The sound of shattering glass echoed around Phil, making the hairs on his arms stand up. He spun around as fast as he could only to see a dark face staring back at him. He screamed as he jumped backwards. The character standing in front of him roared a deep laugh before stepping closer...
One Day Earlier
He walked slowly, kicking pebbles at his feet along the concrete sidewalk. He looked up to see his best friend staring back at him, a goofy smile on her face. Her bleach blond hair was tied back, swooping around due to the cold, windy morning air. She tightened her grey cardigan around her body as she grabbed onto my arm.
"Come on, Phil, we're gonna be late!" She told him as she pulled him up the slippery steps toward the open doors ahead. As they stepped inside He saw what seemed like hundreds of pupils running around. Some with books in their hands, some just talking to their friends.
Phil looked up ahead and saw the school bad boy, Chris staring at him with an evil glare. His friends soon joined in and glared at him too. Except for one. The quietest one of them all; Dan Howell.
Dan was the quiet, shy kid who always stood by but never said anything. He would never join in or help out with any kind of bullying his 'friends' would take part in. He would just stand at the back, wincing every time the victim whimpered in pain. Phil always noticed the sympathetic looks dan would give them after their beatings. He still despised him though. If he stood there, not doing anything to stop them, then he was as much responsible as they were, wasn't he?
Phil was thrown out of his thoughts by a strong force shoving him to the side, throwing him into a metal locker standing beside him. He coward in fear as he looked up to see Chris staring down at the huddled boy.
"Get outta our way Lester, or you'll get more than just a shove," Chris' best friend Pj told him while Chris snickered from the side. Phil hung his head low as he sidestepped towards a worried best friend.
"I'm fine Louise, let's go," Phil mumbled to his friend before dragging her to his locker.
"You shouldn't let them treat you like that, Phil. You need to stand up for yourself-"
"And get killed? Yeah I'd rather not," Phil cut Louise off, slamming his locker in front of him. He rested his head against the door groaning in frustration.
"I'll be fine Louise, stop worrying," he said with a small, forced smile. She frowned at him before quickly changing the subject,
"Did you finish the English homework?"
"Ah, fuck," he mumbled. The bell was heard around them, along with the chatter of eager nerds and annoyed jocks as they rushed to class. Louise and Phil got pushed apart as the large crowd hurried around them.
••••••••••••••••••••••
Lunch
Phil quickly walked outside only to be stopped by three boys.
"Is that money you've got in your hand, Fag?" Chris asked Phil. Phil tried to swallow the lump in his throat as he slowly nodded his head.
"We'll hand of over, gaylord! Or do I have to make you?" Phil reluctantly handed his ten pound note to a snickering Chris before running around him to his only safe place, a hollowed out tree behind the school. Louise sat in it, taking a bite out of an apple until she saw Phil.
"What happened? Why are you so late? Was it those jerks again?" She kept on asking questions until a flustered phil put his hand over her mouth. He quickly explained what happened and that he was okay before sitting down inside the dimly lit tree, relaxing for the first time today. He tuned out Louise's attempts to talk to him as he put his hands under his head and lay down, closing his eyes.
•••••••••••••••••••••
Dans POV:
Dan never liked when Chris and Pj would beat people up. It would always be for stupid reasons. It's usually because they found out someone was gay or bi. He's surprised they haven't done anything to Phil yet. He came out as gay a few days ago. He always sees Chris glaring at him but he hasn't touched him yet. Well, other than this morning. Dan looked over at his friends chatting away loudly, people nervously scurrying around them. He got up quietly, his head hung low. The two boys didn't even realise he had left. He quickly walked to the back of the school, finding the huge oak tree he loves so much. He trudged over to the tall tree and leaned against it, closing his eyes and daydreaming.
"What the hell?" He heard from beside him. His eyes sprung open to see blue eyes looking down at him, glaring.
