Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Five

"Did you study for the test?" Phil whispered towards Dan, awkwardly sat in the seat beside him with his nameless friend missing.

Dan scrunched his nose, glaring at the frail boy, "What test?" he shrugged, knowing full well there was a Physics test, he just didn't revise for it. He sighed, "Anyway, where's your other half, Lap-dog?"

"PJ?" Phil asked.

"Sure, if that's his name." Dan looked back at the whiteboard way ahead of them. The three of them were often on the back row together, however, unlike Dan and Chris, who sat there so they could talk, Phil often wound up there because he was late for class.

"Off ill," Phil responded, pursing his lips and fiddling with a sharpener between his fingers.

Dan simply nodded, turning back to Chris, "Do you have a cheat sheet for the test?"

"For fuck's sake Dan, first week in and you can't even learn a few formulas," Chris mumbled.

"Did you learn them?" he accused.

Chris looked up, a pout on his lips, "No, but at least I made my own sheet." he passed the spare one he specifically made for Dan towards him.

"Then how come you prepared one for me?"

"Because I don't want you expelled the first fucking month."

"You're cheating?" Phil asked, staring wide-eyed at the paper Dan slid in his sleeve.

"You're not?" the cheating boy chuckled, looking innocently towards the teacher.

"No! Of course not." Phil defended, "Good luck on your GCSEs if you're slacking already."

"There's more to life than some exams." Dan spat.

***

They had the same class the next day, Dan and Chris treading into the classroom just as the clock struck half-past, but Phil was strangely already sat at the front of class. The teacher gave them a look, so they took their seats quietly, taking their books out of their bags and scribbling down the date.

The lesson went by as poorly as any Physics class would, with more facts Dan didn't understand. He probably would if he tried, he just didn't want to put in the effort. He got into the school, pleased his mother, now he felt kind of lost. But, as the teacher was dismissing the class, he spoke up, "Howell, wait behind, please."

"Sure." he nodded, throwing his bag back down on the wooden floorboards. He strode over, standing in front of the teacher, who sat back with his arms crossed.

"So," he began, "care to tell me why you were cheating in yesterday's test?"

"What d'you mean, Sir?" Dan played innocent.

"As in, another pupil told me you were cheating. That, and your mark was questionably high compared to everyone else's." he eyed Dan, his lips pursed and a look of disapproval stapled into his features.

The young teenager gave in, sighing as his posture dropped and his shoulder shrugged, "I don't know, Sir. I'm sorry, I didn't revise."

"We take cheating very seriously, Howell." the teacher reminded him, "If this were end of term, or end of year tests, you could very well be expelled."

Dan gulped, his throat feeling sore.

"I'll email your Hsm about this, but no further action will be taken. Don't let me catch this again."

"Okay, Sir." Dan nodded, "Sorry, Sir." he smiled as he turned away, picking up his bag and walking himself to his next class.

The corridors were crowded, but fortunately, Dan wasn't too intimidated by the maze of them as he'd worked his way around the building plenty of times now. He caught up to his class, scuffing his shoe against the back of Phil's. The boy turned around, his eyes wide and fearful, with his cheeks hollowing in.