save me | phan

11

They both sat on the soft couch from Dan's lounge, with the cereal bowls in their hands, but for a while none of them said a single word, they were just eating and looking at each other, or staring at the furniture.

"So," Phil finally spoke. "Why are you going there? What's your story?"
As he heard those words, Dan closed his eyes and bit the inside of his cheek. To be honest, he sometimes actually forgets the reason his mom wanted him to go to that support group, which was supposed to help him somehow.

"Um-- I really don't like talking about it, but one day I will probably tell you", was a lie that he just made up, smiling to look a bit more confident with his answer.
"How often do you say that lie, Dan?" laughed Phil.
"But I'm not lying. Anyway, you are coming here because..?"
"I'm not mentally ill if that is what you're asking. I don't know, I guess I'm just trying to help others."

And after that they were silent again. Dan finished his cereals and stood up because he had to clean the dishes and Phil went after him.
"You're so damn quiet!" he said, almost giggling.
The other raised his shoulders.
"I'm sorry, it's just that the past affected me and hi, I'm Dan but you can call me an anti-social and I wouldn't mind, because I know that's true."

He washed the two bowls and dried his hands with a cotton towel and then he sat on the kitchen counter, rocking his feet back and forth. In this whole time, Phil looked at him like a parent would watch their crying kid, without knowing the reason and stepped towards him. He placed his hand on Dan's upper thigh and said with a really soft and warm voice:


"Please let me help you."