Darkshines

Chapter Nineteen

Phil's POV

That was so stupid. He was so stupid, why did he have to invite Dan over for lunch? That's all kinds of against everything he planned to avoid Dan. He hadn't even asked about it, so why did Phil even offer it?

He sighed, what's done is done and Dan was now walking next to him in the corridor. He picked up his usual sandwich in his locker and glanced over to Dan.

"Will you head over to the cafeteria to get some lunch or do you have it with you here?" Phil wondered, since not everyone brought lunch with them to school.

"Oh, um, no." Dan answered timidly.

"That's not really specific. Are you bringing any lunch with you? We're not gonna sit in the cafeteria, as you might've noticed before." Phil rolled his eyes and looked at Dan questioningly.

"I'm not hungry really, so I'll just pass. I'd like to join you and PJ still though.. " Dan mumbled shortly, grabbing some books out of his locker as they passed it in their walk through the corridor.

Phil couldn't help but feel not everything he said was true, surely Dan must be hungry? Maybe he's not feeling well then.

"Okay, if you say so. Well let's go then. " Phil decided and Dan closed his locker and they walked quietly beside each other in the corridor.

Phil considered whether to bring Dan to the place he and PJ usually ate lunch, since it was kind of secret and no one really knew about it so they got their privacy. Bringing Dan there was definitely a risk, and no, he wasn't going to bring Dan there.

He texted PJ to meet up by some common room areas where students casually hung out or studied, there were tables there too where they could sit.

They had sat down by a table and not long after came PJ and joined them. Phil shot a nervous glance at PJ, not knowing his reaction to Dan joining their lunch today.

"Hi Phil!" PJ greeted him, his eyes travelling sideways to land on Dan next to Phil, "..Hello Dan." he also greeted Dan and it sounded more confused rather than unwelcoming.

"Hey.." Dan mumbled, his body rather stiff and an uncomfortable silence fell over the three of them, until PJ cleared his throat pointedly and caught Phil's eyes expectantly with a raised brow.

"Right, um, Dan will be joining lunch with us today, cause...um.." Phil's words faded out as he didn't really had an end to his sentence.

PJ still waited for a better reply, " Yeah?".

Phil squirmed under the attention of PJ's and Dan's eyes, he didn't know why Dan was here!? "Because, I invited him to. Just drop it. " he finally muttered, starting to eat his dry sandwich to get something else to focus on.

"Alright." PJ let it go for now, although his eyes told him this conversation wasn't over. He started eat out of his salad box too, leaving Dan to just sit in the middle with nothing to do other than watch them eat.

It was awkward, really awkward.

"Not gonna eat, Dan?" PJ then asked, now noticing how Dan didn't have any lunch brought with him.

"No I'm not hungry." Dan replied once again, and Phil once again didn't believe him.

PJ huffed and took another take of his salad. "Phil, how did your math test go? Didn't you have it this morning, right?"

"Oh math? I aced it like never before." Phil smiled, glancing at Dan's tapping hands to the table. It should be annoying but Phil didn't mind really.

"Wow, that's great! Didn't you have so much issues with it only last week though?"

"Yes, well I.. got some help." Phil chuckled, thinking back to Dan's little brother. Dan glanced up and met Phil's eyes, as if he knew. Maybe Alex had told him that?

"That's fortunate. Did Michael help or? Although, I don't recall him to be much of a school nerd." PJ chuckled fondly, having grown up with Phil and his family, he knew them well.

"Haha, I wish. No, it was.." Phil hesitated with a quick glance to Dan and then back to PJ ", just someone at the library."

Dan seemed to perk up at that, realisation written in his face. "Hold on, was it Alex that helped you?!" he asked astonished.

"Yes, he's very good at math." Phil dared to smile at Dan who still looked confused with parted lips and wide eyes.

"Who's Alex?" PJ broke into the conversation again, not following.

"My little brother" Dan replied, "and yes he sure is talented." he smiled back at Phil.

Oh that smile, though. It was so pure, so honest and proud and something Phil had never seen of Dan before. Surely, Dan had smiled many times before, but without any trace of kindness and honesty, and in completely different circumstances. Phil had to remind himself, Dan was his bully. Or had been.

He wasn't sure he was anymore.

Phil caught himself staring at Dan's lips for a little too long, and he coughed embarrassed while looking away quickly.

PJ just chuckled at them, raising to his feet from his chair as for leaving.

"Gentlemen, I just realised I have some stuff to attend to before lunch's over, but do not rush." PJ explained, a discrete, but knowing smirk at Phil's way before looking at Dan. "Dan, thanks for your company. Phil, see you after school"

Phil looked back at PJ, confused of this sudden rush, he knew PJ well enough to know something's up. Why did he think leaving Phil with Dan alone was a good idea?

"Alright, see you Peej!" he replied though and then PJ left them both to sit alone.

Dan didn't seem to be too bothered by that though. "So you've met my bro."

Phil nodded. "He was a nice one. Very.. determined to play matchmaker of us becoming friends." he chuckled softly, taking another bite of his sandwich.

Dan huffed, shaking his head. "Well that's my stubborn bro for you." he replied fondly, then sighed. "Not that..that would happen though."

"What, us being friends?" Phil asked perplexed.

"Yeah. Don't act like you don't already despise me, I know you do." Dan muttered.

"I don't despise you." Phil said, finding his words being true. He didn't despise Dan. "But I wouldn't go as far as saying I like you, I really don't."

"Go figure." Dan sighed, starting to tap his fingers on the table again, the both of them being quite a few minutes in loss of what to say.

Phil thought of what Dan said. Could he picture themselves as friends? Maybe? Possibly?

Was he willing to let Dan get a chance after everything he had done? Phil thought long and hard on that, but his final answer to it felt natural somehow.

Yes. He was willing to do that.

"Dan." he called and Dan looked up.

"Yes?" he replied confused.

"I am willing to.. give the rest of my sandwich to you. I know you're hungry so don't refuse." Phil offered and put his sandwich in front of Dan, who looked surprised at the sandwich and then at Phil.

"Wha-"

"Just accept the sandwich, Dan." Phil ordered, and Dan gave in and made no effort in concealing the hungry bites out of the sandwich, casting a thankful look to Phil.

When the sandwich was no more - and that was less than a minute later, Phil stood up and Dan followed.

"Dan."

"Yes, Phil?"

Phil smiled a little looking at Dan. "I'll give you a chance. For you to be my friend."

Dan gaped, dumbfounded. "Wait, really?"

"Yes really. Don't waste it."

Dan's face broke out in a beautiful smile for the second time, and Phil couldn't help but match that on his own face.

"I won't. Thank you Phil."