Stepping Stones (Phanfic)

Chapter Two

The next day Dan woke up with a terrible headache and a dull stinging pain coming from his arms. With the smell of dried blood filling the air he dragged himself out of his bed and into the bathroom to clean his arms. While Dan was washing the red stains off of his recently damaged arms he saw himself in the mirror and was completely repulsed by what looked back at him. He hated himself and he hated that he hated himself. Dan just wanted to be happy but every time he looked at himself he disliked what he saw each time more than the last, he didn't want to believe what people said about him but he did, he always did.

                He promised himself that he wouldn't break down. It was a new town, new school, new people, a new chance. He fucked up. It was about 6:30 am, time for school. He didn't want to get up, he didn't even want to open his eyes, what was the point? The thing that jolted him out of his bed was his Mother's voice calling him down to eat. Dan pulled on his pants, slipped on a long sleeved shirt, making sure the cuts weren't visible.

                After catching a few bites of cereal before he went out the door, Dan walked quickly out the door and down the street to his new bus stop.There was only one other person that waited at the stop, Dan noted. She several inches shorter than him, and was kind of cute. Dan immediately shoved away the thought of a possible relationship. Soon enough, the bus came around the corner, stopped, and opened it's doors to welcome them to hell.

                 Dan picked a seat towards the front, there weren't that many people that sit in the front, they all go in the back and be "cool", Dan had stopped trying awhile ago. Before he placed his earphones in their rightful place on his ears, something caught his eye. A boy who looked about two years older than him was sitting in the seat across from him. He too was listening to music and appeared to be asleep. He had black hair that was styled similarly to Dan's but a little longer longer and messier. He was wearing a blue plaid shirt that was hanging loosely around his shoulders and a black beanie that said MCRMY in red letters. Dan would have thought he looked completely normal but for the many facial piercings he had.

               Just then someone sat down next to the sleeping boy. Dan recognized him as PJ Liguori, one of those kids who's always been popular but not for any particular reason. As soon as PJ sat down he started talking about some video he wanted to make. The other boy who apparently wasn't sleeping just grunted.

               "Oh come on Phil!" PJ said. "They'll love it! You haven't posted anything for like, a really long time and people are getting worried."

"I don't want to make videos anymore." Phil said without opening his eyes.

What are they talking about? Dan thought to himself. He was curious but didn't want them to realize he was listening so he closed his eyes and pretended to be asleep.

"Is this because of.... Because of Ling?" PJ asked quietly.

"No! Can you please stop talking about him!" Phil half shouted. Even with his eyes closed Dan could tell he was angry.

"Sorry." PJ said quietly.

There was a long silence after that so Dan turned on his music and slouched against his backpack.

                 The bus ride to school was about five and a half songs, the best way to measure time. The bus pulled up in front of the school and opened it's doors. Dan was the one who got off the bus first, he was pretty sure that Pj and Phil were close behind. The thought sent shivers up his spine. He quickly walked in the school, shoved his backpack in his locker and grabbed his stuff for his next class. Dan couldn't help but blush as Phil walked by. Pulling himself out of his trance, Dan continued on his way to the library to finish his homework.

                 The school day was fairly normal for Dan, except for one thing, Dan couldn't stop thinking about Phil, and his "videos". What did he even make videos of? He was off task that day, be even got a C on the Math test, he didn't even care though. When lunch came, Dan took the time to get out his money and eat lunch for a change.

                 Dan always sat in the library so that he could be more secluded and not have to feel so awkward because he was eating by himself. He was thinking about whether he was actually going to eat or not when someone sat down in front of him. He looked up to see a girl holding a stack of books and smiling at him.

"Hi, I'm Louise!" She said excitedly. Just from those three words Dan could tell she was one of those people who always appeared to be happy for no reason at all. "You're Dan right?"

"Um, yeah." He replied. Why is she talking to me?

"You don't mind if I sit with you while I wait for my friends right?"

"No, it's fine." There was an awkward silence. "So wh-"

"Are you single?" Louise interrupted.

"What?" No one had ever spoken to him by choice before, much less asked if he was single of not.

"I'm not asking you out of anything," she laughed, "I'm just curious."

"Um, yeah." Why do you care?

"Cool, me too."

Just then Phil, PJ, and a boy Dan didn't know walked into the library.

"Oh," Louise said, "that's them. I guess I should leave now. Do you want to come sit with us? I think they would like you!"

To be perfectly honest Dan did want to sit with them. But he knew that Louise was just being nice because it would be really awkward to just leave. "No, I have a lot of homework to do."

"Oh," She seemed mildly disappointed but Dan knew she wasn't really, "Well if you finish before the bell rings just come over!"

"Okay." Like that's going to happen.

"Bye Dan!"

"Bye."