13. stitch

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i honestly feel like this story is getting worse as it progresses ughkillmeplease. ps this is a filler chapter but also kinda dramatic bc c o n n o r  m e e t s  y o u  k n o w  w h o ;)

tae was curled up on the floor of phil's car, thin frame pressed up against my calves a bit too uncomfortably. i almost yelled at alfie and zoe for offering to drive and almost yelled at phil for saying they could, but no matter what, tae and i would most definitely still be in this awkward situation. 

he winced when we hit a bump, my foot digging into his tailbone. i apologized, doing my best to pull my foot out from under his bony butt. he wiggled forward a bit, his back pushing against the door even more, a strained look crossing his face. phil's shoulder once again shoved into my own, knocking me gently against the door and reminding that phil's car wasn't meant to fit this many people–especially when phil and i were practically giants.

connor tried his best to break the awkward silence of the car. "that was quite the movie, huh? chris pratt is as hot as ever." 

"stop fantasizing about someone who's way out of your league," i muttered, teeth clenched as i tried to avoid stabbing tae with my foot again. "phil, do you want to spend the night with me again? i'm sad because billie's gone and those guys made me mad."

phil nodded his head. "sure thing." 

tae lifted his head. "can i come too? or can i at least spend the night with one of you guys? my parents aren't here and they won't be for a while." he looked down to his feet, his knees pulled against his chest, and picked at something invisible on his shoe laces. he shrugged. "i really don't want to be alone."

"of course, little guy." phil ruffled tae's hair, reaching across my lap just to do so. "dan won't mind. but if he does, connor could gladly take you. or alfie and zoe." 

"your knuckles are really dry." i grabbed phil's hand from tae's head and started running my fingers over his knuckles. i shifted my gaze slowly to tae. "and you can stay with us. you can sleep on the beanbag like you always do, or on the couch, or even with us on the bed if you really want to."

tae smiled, his mouth forming a rectangular shape. "can i sleep on the beanbag?" 

"of course," i responded. phil smiled at me and grabbed my other hand, starting a game of patty cake.

connor woke us up early the next morning by blasting 'born this way' as loud he could, holding his phone next to our ears in turn, screaming the lyrics along with lady gaga. i held my pillow over my ears, trying to block out the sound as best as i could.

phil, giggling, tugged on my arm. "come on, daniel! connor wants to take us to get coffee. and this time there hopefully won't be any cat fights―i mean that quite literally."

"no," i responded, shaking my head. i removed the pillow from my face just enough so that i could see phil's face. he was smiling widely with tae's arms draped loosely around his neck. the latter had his eyes closed and his mouth open as if he had fallen back to sleep while hugging onto phil. "get tae up and ready and take him with you instead."

"can't," connor mumbled, pulling tae off of phil. "he has school to get ready for. i brought some of my old clothes for him to borrow." as if on cue, a plastic bag full of clothes dropped out of connor's hands while tae turned to latch onto connor instead. "tae, i love you, but please don't fall asleep again. you have school and you're already running late. your parents will be even more mad if we don't hurry up." 

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