Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Seventeen

"I thought I'd find you in here," Chris mumbled at Dan, who sat at his grandma's piano in a storage cupboard he was gifted the key to. He left the door unlatched when he was in there for the primary reason of Chris collecting him when he needed to be somewhere, "We've got rehearsal."

Dan sighed, shrugging then collapsing his forehead against the closed lid of the instrument. He wanted to go, it was just getting there that was the hard part. He murmured into the polished wood, "Phil was told I'm staying the holidays with him, today." he looked up at Chris, his eyes drawn out, "I don't want to go."

Chris had seen the slow fall of his best friend over the last couple of weeks. He'd seen people cry in films, but it was nothing like watching Dan break down behind the back of Hepburn once he'd just received the news his grandma had died. It haunted Chris, but he'd never tell that to anyone because it was Dan's story, not his.

His friend didn't speak up in class and their year-mates that once feared him now just ignored him. They knew he wasn't going to put up a fight because he barely had the effort to spit out a swear, let alone throw them against a wall or knock them across a table.

When he was asked questions by teachers, he once snapped back or gave them a sarcastic remark. They were lucky if he shrugged, now. The teachers had informed Mrs Blackwell, but she wasn't quite sure what to do. She'd asked Chris to keep an eye on him and tell her if there were any high concerns, but she hoped he'd pull through soon and encouraged him to keep up his music. That's exactly why he was sat at the old instrument, but he didn't have the inspiration to start.

Chris sighed, placing a hand on his friend's shoulder, "I'm putting on the dress today." he admitted.

Dan's eyes glistened and a smirk rose to his lips, "Okay, okay...you win."

"Good." Chris chirped, "Come on, then."

They drifted themselves through the short hallway into their drama studio, opening the door and taking their seats in the circle opposite the play leads. PJ smiled at Chris, raising his eyebrows as he chuckled, "Ready for stage one?"

"Of course." Chris laughed, "Do you have it?"

"Yeah, Mrs Allen is just getting the pins from the other room. I can't believe you agreed to this." he amusedly shook his head, walking over to Chris and taking a seat behind him.

"A real man doesn't mind wearing a dress." Mr Davies announced, stacking his papers in the corner of the classroom.

PJ smiled at him before continuing, "I was wondering if we all want to run our lines today? I'll steal this one so he can get his costume sorted, and while doing that we can practice our joint scenes. The rest of you sort yourselves out, I think most of you are multi-roleing anyway." the play was cut down so it could be acted by only ten of them, as long as a few of them played more than one character.

"Sure." Phil agreed, "I'll practice killing Dan." he giggled, looking at the younger boy for approval, but he didn't even look up.

"Well, don't wait around."

"Chris? Are you ready?" Mrs Allen asked, holding the dress slung over her forearm.

"Always!" he grinned, running out of the room as he dragged PJ by the shoulder.

"Do you want to go across the hall, Dan?" Phil asked, standing up in front of the boy, "We've got the swords to practice."

Dan looked up, shrugging as he followed Phil out of the room. They left the door open behind them so they could be easily called back in, but the second they were inside, Dan crossed his arms and faced the taller boy with messy black hair, "Say something, then."

Phil laughed nervously, jumping between his feet, "You don't even have to talk to me: you'll have my brother's old room."

"Your mum didn't even want me, she took herself off at the beginning of this year." Dan mumbled.

"It didn't take much for her to accept you. She's very empathetic, you know-"

"What do you fucking know?" Dan quietly threatened, standing up from the table he'd sat on.

"I won't say anything-" Phil gasped, unconsciously taking a step back.

"Do and you're dead, got it?" Dan growled.

Phil nodded, biting on his cheeks and looking at his feet. Chris was instantly at the door, leaning on the frame with his arms crossed, "Everything alright in here?" he was in a white dress, pinned up at the back where the corset would be tailored to size.

Dan tried holding his face still, but he turned red before a laugh escaped his throat. He noticed Phil's lips part as he smiled towards him, the blue in his eyes lighting up. Dan shook his head, walking towards Chris, "You make a worryingly attractive woman."

"Oh, so you noticed the makeup, too?" Chris pulled an exaggerated pout, wiggling his eyebrows temptingly.

"Stop trying to get me to make out with you." Dan rolled his eyes, seeing PJ approach them from the hallway.

"Oh, please. I've agreed to that one." the curly-haired boy announced.

"What?!" Phil shrieked.

"Yep!" Chris grinned deviously, "Mr Davies said we could change it for the cheeks, but go big or go home, am I right?" he winked at Dan, whose lips parted.

"You don't..." Dan mouthed to his friend with his eyebrows furrowed suspiciously.

"Oh, I do." Chris mouthed back, his cheeks going red as he puffed his chest out more.

Dan rolled his eyes, "We're talking about this later."

"Oh, I damn hope so," Chris replied aloud, walking out of the room again.

PJ followed him, pestering his co-star to know what he said. But Dan ignored them both, turning around as he picked up a sword and swung it in his palm, enjoying the gulp that travelled down Phil's throat in fear, "Want to practice this, then?"

"Yeah-" the taller boy nervously replied, his voice cracking slightly, "Although I hope you know I'm the most uncoordinated person alive."

"I've been in your class for over a year: I've seen how much you drop your books and walk into tables." Dan mocked, throwing a sword over to the other frail figure, who missed the easy catch.

Phil stood awkwardly, bending down to pick up the prop with his hands that were heating up, "Dan?" he asked cautiously.

"What?" he annoyedly groaned.

"Mum's agreed to the piano." he took note of the smile that accidentally fell onto the bully's cheeks.

"Right." the smile dropped, "Tell her I'm thankful."

"I will do." Phil smiled back, holding the plastic sword in the air.

Dan took a step forwards, tucking his right arm behind his back, "I'm...really thankful."