irl

Chapter 6

"Seriously, Dan, what's up? You know that you can tell me anything," Phil said, a degree of hurt in his eyes.
Why won't he tell me?
"It's nothing, really."
"Bullshit," Phil whispered, getting up from the couch where they were sitting. "I know there's something wrong, and you're not telling me. I thought you were able to trust me?"
"It's just... too personal and you... you wouldn't understand."
"How do you know? Maybe I've gone through something similar. Either way, you're obviously not telling me, and I need to cool off. I'll be back," Phil said, sternly, leaving the flat.

Dan slouched back on the couch, angry at himself for being so scared
Why can't I just tell him?

~•~

Why can't he just tell me?
Phil walked along the street, his feet splashing in puddles on the sidewalk.
I thought he trusted me? I know very much about him, yet he can't tell me something that's obviously bothering him a lot. Is it really that bad?
Phil stopped.
Where am I even going?
He looked around, realizing that he was lost. In his anger, he had taken a walk around some random streets, and was in an unfamiliar area.
Well shit.
He pulled up maps on his phone, but none of the street names rang a bell, not even the street that him and Dan lived on.
I'll just keep walking. I'll find my way.
He kept maps on his phone open, hoping that it may help.
I have basically no sense of direction, this is terrible. Great job, Phil.
He walked along the sidewalk, the sky growing alarmingly dark. He looked up at the apartment buildings, and worried that he might be seriously lost.
I could text Dan.
Just as he was about to text him, Phil's phone died, leaving him without any guidance whatsoever.
This just isn't your lucky day, now is it?
He sighed aloud, and kept walking.
What's the worst that could happen?

~•~

Dan started to worry about Phil. "He'll be back in, like, 15 minutes," he said aloud to himself. Then 15 minutes turned into 30, and 30 into 45, and 45 into an hour. "He's just calming down. He can take care of himself. Everything's okay," Dan told himself. At that point Phil had been gone for about two hours, and it was nearly completely dark outside.
Calm down, Dan. He can take care of himself. It'll all be just fine. He'll be back soon.
But as the world outside turned very dark, he worry increased. He decided to text Phil.

Dan: Hey, are you ok?

Dan felt better, having texted Phil. Even if he didn't respond, Dan would see that he read the message.

But he didn't.

More hours went by and there was still no sign of Phil. Dan was really worried.
He continued to do what he was doing, though. He scrolled through Tumblr and constantly checked his phone. Phil hadn't responded.

Dan:Where are you?

Dan: Are you ok?

Dan: where are you?

Dan: Phil please respond

Dan: PHIL

Dan: I'm really worried about you

Dan: please come back I'm sorry

Dan: I want to tell you

Dan: but I just don't want to relive what's already in the past

Dan: I've gotten past it and I just don't want to deal with it

Dan: Phil please respond?

Dan: nothing?

Dan: well ok then

Dan put down his phone, sighing.
Maybe I should go to bed. He'll be back in the morning, surely.

So Dan went to bed, and was unable to sleep. He tossed and turned in the bedsheets, awake. Eventually, he fell asleep, though. He didn't sleep well.

When he woke up, he checked his phone.
Still no sign of Phil.
He got up and dressed, and checked every room in the flat, and Phil was nowhere to be found.
I have to go out and look for him... what could've happened?
Dan grabbed his jacket, opening the door to exit, but the door was heavier than usual.
"That's odd," he grunted, pushing it open far enough to get out. He then noticed a sleeping Phil leaning against the door.
"Shit, I locked it on you, didn't I?" He said, and Phil stirred. "Phil, what the hell?" Dan said, crouching to the ground and hugging him, "I-I was worried, where the fuck were you!"
"I got lost," Phil mumbled, still half-asleep.
"I'm sorry Phil... for not telling you, but I-"
"It's okay, Dan. I should've understood that you just didn't want to talk about it. You can't blame me for being worried, though," Phil said, now more awake.
"Why didn't you text me?"
"my phone died," Phil explained, chuckling nervously. "Aren't I so responsible?"
"That you are."

~•~

"So... you know how my mum kicked me out of the house to get a life?" Dan began to explain to Phil.
"Yeah...?"
"Well, that's not exactly what happened."
"Oh."
"My... my mum didn't support me when I told her I was bi, she kicked me out. That's why she freaked out when she had found out I was texting a boy. She was trying to at least tolerate my queerness, but it didn't work."
"Oh," Phil said, his voice cracking. He almost immediately changed his mood, piping up, "But hey, you don't have to deal with her anymore, right? Like you said before, the past is in the past." Phil put a comforting hand on Dan's shoulder. Dan just simply nodded in response, muttering a
"Thank you, Phil."