Misfit (Phan AU)

Chapter Ten

*Dan's POV*

"He's miserable." Cat announced from somewhere else in my room, the sentence coming out in an unsatisfied huff. I wanted to cling to the idea I was already asleep, considering I had my back turned away from her and was facing the wall, so she really couldn't tell, but I also knew that'd mean hearing the mouthful of a lecture from her in the morning when I awoke. Either way, I was going to have to deal with her, I figured it best to just nip it in the bud before it festered and she turned it into something completely out of proportion like she usually found a way to.

"Trust me, I know." I groaned out, rolling onto my back and moving to stretch my arms high above my head. It wasn't meant to go any further than that but I got invested in the movement, arching my back way off the bed and yawning loudly before falling back against the mattress. Inevitably curiosity got the better of me and I let my eyes dart around the room to seek her out, not all that surprised to find her standing by the window, looking out of it with her eyebrows knit tightly together. I couldn't tell if it was out of concentration or frustration toward me for being so uncooperative, but I figured I'd find out soon enough when she spoke up.

I waited patiently for her next response to come, braced up on one elbow and staring over at her. For the first time since meeting her she actually resembled very closely the way movies portrayed ghosts, all brooding and melancholy without any sort of explanation. She was pale with downcast eyes as she leaned against the window, seemingly staring at something outside, even if I knew better and could tell her mind was somewhere else entirely. Part of me was curious as to what, but I had my suspicions and I knew for a fact it was better for me to just cling to them than to try and pry something she didn't want to say past her lips.

I figured she was just attempting to make me feel guilty anyway, so I'd give in and just go along with whatever she was planning on suggesting. I had an idea of what she was going to ask me to do, to help Phil out regarding the disgusting noises coming from somewhere else on our floor, but that didn't mean I was going to just swallow my pride and agree to help. Sure, if he came to my room looking for help I wouldn't fight it, but to go out of my way and offer it, that was like putting myself out there and showing I actually cared about him, which I didn't. Hell, it'd probably only feed false hope to his undying interest in befriending me. I don't know what his problem is really, to take that much time on something as useless as-

"Then surely you know that's not how I meant it either." She snapped suddenly, breaking me out of my own thoughts with the unexpected harsh tone she used. I wasn't sure why she sounded so hostile after standing dormant for so long since I'd last replied, but I was definitely sure not to question it when she spoke that way, instead just shrugging my shoulders sheepishly. "He broke his headphones earlier, and you're partially at fault."

"All I did was-" She didn't let me defend my case, darting across the room quickly to stand at my bedside, glaring coldly down at me. I gulped, shrinking back toward the wall and away from her. Again she seemed very similar to Hollywood's fabricated idea of the supernatural, all brooding and vicious without reasoning. Someone is definitely on their time of the month- even if ghosts don't actually have them. I wonder what's actually gotten into her, but it's not like I could question it.

"Dan, you know he wouldn't even think twice about helping you out. You have a spare pair, you wouldn't want to listen to this either." She explained, gesturing toward the wall in the direction of the noises. I rolled my eyes, chuckling bitterly under my breath.

"Seems I have to anyway." I muttered, referencing the fact she'd chosen to drag this on rather than let me put my own headphones in and just fall asleep already. Apparently this was definitely the wrong thing to say though, considering the way she whipped around to face the other direction, stomping away from me as best a ghost could, considering they couldn't technically hit the floor with their feet without going right through it.