Those Who Love | Phan

Three - Those Who Encounter

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Encounter: an unexpected or casual meeting with someone or something.
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Phil chuckled a soft laugh that instantly made Dan's insides turn to jelly, "I mean, are you sure you're really okay? You just fell over your own shoelace or something. I know from experience, and that tends to hurt."

"Of course I'm fine," Dan stifled out a laugh. He was fine, but he was fairly sure that he had bruised his knee or something. "I'm Dan by the way." Dan held out his hand for Phil to shake, and to his happiness Phil took his hand and shook it.

"I just told you my name, but I'll tell you again, it's Phil. Phil Lester." Phil introduced himself once more, taking a small bow making Dan laugh.

Dan then bowed too, which was new as he was used to people bowing for him, "Pleasure to meet you Phil. I saw you were reading The Maze Runner..." Dan trailed off, stopping when he suddenly feeling himself turn red in embarrassment. Why was he embarrassed? "That's my favourite book."

Phil's eyes widened, "Really? It's mine too!" He told Dan with excitement evident in his voice.

"But you're only part way through it?" Dan questioned, confused why it was Phil's favourite book when he hadn't completed it yet. "How can you be sure?"

Phil shrugged, "You don't need to read a whole book to like it. You could only read one chapter and then it could instantly be your favourite book." Phil explained.

"But what if you don't like the ending?" Dan questioned, earning a look from Phil.

"Even if an ending is terrible, where everybody dies and no smiles are found, there is always one source of happiness. No ending can ever be that bad, it just depends on what you focus on." Phil told him. "There's always one bit of happiness in every situation."

Dan smiled at him, "That's really wise." He said quietly after a few moments of silence.

Phil smiled back a warm, comforting smile, "Thank you."

"So, do you feel that way about people too?" Dan asked, confused about where all this confidence had come from.

Does this count as flirting or just a normal conversation?

"I mean, all the book stuff. Only reading one chapter and falling in love. Like you only see one side of them, one chapter of their life and then fall in love." Dan expanded, instantly wanting to crawl up into a ball.

Why the hell did he just ask that?

Phil was shocked at the question, his blue eyes widening. He hadn't even know this boy for five minutes and they were already talking about love, "Like I said - it depends on what you focus on." Phil smiled for what seemed the billionth time today, and looked at Dan.

"Because in that chapter there could be an editing mistake, or a wrong turn the character made. And people tend to focus on that for that person. But I see the hidden love behind the drama, and I see the small grins and the growing happiness." Phil rambled on, forgetting about everything and just letting his thoughts run free.

"At the end of the day, that one editing mistake doesn't matter. As long as they believe in themselves and other people, that's all that really matters."

Dan stood there with his mouth slightly open, intrigued by the way Phil talked about life, "Deep." He muttered as he picked up his bags on the floor which he had dropped when he fell.