Hello stranger. ⇝ Phan

4.5

I woke up and the only assurance I had was that I wasn't home. I looked around me and suddenly I had another assurance: Dan was there, by my side. He slept facing the sheets on his crossed arms, on the bed I was. The sheets smelled weirdly familiar, like hospital sheets. My fantastic brain then realized I was at the hospital. I felt a few bandages on my face and neck, but I didn't feel as much pain as earlier on that day. I played with Dan's hair and smiled at his sleeping figure. He was so pretty.

He woke up with the moves of my fingers on his hair and looked up at me, smiling.

-Hi.- He said in a drunk sleepy voice.- You passed out.

-Good morning. I figured out.

-How are you feeling?

-I'm pretty great, actually.

-Good.- He smiled.

-Why did you go there save me?

-Oh... Cause your father called me and told me to, or he'd hurt you.

-Yeah, but why did you go?

-Because I didn't want you to be hurt.

-Even after all I'd done to you?

-Well yeah... Phil, I realized that it doesn't matter how much you hurt or disappoint me, because I'm stupid and I think I am in...-Dan's speech was rudely interrupted by my mother, breaking open the bedroom door.

-OH MY GOD PHILLY ARE YOU OKAY, HUNNY?

-Yeah mum, I'm good now.

-ARE YOU SURE? WHO DID THIS TO YOU? WHY IN LONDON? WHO IS THIS GUY IN THE ROOM? ANSWERS, PHILIP, NOW

-Yeah mum, I'm sure. It was dad. I was planing to move here, so I came to visit. That's Dan, he is...-Dan interrupted me.

-Hi, Mrs. Lester, I'm Dan Howell, Phil's friend from London, I came to help and...- He raised his hand to greet my mother.

-No. That is wrong.- My mum shook Dan's hand and looked at me in confusion.-This really is Dan. But he's not just a friend of mine... Well, maybe 8 months ago we were just friends, but I am fucking in love with Dan Howell and we had some problems and I fucked up, but I wanted to make that up to him. Martyn discovered I had feelings for this boy and threatened to tell you about him if I didn't find a girlfriend, so I did, only so I could have enough time to find a new place to live, cause I figured you'd kick me out if you discovered I was gay. By the way, hi mum, I'm gay. So I found a place in London and this crazy girl sent Dan some mean texts about his sexuality, so I broke up with her, then she threatened to ruin my life. Then, I got on the subway to come to my new place, and as I got off the subway, I was kidnapped, later on I discovered my father was the kidnapper and that my psycho ex girlfriend was helping him. He judged my sexuality, beat me up a little and called Dan to come rescue me so he could kill him, but Dan called the cops, stole dad's gun and beat him in the head with it, making him pass out... I don't know much about the rest, cause I passed out because of all the blood I lost, and well...here we are.

-They arrested him and Janine.- Dan said.

-Thank you so much.- My mom hugged Dan.-You saved my son.-She came to me and smiled.- I don't necessarily understand your sexuality, Phil. I was raised to believe that homosexuality is a sin, but you've done so much for him, and he's done so much for you... I don't understand it. But I accept and support it. And I really want to understand. I can't help but feel like this is all my fault.

-Nooo mum, it really isn't, please dooon't.

-Yes, it is, Phil... If I wasn't so homophobic, you'd never have gotten a girlfriend.

-No, mum, I probably wouldn't, but if none of this had happened, Dan could not be here with me right now, so thank you.-I smiled and held her hand.

-I guess.-She smiled.

-When am I getting out of here?-I asked.

-Oh, one of the ladies said we only needed to wait for you to wake up, then we'd be good to go.-Dan said.

-Well, then I think we're good to go.- I smiled.

-I'm gonna call a nurse to take all those needles out of your arm, then we'll leave, how's that?-Mum asked.

-Great.-I replied.

As my mother left the room, Dan smiled at me.

-So you're fucking in love with Dan Howell?

-Go fuck yourself.

Dan laughed.

-Had Clari told you the story before?- I asked him.

-No.- He replied.

-So, do you forgive me?

-You did nothing wrong, I don't need to forgive you. Do you forgive me for being a little bitch?

-Maybe it's no one's fault. Maybe it is just the universe pranking us a bit, checking if we can really stick together through bad times.

-The universe is such a fuckboy, like "it was just a prank bro."-Dan said and I giggled, making my stabbed throat hurt.

-You are the absolute worst.

-You adore me.

-Indeed.

The door opened.

-Let's go?- Mum asked.

-Can we go to my new place?

-I don't see why not.