\\ the bfs // [texting story] [ON HOLD]

022

It had been a while, and both Dan and Phil were running out of steam and decided to sit down, dangling their legs over the edge of the stage.

"This was fun, Dan. Thank you so much." Phil laughed, wrapping his arm around Dan.

Dan responded with a slight giggle and also wrapped his arm around Phil.

"Do you know the time?" He asked.

"Oh, let me check." Phil yanked his phone out and saw that it was almost ten. "9:54."

"Wait, what?!" Dan quickly jumped down from the stage. "I've gotta go! Bye, Phil!"

Phil just cocked his head in confusion but said goodbye and checked his messages only to find some unknown number texting him.

Unknown: hi, Phil.

AmazingPhil: who are you?

Unknown: someone.

AmazingPhil: obviously, you're someone! but really, who are you?

Unknown: my name, you mean? oh, Philip Lester...you'll never find out my name.

Phil looked up with fear and frantically ran to where Chris was still eyeing the bleachers to search for PJ since he had disappeared.

"Chris! Help me!" He yelled at him, sticking the phone in his face.

"Whoa! Calm down! What's happening?" He asked, calmly taking Phil's phone from his hand.

"Just read the messages!"

"O-oh, umm...okay." Chris hesitated as he started reading Dan and Phil's chat.

"Hey! You here yet? From danisnotonfire."

"Almost! Who's impatient now?! From AmazingPhil."

"Not that chat! The chat from unknown!" Phil groaned in embarrassment while Chris simply nodded his head and read the chat in his head.

"What can I do?" Phil asked after Chris finished reading it.

"Uhh...I'm not sure. Perhaps block them?" Chris suggested.

"Yeah, I guess I could do that, but I want to know how they found out my phone number."

"Isn't there a phone book with everyone's phone number?" Chris asked.

"That only includes home numbers, so maybe it's someone I know!" Phil concluded.

"Is it possible they're blocking their number from showing up?" Chris added on.

"Or maybe they're using a burner phone!"

"Damn, Phil. We're smart!" Chris high-fived him.

"Yeah, but I still don't know who or why they would text me."

Chris nodded and started to tell Phil that he had seen PJ until Phil's phone vibrated.

Unknown: I'll tell you why, Philip.

"Wait, what?!" He looked around nervously.

Unknown: have you figured it out, Phil? You don't have THAT many friends...

"Phil," Chris whispered to him. "it's PJ."

Phil's blood ran cold as he turned to Chris and asked how he knew.

"I saw him tonight in the bleachers while Dan was here, but now he's disappeared."

"But he must be close enough to hear us!" Phil whispered, looking around frantically.

Unknown: I'm right behind you!

Once Phil read the message, he swiveled himself around along with Chris and saw PJ sitting on a chair with his legs crossed.

"You aren't as daft as I thought you were, Phil." PJ spat his name out like acid while showing off the burner phone he had used.

"What do you want, PJ?" Chris demanded, getting ready to knock him out.

"Do you think I'm speaking to you?!" He snapped at Chris, growling like a furious bear.

Chris was shocked at PJ's tone but shut up out of fear of him snapping again.

"This is between Phil and me." He growled, stabbing Phil's chest with his finger.

Suddenly, his fist met Phil's face, and as fast as it happened, PJ ran away and vanished before Phil even knew what struck him.

"Phil! Hey!" Chris shouted, running over and helping him up. "You okay?"

"Ugh, why did he do that?" He asked while rubbing his cheek. "Am I going to get a bruise on my cheek?"

Phil removed his hand from his cheek, and Chris saw that a bruise was already forming.

"Yep." He answered.

"Aw, this sucks." Phil groaned.

Chris silently agreed and checked the surrounding area for any sign of PJ.

"Nothing." He sighed. "Better get home. It's soon curfew. What about you, Phil?"

"Ah, who cares? The old man barely pays attention to me anymore, but my brother...well, he's probably wondering where I am."

"Oh? Your brother's in town?"

"Yeah, just for this weekend. He'll force 'dad' to actually be one just for the weekend." Phil explained.

"Yeah...but you never told me." Chris said, glancing at Phil's slightly bruised cheek.

"Told you what?"

"About your family problems, Phil!" Chris exclaimed. "You've told Dan which makes sense since he's your boyfriend, but what about me?! Aren't we close enough now to be best friends?"

Phil cringed at yet another person shouting at him but snapped then.

"Really, Chris?! Dan told me that you didn't consider me a friend two days ago since he supposedly dragged me into your dilemma of finding out if PJ was gay or not when Dan told me you liked PJ!" Phil retaliated, glancing away from Chris's hurt face.

Phil then thought about what PJ had screamed at him two days prior.

"Because of you, I lost everything! I was a loner! All those fucking times you ignored me to hang with Chris or Dan...I was alone. So alone, in fact, that I couldn't sleep at night. I used to tell you everything, but now...who do I tell?"

"Yeah, I guess that's true." Chris answered calmly, realizing he couldn't just force people to be friends with him. "Friends?"

Phil looked at his outstretched arm and shook his hand.

"Friends."

Author's Note: Plot twist! *cues dramatic music* My chapters are starting to get longer now since I keep getting new ideas that I feel need to be expanded on. Because my chapters are getting longer, I'm going to update every couple of days unless it's only a text convo. Text convos only are every day. Hope you enjoyed this chapter! xx