it wasn't cold. "I don't need a hug."

"What you want isn't always what you need." He sniffed and chuckled a little, making my heart feel a tad bit lighter. "Why do you keep hurting us Phil?"

"I don't know. I'm scared, Dan."

"Of what?"

"Losing you. I don't know what to do. She wants to break us up through the internet. Out us both. I can't let her. I know how that makes you feel."

"So you do what she wants?" He nodded.

"Phil? What the hell?" Came her voice. We broke apart and stood up.

"What're you doing here?" I asked, defensively standing in front of him.

"We had plans to meet here." She replied.

"Those plans are canceled. Go away and don't come back."

"I'd check with him first." I turned to face Phil who was looking down.

"Don't, Phil." I said.

"I have to." He replied.

"Do not." I said. He whimpered and I felt guilty, but those dark feelings were stirring up again.

"Dan you don't understand that I have to."

"I can protect you from whatever she can do. I just need you to trust me." A drop of rain fell, on my chest first, then my cheek.

"This'll be quick." He replied. "Just go home." Tears formed in my eyes as the rain began to come down hard.

"Alright, stay with her then! I fucking hate you!" I screamed and shoved him back. The rain pounded loudly against the trees surrounding us. I took off sprinting in the direction of the bus stop.

"Dan! Dan please! I'm sorry!" I heard him sob behind me. I didn't care. He picked her over me one too many times. It hurt. It hurt more than I could take. "Dan! D-" I heard him gasp and turned around. The clumsy bastard had fallen and gotten his ankle stuck in a tree root. Serves him right. "Help me out, Dan! Please! It hurts!"

I should've gone back to help him. But it felt like a bother. I left and ran to a bus station, taking shelter. Thunder and lightning making loud booms and lights across the sky. I sobbed. I just needed to.

I was there for about fifteen minutes. The storm stopped but it was still cloudy. I was mostly dry but freezing. I sniffed and walked out to the woods, back where I left Phil. He wasn't there. I felt relieved that he got out. I'd have felt awful he was stuck there, drenched and freezing.

"Phil!" I called out. "Phil? I'm sorry, I overreacted." I walked back to the spot and he wasn't anywhere around. Where had he hidden? "Phil?" I walked with my arms wrapped around myself. I saw Phil hiding in a bush, a tree covering it in the front. I really only saw his legs which were held against his chest. A rather clever hiding place, it seemed. But things aren't always as they seem.

"Phil, there you are. You had me worried." I said, crouching in front of the bush. He ignored me. "Hey, I'm sorry Phil." I grabbed his cold hand and pulled him out of the bush. His hand was so cold. "Phil?" I asked, terrified now. He fell out of the bush, eyes shut and tears on his face. He was covered in blood and leaves, as dead as he was.

I held him close to my chest, as if my heartbeat were strong enough to bring him back to life and keep me going. I lost him. I lost my happiness, I lost my joy.

I lost my summer.

I THOUGHT I FUCKING PUBLISHED THIS SHIT