Lean in | Phan

Chapter 2- Problems

Dan's POV

So, it had been two weeks since the phone-breaking incident occurred and I had met Phil, and we were now regularly hanging out. He wasn't in any of my classes, so I had to meet him during break, lunch and any free periods we had together. For the first week everything was great, we sat under the stairs beneath geography together and listened to the music on Phil's phone whilst gaming on steam on our laptops. People just brushed us off as they walked past, barely noticing us, which in my opinion was a good thing.

The problems started during that second week, when we started developing a reputation for being the 'emo kids under the stairs'. The first incident was only minor, but it grew from there. We were listening to BVB's 'Goodbye Agony' with one earphone each, both of us having one free ear. As a group of sports-thugs walked past, someone in the front of the group spat "emo fags". This obviously upset both of us, but we didn't let one person bother us.

The next problem occurred the same day, at lunch this time. We found a note on the floor where we sit that read 'kill yourselves. a cuple of fags like u  deserv to dye.' Despite being extremely grammatically flawed, this note hurt both of us in a different way than the direct insult we received earlier. It was becoming known that every day we would be here; it was catching on.  Plus, to make matters worse, we didn't know who this note was from. And we really don't know many people. So, apparently, a random guy we don't know wants us to kill ourselves, meaning the chances are there is another random guy wanting us to commit, and so on and so forth. We both knew the reasoning behind it, we both understood, but still we carried on with our usual routine and remained happy until the next day.

We had been sat down during lunch for about 15 minutes when another, unfamiliar, group of students walked straight up to us. Usually people would only cross through here to get out the fire exit as a shortcut to their next lesson, but it was obvious their intentions were to see us. "We see you here a lot," Said a big guy at the front with a missing front tooth, "we don't like your kind." What a dick. "Our kind?" Questioned Phil, a hint of sass in his voice. Oh, no. Phil you stupid idiot. WHAM. Phil took a kick to the nose from the same guy who spoke. "You dare talk to me like that again, cunt, and I will make it certain that you can't see for a month." Phil was whimpering and clutching his bleeding nose with his sleeved hands. I went to open my mouth to retaliate, but tasted mud and I received a kick to the jaw. "As for you," He said, giving my leg a nudge with his colossal foot, "if you dare do anything gay or emo you will be tasting blood." And with that, the group strode off through the fire exit, leaving us shocked and in pain. I tried to talk, but upon realising the left side of my face was completely swollen, it sounded a little like this: " 'o wu' do we do no'" (translation: 'so what do we do now'). Apparently Phil understood me and gave a small shrug, still mopping up the blood that flushed out of his purple nose.

Phil's POV

After a kick in the nose, I watched helplessly as a massive foot booted Dan straight to the left of his jaw, squinting as I imagined the pain he must be in. After the group of, dare I say, douchebags, walked away, I proceeded to clean up my own face before focusing my attention on Dan's. Despite only knowing him a week-and-a-bit, I felt like we had known each other for years. I turned to face him, only then realising how close we were. I decided to ignore this and pick off a piece of hard mud that had stuck itself to Dan's glabella. "Fank' " He said, indicating he was trying to thank me. I gave him a nod and noticed his lip was bleeding pretty bad. I reached my arm into my bag to find a tissue, drawing up my sleeve. I took my arm out my bag and started to dab at his face in an attempt to soak up the seemingly endless bloodstream coming from his deformed lip. For a few moments we were staring into each other's eyes, when he suddenly turned his attention to my un-sleeved arm. His eyes widened and his hand gestured towards my bare skin.

"Shit" I exclaimed, clearly alarming Dan. "I can explain, promise. It was just my cat." At that point it became apparent that Dan had lost the will to even attempt speech, so he started typing on his laptop. A few moments later, a message appeared on my own laptop via Instagram direct message

Dan: You don't have a cat, Phil.

Crap.

Me: Sorry, I meant my hamster.

Dan: Bullshit. A hamster couldn't fuck up your arm that badly. Tell me what's going on.

..........

Me: Nothing, It was just an accident. I didn't wanna tell you because it's embarrassing, but I actually fell into a bush. See, embarrassing.

Dan: Took you a while to think about that one, Phil. Please just tell me, you're my best friend and I-

He looked like he tapped a few back-spaces there.

Dan: - worry about you.

Me: What's to worry about?

Dan: Phil, give it a fucking rest. You obviously did that to yourself - recently as well. Don't play stupid fucking games.

Me: I didn't do it to myself

Dan: BRB.

A few moments later he was rummaging through my pencil case and pulled out my pencil sharpener. Fuck.

Dan: Where's the blade, Phil?

Me: Not what it looks like. It didn't come with a blade.

Dan: STOP BULLLSHITTING ME. Those cuts were recent. Yesterday, maybe? After we got that note?

Me: Fine. You were gonna find out sooner or later. I took out the blade of my sharpener and cut myself. Happy?

Dan: Do you think I'm fucking happy? Do you think I wanted to find out the only person I care about hurts themselves?

Me: I'm not the only person you care about, Dan.

Dan: Look around you, Phillip. Do you see anyone else here? Have you noticed how close we are sitting together right now?

He was right, we were alone and very close. But what was he trying to say (or type)?

Me: Yeah, but what are you getting at

Dan: That you're my friend and I care

I felt flattered yet disappointed. I was hoping he was flirting, at least a little bit. No, Phil, snap out of it. Girls. Boobs. Long hair. Brunette. Brown eyes. Dimples. Black skinny jeans. Muse. Dan. Fuck.

Me: that's nice. But I can do this on my own.

Dan: No chance. I'm with you always, Mr Lester.

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Soooooo that was an eventful chapter. Hope you enjoyed, will get on to chapter three when I can :)