In Your Dreams // phan

s e v e n t e e n

"You know that feeling when you're wearing toe socks- have you ever worn toe socks?- and you forget it and then you stretch your toes and you remember suddenly, and it' so weird. Like foot gloves," I commented to Dan offhandedly, trying to yank my locker open to no avail. I sighed, and put the code back in.

"What are you even talking about, Phil?" Dan chuckled, leaning against the one next to mine, watching me with infatuation-filled eyes. I shrugged, finally managing to pull my locker open with an almost indignant creak.

"That feeling. I don't know. It's weird."

"I love how your mind works, Phil Lester, I just love it." Dan grinned, pushing a lock of hair out of his face. PJ and Chris had followed some old friends away from us once we got out of the parking lot, leaving us, I assumed, on purpose. I didn't mind in the slightest however; more time with Dan meant more time with Dan. And who'd be upset about that?

He seemed to get more and more beautiful every time I laid eyes on him. Sleepy Dan was almost more beautiful than hair-straightened, wide-eyed, anxious Dan. Almost. But awake Dan was beautiful, too. And I'm not saying that just because he's my soulmate; though it adds to it when I consider he's mine and mine alone to look at forever. If he'd just stand up straight, look up, and brush the hair out of his eyes more often, I think everyone would be able to appreciate his beauty as I got to so often. But I wasn't about to suggest that. For now, I'd just selfishly indulge in the thought that no one thought my soulmate was as beautiful as I did.

"Freak," someone mumbled as he passed us, shouldering Dan into a locker. He said nothing, just lowered his eyes and stayed put. But I rounded on the stranger.

"What did you just call him?" I hissed.

"Phil, leave it, it's fine," Dan pleaded under his breath. But I was fuming; too angry to even check is Dan was okay.

"I called him a freak," The boy said, crossing his arms. I scoffed, the hallway steadily quieting around me at the thought of a confrontation; it seemed as though the entire student body was always hungry for blood. "You got a problem with that, Lester?"

"Why? What did he ever do to you?" I asked, almost shouting now. I felt Dan's hand on my arm.

"Please, Phil," he whispered. "Drop it. Please."

"Aww, is he your boyfriend?" The boy mocked, raising his hands in a fake surrender.

"He's my soulmate." I spat matter-of-factly, crossing my arms. There was a crowd forming around us now, a wide circle just big enough for a fight. Anger was bubbling in the pit of my stomach. I heard Dan asking me to drop it but I just couldn't. Chris was one thing; I could deal with him. He knew I didn't like the way he talked to Dan. I would make him stop, but I knew that, in the end, he was just looking out for me.

But this random guy who just seems to know me and Dan was not allowed to speak to my soulmate like that. I'd show him just what I thought about his comments if he went any further. I was tired, I was offended, and I was in love. Never test a man when he's all three of those things.

"Ooh, that's a shame," the boy said, his smooth voice dripping with sarcasm. "Unless you're a freak, too." He came close to me, his foul-smelling breath on my nose. "What do you do when you're together, hmm? Cut yourself and cry?"

"Phil."  Dan put his hand on my arm, gently, but with all the force in the world. I narrowed my eyes at the boy but said nothing more; my blood was in my ears but my heart begged me to listen to my soulmate. He didn't want me to peruse this. So I wouldn't. I couldn't make him sad, and I had a horrifying realisation that, if this turned into a fight, he would have an attack. So I turned around and grabbed Dan's hand in mine, protectively.

"That's what I thought, queer. Walk away." Dan's body was pushed forward by what I assumed was a hit by the boy, pulling at my arm and making him whimper. I spun on my heel so fast it was dizzying.

I've never punched someone before, so I didn't know what I was expecting. A cool sound effect maybe, or a spiky bubble to appear above us with a word like wham! or wow! in it. Maybe I thought it would be one punch and he'd either pass out or retreat. I was not expecting the dull ache in my knuckles, the sickening crack of the sound of my fist against his jaw, the persistent sting after I realised I had cut my hand on his teeth and it seemed to be bleeding. Nor did I expect him to jump to action so quickly, punching me right back.

Dan cried out as I stumbled backward into my locker, my vision blackening at the edges. But I wouldn't give up. No one hits my soulmate. No one lays a finger on him. No one. I reached out and tried to hit him again, but he dogged my haphazardly thrown hit and rammed his fist into my stomach. I brought my leg up and kicked him off of me as hard as I could and he fell back, giving me just enough space to pounce on him. I tried to hit him again but someone was pulling my arm back. The boy grinned up at me, his nose bleeding badly, and spat, his saliva dripping down my cheek.

"Mr. Lester, Mr. Skies. and Mr. Howell!" A voice screeched. The crowd that had been chanting around us dispersed as if by magic, and suddenly it was only me, on top of the boy, my fist raised, the only thing saving him from it being Dan's hand clutched desperately around my wrist. "Follow me. Now." Mrs. Campbell grumbled, and the three of us obediently stood, following her with our heads bowed in silence. Dan took my right hand in both of his as we walked, examining the damage the boy's teeth had done on it. He looked up to me, worry and fear etched all over his face. I tried to smile at him reassuringly but it became more of a grimace, my mouth full of the taste of pennies.

My heart sank as Mrs. Campbell pushed open a door marked "principal". I had never been in here before. Not even at my old school. I hesitated for a second but then pushed forward when Dan nudged me, tears in his eyes.

Mrs. Campbell told the three of us to sit still and be silent while she told the principal what had happened, and Dan and I sat right next to each other on the bench, his hands still wrapped around my injured one, and the boy sat on the other side of the office, holding his sleeve to his bleeding nose. Dan examined my lip, pressing a soft thumb to where it had split. He didn't seem to want to say anything, and I didn't either. I still wasn't exactly sure what had just happened. Did I really get into a fight?

"Phil." Mrs. Campbell ushered me inside the office part of the room we were in, behind her a very angry Mr. Bailey. I glanced at Dan and he straightened his face, letting me know silently that he was okay.

I sat in the uncomfortable wooden chair that was opposite the principal, and Mrs. Campbell just stood behind his desk, hugging her elbows.

"Phil, I'm going to cut all the beating around the bush and get right to the point. Mrs. Campbell here seems to think that Mr. Howell is a bad influence on you-"

"Dan had nothing to do with this. He was just trying to help-" I interjected, but Mr. Bailey just held up his hand to stop me.

"And, before right now, you have been a model student. Then, in the third week back, you get into a fight. So I agree with her. And so, effective right now, all of your schedules will be switched so you have no time together. I will send a call home to both of your guy's parents, and Mr. Skies. And be lucky I'm in a good mood today, or else all three of you would have been suspended."