im here // phan

one

Phil's POV

Thank god it was senior year. I couldn't take one more breath in that stupid school. So many bad memories...but not to say there weren't good ones too. Like the time I...or the one time when I...oh there was one time that I...okay, maybe high school was just complete hell. Nothing good ever happened to me. I hope my senior year could hold something good for me.

I abruptly woke up to my alarm clock at 5:30. I rolled over and smashed the clock's snooze button, hoping I would be able to snatch a few more minutes of sleep. But to my unlucky surprise, my mum was shouting at me from afar.

"Phil, time to wake up! I heard that alarm!" She said it her loudest and most uneasy tone.

I hated when summer time ended. You couldn't sit at home and play video games all day long, sleep until 13:00 and eat nothing but unhealthy food. Oh no, school needed you to do hours of work there and then bring some of it home and do it. School needed you to wake up at some unreasonable hour, and eat healthy because of course, you have to go to Physical Education.

I didn't say anything back to my mum. I just sat up in my bed, sat there for a minute, and then threw my covers off myself and got dressed. I walked down the stairs, and into the kitchen, where my mum was sat with a book, like she was waiting for me to get down here.

"Morning, Phil." She greeted me kindly. I peeked down at what she was reading, and turns out it wasn't a book. It was a catalog...for flats. I knew that I would be moving out for college soon, and living on campus was just so much money, so of course she is going to make me live in an flat. The thought of living by myself was awesome, but I knew that my mum didn't trust me enough to let me live by myself. She would need me to live with someone else, like a roommate. Oh, a roommate would be so much fun actually.

"Morning, mum." I mumbled back, reaching for a granola bar in the cupboard. I never normally ate breakfast, but with my mum down here, I knew I would have to.

My backpack was already packed because I checked it the night before and I would just bring money so I could buy myself lunch.

"So, I have some news." Her voice was quite excited. That gave me anxiety.

"What's up?" I inquired. She closed the catalog and looked me directly in the eye.

"We have a new neighbor. They moved in right up the street from us, and I talked to the mum of the family yesterday, and she is very sweet, so I have a feeling her son will be too. He is in your grade." She smiled. My mum was always one to be excited over the little things.

"Oh that's cool. Does he have a license? Or are you telling me because I am going to have to pick him up?" I said with raised eyebrows.

"He doesn't have a license. So I told him mum that you guys could ride together. Sound good?" She asked.

"Perfect. I'll just need to know what house, mum. Then I can go and get him." I smiled. I might actually have a friend this year. Well, I do have friends. But not ones that live close enough to me to like, I don't know, hang out? Whatever was cool these days.

I tucked my granola bar into my pocket, grabbed my backpack and slung it over my shoulder, and waited for my instructions.

"If you take a left out of our driveway, their place is up 4 homes. Got it?" My mum looked me in the eyes with a smile.

"I got it, mum. See you later. Cheers." I took my car keys off the table, and walked out of the kitchen and out the door. My car was nothing special, it did its job of transportation. That was all that mattered to me. I opened up the door and threw my stuff into the passengers seat. I turned on the ignition, and almost took a right out of my driveway. Stupid Phil, you have to go get the new neighbor. I took a left and drove up the rode, passing 3 homes and stopping at the 4th, taking a turn into the driveway. There was only one car there, which I imagined was the mums. I hopped out of my car, and walked up to the door. I knocked on it quietly...no answer. I knocked a little louder...no answer. I rang the doorbell...and there was no answer. Then I heard a voice.

"ONE MINUTE! WE WILL BE RIGHT THERE!" A lady voice bellowed down.

"OKAY!" I called up. I waited outside, fidgeting with my car keys until they came down. A woman opened the door.

"You must be Phil. Nice to meet you." She stuck her hand out. "Just call me Ms. Howell for now, kiddo." I reached my hand out and shook hers for a brief second so it wasn't awkward or anything.

"Yes, that's me." I said awkwardly. Oh well.

"One second." She whispered, and shut the door behind her.

"DANIEL JAMES HOWELL GET YOUR ASS DOWN HERE NOW! ITS TIME TO GO TO SCHOOL!" Ms. Howell screamed at, well, Daniel. I kinda felt bad for him. I heard footsteps coming down the stairs, and I guessed it was Daniel.

Ms. Howell opened the door again and there stood Daniel. His hair was dark brown and curly, and he had chocolate brown eyes. He wore all black and carried a black backpack on his back. His pale face was tear-streaked, and I could only imagine the world of things he may have been going through.

"Hi, I'm Dan." He whispered while looking down at the floor.

"Hi Dan. I'm Phil." I tried to act as polite as possible. I wanted to make Dan feel safe here in our neighborhood.

"Head up, Daniel." His mother smacked him in the back, and he looked up.

Did she just smack him? Right in front of me? That's an issue.

Daniel looked up at me after her mom smacked him. A single tear dripped from him left eye. This was no way for a mother to treat her son. I wonder if he had a father or if he had any siblings. He needed some barrier between this abusive mother and himself!

"Let's go Daniel. Thanks, Ms. Howell." I spoke softly, and I walked out the door, and I could here that Daniel was behind me. I opened the passenger side door for him, and moved my stuff out of the way. He sat down and spoke a soft thank you. I nodded. I went back to my side of the car, and sat down. I didn't start the car yet.

"Daniel, are you okay?" I asked with pure concern.

"First off, just call me Dan,"

"Second off, no."