Darkshines

Chapter Fourteen

Dan's POV

Blue eyes.
He knew for sure, it was those blue eyes.
Blue eyes, from that night.

Dan barely breathed, he couldn't, as he ran through the corridors, out into the school yard and turned left, around the corner of the building he kept running until he found an enough isolated spot, and sank down on the ground.
He could barely focus on breathing, his face was sweating and red and he didn't know if that was caused by the running alone. Everything seemed to blur around him and he could only hear the loud thuds of his racing heart in his ears. The world could be having a war, it wouldn't matter to Dan at this point. All he could think of was Phil.

He was overreacting, he knew that but right now it wouldn't matter, he felt scared.
Phil had been to his home. Phil knew he had a shit home, and god, what if he met his alcoholic mom? Dan had tried hard to keep the information about his home conditions away from his friends, because who'd want to befriend such a tragic, poor loser who'd had to look after his mom? Phil only had to tell them, and they'd turn against him, he knew these guys, they made fun of people like him, he would be a victim to bullying all over again.

Someone suddenly touched his shoulder, and Dan screamed in shock, looking up into blue eyes again. His eyes widened.
"Dan, breathe! "

He couldn't breathe. Dan only tried to crawl backwards, away from him, but was met by a cold, hard wall behind him. He felt trapped.

"Dan, I won't hurt you! You are safe, no one is going to hurt you. Breathe with me, please? You're hyperventilating!"

Dan just stared at Phil, not really getting this information to make sense in his head. He stared as Phil lifted his hand and made motions with his hand. Breathing motions. Okay. He needed to breathe now.

Focus on breathing, he told himself. He tried.
Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out.
"Breath in. Breath out" he heard Phil repeat it too.

Soon, his vision started to clear, and his body started to relax.
He was safe, for now. He could breathe again.

"It's really good, Dan, you're doing fine. Just keep breathing, okay?" Phil said and Dan only nodded.

Soon he started to react to the fact that Phil was here and comforting him. Why would he do that? Dan had never been nice to him.
"Wh-why are you doing this?" Dan choked out, carding his fingers through his fringe nervously, still fixating his eyes on Phil.

"I'm not sure, okay. But seeing someone having a panic attack, I really needed to do something." Phil replied truthfully, glancing sideways.

"I'm not having a panic attack" Dan mumbled.

"Yes, you did. I don't know what triggered it but it seemed pretty serious. Are you alright?" Phil kept on, and he sounded concerned.

Dan was only confused now. Phil being nice to him, out of all people. It made no sense! None of his friends would ever help him through a panic attack, they'd just think he was a freak. He was a freak.
Dan ignored his question, just kept on breathing unevenly.
"Get on with it then. Mock me. Isn't that what you really want to do? Don't play games with me, I'll kick your ass." Dan growled, his suspicion grew bigger towards Phil cause there's no way he'd just do this out of kindness. He just want to get back, and doing it at his weakest point is his big chance.

"Why would I want that?" Phil asked.

"Why wouldn't you? I'm not on your friendly side now, am I Phil?" Dan shot back defensively.

"No, you're not." Phil replied shortly, making that fact clear as ice. "But I won't get back at you." Phil sounded uncertain as he uttered the last sentence, as he wasn't sure if he would get back or not.

"Right," Dan rolled his eyes. "You're going to tell them." he mumbled, not sure if it was aimed to Phil. He tried to rise, but standing up after such an energy draining event was difficult and he nearly tripped over Phil but caught balance last second.

"Okay, um," Phil stood up too and a confused expression read in his face. "Tell them what? Tell who?"

"Don't act stupid, you twat. About what you saw back at my home, I'll punch you so hard-.."

"Hold on, what? Why would I tell.. anyone, that? " Phil interrupted, not seeming to follow at all.

"Oh please, you know that'd be the perfect ammunition to get back at me, telling the school all about my shit situation" Dan spat.

Phil looked at him with an unreadable expression and then sighed. "Dan, I don't know why you think the worst out of people all the time, but I wouldn't do that. I won't tell anyone, if that's what worries you so much."

Dan huffed, but eyed him suspiciously. "Whatever. Good talk. Bye."
And so he walked away, swaying a little at first but soon he was able to walk straight line again, and left Phil back there.

He barely admitted it to himself, but he was glad Phil had been there and helped him. He almost let on a tiny smile on his lips as he walked back into school.