Take me to church (Book 1)

6- Name

"Right let's try this again. C6 plus H12 plus E...6...?"

"No Phil. It's O6. Come on we've been over this about ten times!" Louise exclaims, waving her hands around to get her point across. Phil nods and sinks back into his beanbag, kicking the revision book along his floor.

Being home schooled is tough so sometimes having a friend helps you remember things. But it's more complicated than it seems when someone like Phil can literally procrastinate by looking at a wall for an hour.

This was Louise' way of 'distracting' Phil after the whole park incident. He explained everything to her about Dan and what he's all about. She didn't approve.

Although she did mention something that caught his attention.
"That wasn't his girlfriend you know," Phil's ears perk up and he immediately focuses on his friend. "She was disgusted when they kissed, she was frowning and slightly pushing away. His friends also looked shocked. Trust me, she wasn't his girlfriend."

Phil nods and licks his dry lips, consuming this new information.
Why he cares so much he doesn't know but it's made him slightly happier.

However he quickly shakes off these emotions and shrugs whilst putting on a blank face. "I don't care whether she was his girlfriend or not. Doesn't effect me." He mumbles, picking up an Spanish revision guide and acting as if he's actually reading from it.

Louise giggles, covering her mouth before pinching Phil's cheek. "We both know that's not quite true, Phillip."

His cheeks flush bright red and he whips the book up so his face is covered from Louise' view.

It's soon lowered when footsteps come up the stairs and his bedroom door opens. His father never knocks.
"Louise if you don't mind but I would appreciate it if you left now." Phil's father requests as politely as he can manage.

She nods and waves sweetly to Phil before leaving downstairs, Phil's eyes still trained on the foreign language on the page. Hopefully his father doesn't ask him some questions about Spanish.

"Oh, Espanol! I'm quite good at this."

Phil mentally curses and puts on a fake look of interest as his father kneels beside him. "Introduce yourself." He instructs.

Phil rolls his eyes but clears his throat. "Me llamo Phil, hola." He says, his words crooked and not smooth at all.

His father noticeably cringes but composes himself. "Keep working on it kiddo." The vicar says and pats Phil's shoulder before leaving the room.

The boy shakes his head and whispers a profanity under his breath before looking back at the page, wanting to get some information in his stupid brain.

His phone then buzzes on his bed side table and he goes to check it, regretting it when seeing it's Dan.

From Dan-
Nice seeing u @ the park today Lester, didn't actually speak to me tho ://

Phil shuts off his phone and places it in a draw on his desk, returning back to his studying. Usually he would be doing something religion related but his father makes an exception when it's comes to school, or university.
That's what Phil should be in by now, uni, but because of troubles in the past he never got to apply or get the A levels for it.

He would've loved to have taken media and filming, working on skills and how to make awesome videos with his friends. Where the videos actually ended up he didn't know but having them and the whole experience of making them would be fun never the less.

Last Christmas Phil asked his father for a video camera, practically begging him like he had done years before that. That's all he ever wanted and the only thing he wasn't aloud to get.

He wonders whether Dan is allowed all that stuff, all those things that are forbidden from Phil. He also wonders whether Dans parents even care about what he gets up to. Do they know about how he treats people like himself? Do they know about his foul, sexual nature?

They must do. He's their son for crying out loud.

Although, Phil knows that Dan can put on an amazing persona and seem like he's an angel from above. He could trick old ladies into thinking he's a fallen star with the sun shining out of his backside.

Phil's always been interested in acting too, but not largely. As said, he just wants to make films and videos.

But his father would never approve.

After another few hours of studying Phil lowers the revision guide, yawning loudly before padding along his bedroom floor to collect his phone. Luckily for him he's home alone tonight as his father has the church night service. Apart from there's not much he can do, it's like being grounded. He mustn't leave his room unless it's for food, water or other needs.

His phone screen lights up and vibrates in his hand, a buzzing sensation running up his arm at a new text from Louise.

From Louise!!-
Heya tiger, there's a house party up by my road tonight and I'm going. Wondering if you want to tag along? Your dad isn't home tonight right? Xx

This is when Phil has to rack his brains. He's never been to a house party, or even a party before besides his neighbours birthday party from when he was four, the two didn't even know each other.

But living a life of safety and precaution doesn't wear off easily and Phil finds himself rejecting the offer, which Louise accepts.
Phil wishes her a fun night and tells her to be careful before once again locking his phone and placing it on top of the desk.

He flies backwards on his bed, his back hitting the mattress as his eyes search his blank ceiling.

White is such a dull colour; he thinks, imagining what his room would look like in a different colour. Maybe blue? Or green? Or both!

He will only ever be able to achieve that when he's older and has got his own house, for now he has to put up with his fathers strict rules.

Attention is drawn from the ceiling over to his phone which goes off. He reaches over and rolls his eyes when seeing it's Dan.

From Dan-
How DARE you turn down your invite to my house party! I don't invite just anyone you know Lester.

So it's Dans party that Louise is going to. She must've known this as Dan must've asked her to ask him.
Why on earth would he go there now considering he knows that Dan is hosting it?!

To Dan-
I'm flattered. Really. But no thanks.

He doesn't hear back from Dan after a few minutes so turns off his phone completely and shuts his eyes as he lies back on his bed.

Maybe he should go to the party?

No. He can't. If his father ever found out, he would be dog food.
The vicar would turn into satan himself just so he could cast Phil into hell.

Bit dramatic actually, that's what would happen if his father ever figured out that his son was gay.

"I'm not gay." Phil corrects himself from his thoughts.

That's another reason why he can't go to the party. A lot of things are done at parties and if Dan is going to be there and if Phil has a few drinks then he doesn't even want to imagine the results.

He stays away from Dan at all cost outside the church. He must.