You're Driving Me Mental - Phan

Chapter 3

Dan's POV
"So, let's go around the room and you can each tell us something that has happened since the last session. Whether it made you happy or sad, hopeful or lonely, you can share anything with us. Remember, we are all your friends here. Ben you can start."

'Ha' I thought, 'I don't need friends or even want them. And if I did I sure as hell wouldn't befriend a wierdo from around here.' I was quickly brought out of my thoughts when the annoying women at the front of the room asked Phil how he was doing so far.
"Okay. Nothing new or interesting has happened so far." He muttered before glancing over at me in the corner.
"And how about you Dan, how have you been feeling lately?Anything interesting you would like to share with us? " the therapist called over to me through the semicircle of chairs. I simply shook my head, hoping she would move on.
"Oh come on Dan. You must have done something in the past week, you know everyone is supposed to do something that scares them each week." I hated it when people were pushy here. I just wanted to keep myself to myself, but no, they always had to make a scene about everything I did. Or more like everything I didn't.
"Well then, there's still time. Come and sit with us in the circle and then you've done something you're scared of." Oh shit, was this really going to happen. "Look, there's a spare seat next to Amber!" I just shook my head. It was clear she was getting annoyed but people had there eyes on me so why should I have cared about what she wanted me to do. Luckily she gave up after that though. With nothing more than a sigh in my direction she was back asking the others stereotypical questions about how things made them feel.

Finally it was over and we could go do what we wanted for an hour. It wasn't really free time though, there was always a 'responsible adult' in every accessible area. I decided to go back to my room and hide after so many peoples eyes had been glued on me.

Phil's POV

The group therapy was strangely fun. I learnt there was a lot of people much more messed up then me. Oddly it made me feel better. That is, until I saw Dan sit on the floor in the corner of the room. He refused to answer the women's questions but she seemed used to it and very fed up. Dan was a mystery and an unknown force made me want to get to know him. It was 'free time' so I decided to go back to room 27 and sulk about ruining my family's life and being their stupid screwed up son.

I opened the door to see Dan had beaten me there. I had started to cry whilst walking to the room. But Dan was crying as well. And Dan was shaking. And Dan was breathing fast. And Dan's eyes where gorgeous. I tried to forget about the last one as I moved towards him slowly, shutting the door firmly behind me. It clearly wasn't the time to be figuring out my own thoughts.

Dan's POV

My mind was a mess. I could feel people's glares burning through my skin and drawing a knife out at the sight of my lungs. My lungs. I couldn't breathe. 'If I don't breathe I'll die. I'm going to die. Shit I'm going to die' the glares threw a bomb at my brain, destroying my reasoning and leaving the mark of a thought. I'm going to die! The other screwed up teens' eyes left and took all the oxygen with them. 'Shut up Dan. Your not being reasonable!' I thought to myself, but my reasoning had just been exploded. I took sharp breaths. I could feel my whole body beginning to shake violently. The explosion had caused an earthquake and there was no way to stop it. I took more sharp breaths. 'I'm going to die. I can't do this. I'm going to die.' My heart was racing fast and tears where running down my cheeks as if they where running for their lives. My vision was begging to blur and by chest hurt like mad.

Phil's POV

"Dan?" I reached out to touch him but he jerked back. I had no idea what I was supposed to do. "Dan, look at me. Breathe." He didn't listen. He just shook. "I need to go get someone." He grabbed onto my arm to get my attention then shook his head. There was no way I was going to be able to calm him down though so I pushed him off and left the room. I saw Jane stood at the end of the corridor and ran towards her. "Jane, Dan's having a panic attack and I don't know what to do!" I panted.
"Okay honey calm down. Where is he?" How could she be so calm about what I told her.
"In our room." She walked down the corridor casually, as if she was taking a dog for a walk on a Sunday afternoon. I followed hot on here heels as if I were the dog. She opened the door and walked towards the mess in front of us. I closed the door behind us and leaned back against it, listening.
"Dan sweetie, look at me." As expected, he didn't. His eyes were darting around the room. I had seen people have a panic attack before but never like this. Jane put her hand under Dan's chin and lifted his head to look at her.
"Dan. Copy me okay."
After at least 20 minuets of Jane trying to get the boy to breath and reassuring him, he finally seemed to begin to calm.

Dan's POV

"Do you want to come with me to an office where we can chat?" Jane asked me sweetly. Why would I want to go to a small room and talk when I hate both of those things. I shook my head and laid back on my bed.
Breathe in- 1-2-3-4
Breath out- 1-2-3-4
I was still shaking and I felt that if I tried to move I would simply faint.
"Okay. Do you want to just stay here?" I nodded. Jane was nice to me whilst I was having a panic attack. She knew not to touch me, not to ask questions. Wait. Phil had tried to touch me before. Phil saw all of it. I looked up to see him stood at the door. Fuck. I could feel my whole body starting to shake faster and my breathing became ragged.
"Dan look at me please?" Jane asked. I had to listen to her since she had just helped me. "Dan are you sure you're ok?" I simply nodded again. "Well boys, it's lunch and since it is my job to take care of you, you have to come." She said bluntly.

She led us to the hall and placed us at my usual table, hidden from the world.
"Oh look, it's the scaredy cat!" Said a voice from behind Phil's head. Charlie. "Oh, you must be Phil, the new kid. You haven't even been here for a full day and by the looks of things, you've already seen Dan freak out. I'm jealous ." Charlie slowly shuffled off after that, flicking his blond hair out of his face. Did I really look that much of a mess. Well, I was still visibly shaking, my eyes were probably red and my face stained with tears. I glanced up to see that Phil was staring at me with a confused expression across his face. "H-he's a-a psych-ch-o-opa-ath." I stuttered to Phil. I must have sounded pretty stupid, not being able to say three words clearly.
"I see." Muttered Phil thoughtfully.

"Guys, I have you a ham and lettuce sandwich each. I figured you wouldn't be hungry Dan. And Phil, you need to ease your way into eating properly." Jane set a plate and a glass of apple juice each down in front of me and Phil before leaving to talk to a tall, bald man. Phil's face dropped at the sight of the food in front of him. I looked over at Jane who was looking pitifully at Phil then she looked up and smiled at me. She wanted me to try and make him eat. Ugh.