Shooting Stars ✹ Phan

Twelve

"Hey.." Mum showed up at my door.

"Hi.." I said.

"As much as I love having you around.." She said. "You do have uni today.."

"I know..." I said, rolling out of bed. She left so I could get ready, and I walked out of the house without eating breakfast.

~

When I got to the university, I had ten minutes to spare, so I sat in the hallways, trying to keep my sanity. Students walked past, looking at me like I was a piece of dirt to kick around, until I recognized one man. It was Phil. He walked towards me, but sat down about three feet away.

"Hey.." He said.

"I don't want to talk..." I said.

"I know you don't.." Phil sighed. "I didn't expect you to want to talk to me... after what happened yesterday. I'm sorry..." I stayed quiet. "Dan... I know I hurt you. It hurt me more than you may of thought.."

"Why? Your new man left you?" I muttered.

"Because I hurt the first man I ever loved. He meant nothing to me. You're the only man I love... and I want you to forgive me. Please..." He started crying.
"After you left, he beat me up. He gave me this.." I slowly turned my head to see he had a cast on his left leg. "Luckily it wasn't my arms...." I turned away. "Dan... nothing you did in the past caused this to happen.." Phil said. "That was all my mistake. I was lonely... I was depressed... but nothing makes me feel more lonely and depressed than seeing you refuse to make eye contact with me..."

"You hurt me..." I said, crying.

"I hurt myself..." Phil started crying as well, but I saw at the corner of my eye that he was coming closer to me. "I'm so sorry..... I'm so unbelievably sorry... I hate myself for this..." I cried harder, still trying to hide my face. "Dan, I didn't want this to happen this way...." I heard him open something. "But I got something for you..." He sniffled. "I bought it the day I left you at the hospital... and since then, it's been a reminder that you're the one man.... that I will never stop loving..." He took my hand, and stood up with me. "Please.... look at me... I need to see those brown eyes..." I looked at him.

"I'm different now..." I whispered. "I've changed..."

"I know..." He smiled, but his eyes were still tearing up. "I'm so proud of you...." One of Phil's hands slipped around my neck, his thumb rubbing my cheek. "I love you, Dan...." He pulled me in for a hug, and I cried into his shirt.

"I love you, Phil..." I said.

"I'm so happy to hear you say that...." He smiled, and started to kneel down. I covered my mouth in shock. "I bought this a year ago, waiting for the day I could give it to you...." Phil opened the small box, revealing a ring with a heart shaped diamond in the middle. It had a combination of our names carved into the back, the words, 'No matter what' in the outside of the band. "Will you marry me?"

"Oh my God, Phil..." I cried. "Yes..." He put it on my finger, and pulled me into his arms, holding me against his body tightly. "I missed this so much...."

    "I don't know what I would've done if you had said no..." He whispered.