Disappearing Bay

1. Arcadia Bay

It's funny how one minute someone can hate you and the next they can love you, and how feelings and relationships can change so quickly.

Dan had despised Phil at the beginning but through the months they had lived together they became very close. Spending almost every hour of every day with each other.

Maybe that's why it was so strange. So unexplained.

Phil lay on his bed in their student flat and looked up at the cream-coloured ceiling. It had been 5 months, yet he was still haunted with questions which he now feared would never be answered. Blaming himself was a big part of his life now, he presumed he had said something or done something for Dan to just slip away into the dark streets.

A loud knock rang through the room and brought Phil back into reality. He slowly got up off the bed and made sure he looked semi decent.

"Come in" his husky voice called and bounced off the walls of the silent room.

Pj slowly entered and looked at Phil with sympathy, he couldn't help it.

"We're going out for some late lunch....care to join us?" Pj asked with a slight smile as he clasped his hands together.

"'We'?" Phil retorted, not meaning to sound so harsh.

"Me, Chris, And Louise....but I'd like it if you came" the green-eyed boy replied.

"I-I don't-....I'll meet you downstairs in ten minutes" he begrudgingly replied as Pj left the room.

Phil hadn't really kept up with friendships after the disappearance. Pj was about the only person, with an exception of a few other people, who had really made an effort to maintain what they had.

As he checked his hair in the mirror, he sighed slightly. Everything seemed like too much of an effort but he stumbled along anyway. He willed himself to keep going everyday, it'd been five months and he was still going. He couldn't give up now.

Making his way downstairs, Phil made sure to avoid contact with anyone he had to pass.

"There you are, was beginning to think you'd never show up." Pj joked with a slightly stale laugh.

Phil laughed slightly in return but it mainly made him think of Dan. He needed to snap out of it he told himself.

They began their journey and walked through the busy bustling streets of the town which went by the name of 'Arcadia Bay'. People went about their daily lives, the majority being groups of students from the university mixed in with locals and the occasional tourist.

Once they had reached the diner, they grabbed a table next to the window. It was reasonably quiet much to Phil's delight.

"I've got Dr Mathews this afternoon, I swear she'll put me to sleep with her boringly flat tone" Chris began with a short laugh.

"You got any classes Phil?" Louise asked as she looked at the black-haired boy.

"One. Bout Shakespeare or something" he replied with a slight shrug as he continued to watch the world go by outside.

The oncoming conversation ran pretty flat and time flew by as they ate and left, parting ways to either get to class or return back to their apartments.

Phil decided to bunk off from his English lecture and head back to thei-his apartment. Considering it was the anniversary of Dans leaving, he couldn't really be arsed sitting through two hours of shitty Shakespeare readings.

As he made his way back to the apartment building, the sun was beating down heavily. A ripped and worn missing poster with Dan's face on it was still hanging onto a street lamp.

He placed his hand on the cold handle of the building and entered, then making his way up the stairs towards the apartment.

The key clicked and the door unlocked, slowly flowing open. Music still played quietly through his speakers which sat on his bedside table.

Phil walked over to his bed and lay down, turning the music up slightly. It made him feel less alone in the empty-feeling room. The sound bounced off the walls and made him feel as if he wasn't really there.

His text notification buzzed but he ignored it as he immersed himself in the melodic tune.

People kept saying they understood and that it would all be okay, but how would they know? It's not like the person they lo- their best friend has mysteriously vanished with no trace.

The room was strewn with rubbish and piles of clothes. Tidying up wasn't a high priority. Nothing was anymore.

Sometimes Phil questioned why he still stayed there. He should move away and start a new life. But he felt that letting go of Arcadia Bay meant letting go of Dan, and he couldn't do that, even if that was what he needed to do.

The room was cold from the everlasting breeze from the window which was now permanently open. Sometimes when he slept, he imagined that the air he felt against his skin was actually Dan's arms wrapping around him.

But tonight he didn't need to imagine.

-

Hey!

I've started this new phanfic based on a dream I had one night and also on the video game 'Life is Strange'.

I hope you enjoyed this first chapter and it has made you intrigued and interested in reading more.

Feedback would be appreciated.

Ly