You're The Straw To My Berry (Phan)

Part two

Phil P.O.V.

I opened my eyes and saw a familiar tanned arm across my chest. I turned onto my other side so that I was facing Dan and was surprised there were chocolaty brown eyes already looking at me. I couldn't deny the butterflies that shot through my stomach just then, but I had gotten used to them as they happened so frequently whenever I came into any sort of contact with Dan. I had had feelings for this boy ever since our eyes locked for the first time, but he had no idea. I had always been a bad actor, but covering feelings so well just came natural to me.

I stayed staring into his dark eyes trying to decode them, but he had always been hard to read and it was difficult to not drown in them.

"Um, hi," he finally laughed and I looked down, my cheeks turning a shade of pink as I felt embarrassed. He must have felt me tense because he started playing with my hair which relaxed me again - after years of knowing each other he had picked up the knowledge of what I did depending on what emotion I was feeling and how to settle me again. I put an arm around his waist and even though I knew he didn't have feelings for me, it made me happy that we could be totally comfortable with each other.

"Town today?" I mumbled, his hair-playing was slowly sending me back to sleep again.

"Yeah, I need a shower though," I mentally groaned. I didn't want to move, I was perfectly comfortable like this but I knew that I had to move or he would get freaked out.

I left him to shower while I made coffee and toast for myself. I went into my bedroom to have my breakfast and sat on my bed which now seemed abnormally large now that I was alone.

I took a shower myself after and got ready, blow drying and straightening my hair before throwing on a random outfit that I grabbed from my drawers.

I stepped out my room the same time as Dan stepped out of his, my heart skipping a beat as my eyes gazed over him. Even after the years of knowing him, I still wasn't used to how beautiful he was.

He was wearing black skinny jeans with a red baseball shirt which had 'Wildcats' written on it with a tiger underneath.

"Checking me out?" He winked, making me laugh.

"High School Musical?" I raised an eyebrow.

"I don't need to explain myself to you!" I laughed and his eyes glittered which was unusual for him. They hadn't done it in a while and it only happened when he was happy, like, really happy.

My heart fell as I realised I could never have Dan, I just couldn't. He was so good looking and his personality was perfect, he could get anyone he wanted, so why would he ever settle for me?

I was plain with pale skin and boring eyes which put my jet black hair into contrast. People always found me weird and I couldn't always hold conversations. Yeah, Dan could do much, much better than me.

"Phil?"

"Hmm?" I was pulled out my thoughts by his voice. 

"Ready to go?"

"Yeah," I put a jacket on and Dan slung a backpack over his shoulders.

We walked side-by-side mainly in silence as we walked to town. I wanted so badly to hold his hand, but I don't think he would've liked it and I saved myself the embarrassment and rejection by shoving my hands in my pockets instead.

I followed him around to the shops that he needed and even though we didn't really talk that much, I just enjoyed spending time with him. Dan filled the gap in my life that I had had once before I met him, and now that he was in my life I couldn't imagine not ever having him in it. I was in love with him, but I could never risk our friendship by telling him how I felt.

After about three hours shopping and a visit to ShakeAway, we finally sat down on a bench in a park, having a long discussion about anything and everything. I was halfway through responding to something he said when I was cut off by the ringing of Dan's phone. He sent me an apologetic look before answering it.

"Hello?... Oh hey PJ... No no, we're free... sounds good, wait a sec, I'll ask him," he turned to face me and I tried to smile despite the jealously that was burning my insides. "Phil, party tonight, PJ's?" I nodded even though I wasn't really up for it, but I could hear in his voice that he wanted to go so I only agreed to please him. He grinned and his smile met his eyes as they sparkled. "Yeah he's up for it, what time?... Okay that's great, see you later!... Yeah, yeah, haha I know, bye," he hung up and looked at me. "Ready to go home?"

"Not yet, let’s just stay here for a while."

I didn't want to go home yet because I wanted to try something. I looked at Dan who was on his phone and I noticed that the funny feeling was in my stomach again when he turned his head and smiled at me.

We were sitting close together so that our arms were touching and when he put his phone back in his pocket the backs of our hands were almost brushing. I wanted to reach out and hold his hand and just see what it felt like, the craving I felt was killing me. 

I started chewing on my lip and my stomach started doing somersaults. I backed out of the plan, I was far too nervous to do it.

"Phil?" I looked at him and his brown eyes told me he was concerned. "Are you okay?" I nodded and turned my attention back to our hands but I couldn't bring myself to do it.

"Home?" I asked him a few minutes later and he nodded and stood up, putting our empty ShakeAway cups in a nearby bin.

I stood up and Dan walked back to me, smiling. When he was next to me the urge to hold his hand came back but it was stronger this time. Just do it. My heart thudded in my chest as I started to reach for it.

Dan P.O.V.

Phil had been distracted by his thoughts all morning. Even though I was a little hurt with him not telling me what they were, I respected his privacy.

I walked back to him from the bin and saw him chewing on his lip again, he looked nervous about something.

He looked up at me and I smiled as I approached him. I was confused when I was next him and he wouldn't start walking.

I opened my mouth to question him but that's when he slipped his warm hand into mine. Our fingers entwined and I looked down at them, blushing furiously.

It felt like fireworks were exploding inside of me and a smile crept up on my lips. Every now and then I would think of what it would be like for us to be a couple and the possibility of it, but I would always brush it off, thinking it would never happen.

I had a theory that said if your hands fitted together perfectly, you belonged to them, and my hand in his just felt so right. It was perfect. I looked at Phil for his reaction, but he was looking down at the ground and wouldn't make eye contact with me.

I squeezed his hand, reassuring him that I was perfectly okay with it. 

"Come on Phil," I started walking and pulled him along with me, he looked at our hands again for a moment before smiling that smile which made him look both adorable and innocent, making my heart flutter.

Phil P.O.V.

My nerves left me when Dan pulled me along with him, not letting go of my hand. We walked home talking like we normally would; the only thing that changed was that our hands were linked. 

Every now and then I would down to look at our hands and I could never stop the smile that always forced itself on my lips when I did. My pale skin now looked even paler against Dan's nice tan.

Maybe... Maybe he liked me too.