Chances(Phan AU)

Chapter 1

"How do you feel, faggot?" Chase hissed. He slammed the innocent boy against lockers one more time, being gracious and not punching him in the face again.

"That's what you disgraces deserve." Chase spat in his face, and motioned for his followers to tag along. Dan and the other two boys, David and Thomas, dragged themselves toward Chase. Dan looked back at the boy, folded over, crumpled against the lockers and holding his definitely bruised stomach. The boy leaned his head back, and scrunched up his face in obvious pain. He lifted his cut hand and brushed his auburn hair out of his face. Dan felt pity for the boy, wanting to rush over and help him, wanting to tell him he didn't want this particular life of his, that he was trapped. Dan turned away and locked his cold stare at the back of Chase's head.

Dan Howell and Chase Harrison had been friends since primary school, and they used to spend every waking moment together. They used to do the silliest things, not giving a thought to anyone else's opinions. Their mothers' had always gotten along as well. That is, until Chase's mother passed at the start of secondary school in a car accident. Now, Chase was only left with his father who would rather be at a bar with more than plenty of drinks than at home with his own son. That was when things started to change for Dan and Chase. Chase's entire attitude had changed, and he gradually turned cold and hard inside. At the start of 9th year, Chase started to order Dan around, like he was a pet dog, not his best friend. He stopped caring about whether Dan had any opinions about anything Chase wanted him to do. Dan would have to tolerate Chase's blackmailing, because Chase was the only friend Dan had. Dan wanted to help Chase be better.

Dan followed Chase and etc. to the cafeteria, where all conversation abruptly quieted. Chase grinned maliciously, satisfied with his never ending power over an entire school, and walked over to their lunch table. Kate giggled and blushed as Chase sat beside her and kissed her temple.

Kate was Chase's girlfriend, and had been for about two years, surprisingly. With their reputations of sleeping around quite a bit, it was considered a miracle either of them had stayed with each other for as long as they had.

Dan kept his head down as Kate's best friend, Janet Notting, peered up from her fake eyelashes at Dan, and blushed uncontrollably at him.

Dan sighed and mumbled to his table that he was going to the toilets as they all continued to ramble about something Dan was not interested in. He opened the door to the restroom and walked over to the mirror, staring at the boy in the reflection. The boy stared back at him with dark brown eyes, a fringe the swept just above his eyebrows, and large purple hollows underneath his eyes. He looked like Dan; but Dan saw the boy in the mirror as a monster that was created by him. Dan turned away from the boy; he couldn't stand the sight of him. When he walked out, he returned to his table and pretended to be interested. He only had to finish that day, then it would be the weekend.

-

Dan opened the door to his house and took off his shoes and his schoolbag.

"Mum, I'm home!", Dan called out to his mother.

She peered around the doorway and smiled with her lips closed at Dan.

"Dad's coming home with pizza, is that alright with you dear?", Dan's mother inquired.

"Of course it is, mum. You really didn't think I would say no, did you?"

The edge of his mother's lips produced a small smile, and she shook her head at her son.

Dan looked at her and smiled, then bounded up the steps toward his room

His mother had always been supportive of him, so he only had to worry little when he rose up the courage to tell his mom that he was bisexual. He always knew since secondary school, when he started to look at boys and girls the same way. His mother was the only one who knew; his dad was homophobic, and if Chase and his friends found out, he would be their next target, and Dan knew they would not let him off easy.