Hope

5

**Suicide**

Phil's POV
It all happened in slow motion, as if we were in a movie. He said he was leaving. He told me that he was sorry, and that he was only a waste of space. Then he stormed out of the door. In slow motion. I followed him out, running after him as he sped down the street. I knew all too well where he was going. I blinked back the tears as I saw the bridge we first met on come into view. In slow motion. He climbed over the railing, and I ran after him, but I knew it would be too late. He jumped. In slow motion. And then my whole world came crashing down. Without Dan, I was nothing. Without Dan, I had nobody to look after. I know I'd only just met him, but it felt like I'd known him forever. I knew why he meant so much to me. It hit me like a ton of bricks. I was in love with Dan, and I had let him die. I fell to the floor and sobbed. I sobbed so much I was shaking.

"Phil... Phil!" I recognised that voice... That was Dan's voice. Had I cried so much I had drowned in my own tears?

"Phil!"

I awoke to see Dan laid next to me, looking worried.

"What happened?" I managed to get out between sobs.

"You fell asleep on the sofa, so I carried you on to the bed and I slept on the sofa. I woke up when you started screaming and crying. I was so worried Phil, I thought something terrible was happening..."

Dan still looked terrified.

"What happened? Was it a nightmare?"

I decided to tell him, after all, he was my best friend. But I'd leave out the but about me being in love with him.

I nodded.

"Dan... You went back up to that bridge, and I tried to stop you but I was too late and you jumped..."

I dissolved into tears.

"Phil. Look at me..." I looked at him. "As long as you want me around, I'll stay. I know I haven't known you long, and this may sound ridiculous, but it feels like I've known you my whole life. Your my best friend, and you've done more for me in the few days we've known each other than anyone who I've known my whole life has ever done. So as long as I have you, I have a reason to live."

I nodded, smiling weakly to show gratitude. It was still the middle of the night.

"Now you get some sleep, I'll be on the couch if you get any more bad dreams."

He tucked me under the duvet and patted my shoulder, before walking across my room.

"Dan, wait... Could you maybe, sleep in here tonight. Just so I know that your still here..."

He said nothing, but he crossed back over the room and climbed under my duvet. Just his presence calmed me instantly. Suddenly, I felt his arms wrap around my body. I turned around so we were looking at each other, and I put my arms around him. I couldn't lose him, ever. I was going to look after him, I had to help him get better. I didn't know all the things in his life, but I intended to find out. My mind wandered back to the fact that we were holding each other... This was a normal thing for friends to do... Right? At this moment in time I didn't care. The last thing I heard before I fell asleep was Dan.
"I'm not going anywhere..."

Dan's POV
It was in that moment, as I held him in my arms, that I realised that Phil was just as fragile as me. I swore to myself that I would look after him. I didn't know everything about him, but I was going to find out. He was my superhero, but the truth was, Phil was human too.