In Your Dreams // phan

t w e n t y s e v e n

Dan mumbled something about needing to go to class but I didn't want to understand. I clutched both of his hands and nuzzled closer to his neck, pulling him closer to me. We had decided not to kiss in the hallways- however much I wanted to- because of all the harassment we would receive. He seemed like he had done it for me but I knew that, deep down, it was for him. I understood... slightly. That didn't stop me from trying to be as close as possible to him, clutching his hands, nuzzling his neck, whispering sweet nothings in his ear.

He pulled away but I didn't let go of his hands. He chuckled.

"Phil," he chastised, pulling softly. "Let go."

"Nooo," I moaned, pulling him back. He shook his head but still smiled. He backed away and extended our arms, our hands, our fingers. But then we broke apart, and he turned and walked away. I sighed, a warm feeling still fluttering around in my stomach as I pulled my textbook from the top shelf of my locker.

Someone slammed their hand against the locker next to me, startling me, making me drop my book.

"Ah, if it isn't freak-instein's bride." He chuckled to himself as if that joke was the funniest thing ever. I turned, ignoring the book on the ground. I held back a groan and faked a smile.

"Hi, Charlie. Did you take all week to come up with that?" Skies rolled his eyes at my sickly-sweet mask, and crossed his arms, leaning against the locker.

"Here was I thinking you had moved away," he said, tapping his temple. "Or maybe you murdered freak number one and then killed yourself. I don't know what freaks do."

"You're so clever, Charlie." I said, bending to pick up my textbook. "I don't understand how you do it." I shoved my books in my bag and shut my locker, making to leave. But Charlie pushed me back, and I slammed into the locker, making several students still lingering about look up. I set my face and straightened up.

"I'm not done with you." He growled. I felt my heart rate increase in spite of myself.

"I'm not going to fight you." I spat. He examined his fingernails.

"I'm not going to let you chicken-" he started, but someone interrupted him.

"Maybe you should pick on someone else, mate," a familiar voice said. I turned, my heart still pounding. Adam was standing there, his jacket slung over his shoulder and signature smirk permanently in place. Charlie looked him up and down. "Maybe someone a little more your," his eyes swept down Charlie's body, "size." Skies scoffed, and, unable to reply wittily, just walked away.

"My knight in shining armour, " I sighed, clasping my hands together. He grinned and bowed, and then we both hugged each other tightly. "Why are you here?" I mumbled. My best friend chuckled. I had missed him so much since I left my hometown, and we had talked every once and awhile, but in the last year, we had drifted apart.

Adam was the only one I'd ever known who'd shared a fraction of my enthusiasm about soulmates, which is why we had become such good friends. He had lost his mother while she was giving birth to him, making his father fall into a very persistent depression, and he began drinking and finding random lonely girls, searching, as he said, for another soulmate. Before my dad died, my home was really the only safe place for him. He practically lived there. I wonder how he had been since I had moved.

My mind was flooded with memories as we hugged; the tree house we had built by the moor, and the bikes we rode around that we had made ourselves from broken parts we had found in various dumpsters. We had done everything together, cry, laugh, every up and down and left and right. It's amazing how easily and quickly you forget these things, when you leave.

He pulled away and grinned at me. "Do you know a Catherine Valdes? She's a tenth year." I shook my head honestly. I didn't know many people who weren't 12th years. "Well, she's my soulmate." I nodded slowly. He grinned and pulled out his schedule. "I have history with Campbell first. Do you know where that is?" The hallways were practically empty as class had essentially already started, or, as I realised when I looked at my phone, it would in about thirty seconds.

"Yeah, that's my first period, too. Follow me. And then you can tell me more about this Catherine." I winked at him, and he rolled his eyes. "And maybe what you're doing here?"

"Well, I met Cat at a party in Rawtenstall, and she told me she lived in Manchester, and I knew that you lived here, and I dreamed about her, and I convinced Dad to move here so I could see her again. And you." He stopped when I did in front of the door to the History classroom, turning to me. "So here I am." I smiled.

"Here you are. Congratulations, by the way." I pushed the door open just as the bell rang, moving quickly to my seat. Mrs. Campbell was too distracted by Adam to notice that I was late. She stood quickly, and introduced the new student.

English rolled around quickly, and Adam discovered that he and I, again, had the same class. Dan was already in there when I entered, and he rose quickly, wrapping his arms around me. I placed my hands on his waist.

"I heard about Charlie." He whispered. I hugged him back tightly.

"It's nothing." He spotted Adam over my shoulder, who was standing awkwardly in the doorway. I realised I had completely forgotten my old friend at the sight of my soulmate, so I stepped back, holding a hand out to Adam as if presenting him.

"Dan, this is-"

"Adam," Dan interrupted, sticking out his hand. Adam gave him an odd look but shook. "I remember." Dan's face looked slightly like he smelled something bad, but he still grinned. "Any friend of Phil's is a friend of mine." Adam turned to me questioningly.

"Oh," I hit my forehead as PJ entered behind me, surveying the scene, startled. "Adam, this is Dan Howell. My soulmate."