My Spirit Love (phan)

五 - 𝓖𝓻𝓪𝓷𝓭𝓶𝓪

Phil was spread out along the bottom of the steps, leaning against his shoes to fumble with his laces, anxiously tying two bows. He stood up, walking into his Grandma's living room and taking a seat beside her. She chuckled, shaking her head at his dressed body, "You're not going anywhere for another hour." she revealed, "I've not been that bad to stay with, have I?!" she amusingly joked.

"No!" Phil squealed, laughter spreading against his cheeks. He began to smile again a week after Katherine discarded his medication, "I'm just excited to see Dan again." he admitted, letting a shrug rise on his right shoulder.

"Dan?" she questioned, "Who's he?"

"My friend." Phil repeated, "He's the one nobody else can see. The one they tried to get rid of."

"Oh," his grandma sighed, although she wasn't ashamed of his mind, "Tell me about him."

Phil's face lit up from every young crease that marked his expression. Nobody ever wanted to hear about Dan, it was always about himself. He took in a large breath in and set his hands against his knees, "He has brown, curly hair and these amazing brown eyes. He's the same age as me as his birthday was last July! I made him a card for his birthday, although he couldn't hold it as he's dead." he chuckled to himself over the fond memory, "He likes the same games as me. I've taught him all about Pokémon and he watches the TV with me. I really like him." he sat back, cautiously watching his grandma's expression, but her intrigue didn't falter into concern.

"I think that's wonderful."

"You do?"

"Of course." she nodded. She waited a moment before taking Phil's hands into her own, cautiously approaching the conversation as she steadied her breathing, "I would like to meet Dan one day." she admitted, smiling at her grandson.

Phil scrunched his nose, shaking his head at her, "No one else can see him. I've tried."

His grandma nodded, flickering her eyes away from him like a flame on a wick, "I can see them, too."

Phil shook his head again, "Not Dan."

"Let me tell you, Phil, but you've got to promise not to tell anyone else. You might get me into trouble." she chuckled. Phil nodded, eagerly awaiting her explanation, "They look different, don't they? Almost like us, but hazy around the edges and you can see light through them-"

"Yeah!" Phil gasped, his jaw open and eyes sinking into her pupils.

"They're called spirits. They're the energy of someone when they die, a bit like souls. It's very special that we can see them, not many people can. It's how we're made. I can't see them often, but you're lucky because you can. Don't try and lose the ability, Phil. You'll learn to love it one day."

Phil sat in complete adoration and shock, slowly nodding his head with words miles away from his lips. When he did speak, the words didn't seem to make sense, "Thank you." he whispered as his grandma let his hands go. He hummed to himself, "Why didn't you tell me before?"

"I didn't know you could befriend spirits. I've always been alone with my talent, so I was naïve in its ways. You taught me something, Phil, so thank you, too."

Phil did as his grandma asked and spoke to no one of their secret. He wanted to so badly, more than anything else, but he knew he wasn't only protecting Dan and himself, but his grandma, too. Even for someone as wise and respected as her, she still wouldn't be believed. The world didn't want to understand yet.

Phil was giggling as he sat on his bed, Dan opposite him on his brother's side, curiously analysing his friend's expression as the laughter that had faded for so long suddenly returned to life, "What is it?" Dan laughed back.