Little Wonder (Phan)

Chapter Fifteen.

"Phil!?" I was scared, lost, and alone. Running throughout the crowd, I'd realised much too late that I should've stayed where I was, and like a parent would tell you, they would be able to find you. But I'd been stupid, and I had panicked, I had begun to search for him. It was late at night, and though the streets of Manchester were still crowded with people, I couldn't feel less safe. Phil was my safety net, he made me feel like everything was going to be okay.

Pushing past a couple of people, who responded with less than kind words, I thought I'd spotted him, when they turned around and I knew I was wrong. He'd said he was going to the bathroom, and I'd waited for him. But it'd been almost 20 minutes, and he had been nowhere in the bathroom, and I began to think the worst possible things imaginable. That is, until I found him. Out of breath and nerves on edge, I saw him sitting on a bench with a girl on his lap, her arms wrapped around his neck, and her lips connected to his.

And I swore that everyone in the entire city of Manchester could hear my heart shatter, and I stumbled back, but I'd misstepped and fell on my ass. And that seemed to finally grab his attention, and holy hell, the expression of guilt on his face hurt even more.

"Dan, wait!" But I'd already ran the other way, stumbling as I tried to keep my footing, and as soon as I was sure he wouldn't find me, I ran around a corner and fell back against it, sliding down it, with my hand over my mouth. Tears were streaming down my face, and I tried to be quiet, but of course, that seemed next to impossible. "Dan! Come back!" He ran straight past me, not even noticing me huddled up next to the wall, it was dark after all.

What I hadn't noticed was a woman who had actually stopped and was sitting next to me, what I can say is that I had screamed loudly once I noticed her, but my hand was still over my mouth, so it was muffled. "So, what's up?" She said it so casually, that I was at ease. She didn't ask why I was crying, she didn't ask if I was okay, or I needed help, she'd asked a question that could've worked in any situation, and I shrugged softly. "Well obviously it's something important, or else you wouldn't be huddled up here, now answer me. What's up?"

"I have a crush on this. .. person." Homosexuality wasn't exactly accepted back then, so I had to be careful when talking to others. "And, everything was going great. I was summoning the courage I required to tell them that I had feelings for them, at the end of our adventure here. But then they left, and didn't come back, even though they said they would. And what should I find but them snogging with someone else, me being forgotten." She simply put her hand on my shoulder, and smiled at me, brushing some hair out of my eyes.

"Well, how about we go and get a drink, hmm? I like a bit of tea myself, and maybe a hankering for a pastry or two. Whatcha say?" She held out her hand, and I took it, letting her pull me up, and even lean against her. She was like a mum. A good mum. "May I know your name, dear?" Her voice was soft, gentle, caring. And I closed my eyes as I relaxed.

"My name is Dan."

"Nice to meet you Dan. My name is Louise."

Crying into her, she rubbed soothing circles into my back, and whispering words into my ear, trying her best to calm me down. "I couldn't do it Louise, I just couldn't. I tried to, but it just fell apart. I can't even do something as simple as talk." She listened to me, she always seemed to listen to me. Taking in what I said, thinking about how to respond, what to say and what not to say. She always tended to say the right things as well, she was good with that.

"Would you like some tea, Daniel?" It was like she hadn't even heard me, but I nodded, sitting up on my own and wiping at my eyes as she got up and went to the kitchen. We were at her house for once, Eve had taken the girls to hers, and let us have our time alone. Hearing her move around, the clanking of silverware against a mug, she came with two in hand, and handed me mine with a soft smile. Taking a sip I felt myself relax, she always made the best tea, and she knew exactly how I liked it made. "Now, how about we go over this again."