cheerleader // phan

four

dan groaned as he rummaged through his pocket of his floral romper after third period. he couldn't find his pencil, and he knew who took it. phil. this wasn't abnormal. dan saw him by his locker, and he strode over, his fake confidence building up.

"pencil," dan said, holding out his hand, his knee popping. phil was strangely nice.

"oh, right, sorry." phil said truly apologetically, and handed dan a pencil with 'dan howell' scrawled on it.

phil took dan's pencil all the time, but today it was truly a mistake.

"thanks," dan said, slipping the pencil into the pocket of his romper.

dan was about to turn away before someone shrieked phil's name from across the hall.

"phil! what the hell are you doing with that fag?!" savannah yelled, turning the heads if nearby students. savanna glared at the younger boy and slapped his bare arm, leaving a red mark in the shape of her hand. he winced while she grabbed dan's wrist, her long fingernails digging into his skin. phil did nothing as he was dragged out of the school by savanna.

before dan was dragged completely out, he looked at phil with innocent eyes filled with fear.

phil felt wrong. bad. but he just shook it off and went to fourth period.

•••

dan was left alone, his arms covered in bruises, in the schoolyard in front of the building. he stood up, and walked to the playground, knowing nobody wanted to see him at school.

jesus christ, savanna was strong. his converse crunched in the mulch near the swings. he sat down, placed his face in his hands,

and sobbed harder than be ever has before. thoughts flowed through his head, crashing together.

why was phil so nice to me yesterday?

why is he mean now?

why didn't he help me?

why is savanna so strong?

does phil even like savanna?

should i go back to school?

what will karlie think?

what will ian think?

these thoughts overflowed and overwhelmed dan's mind.

"dan!" someone shouted from afar. dan looked up, his makeup running down his cheeks. he could hear running footsteps coming closer, until he was there again, at the line between the mulch and grass.

phil lester.

phil looked at the crying boy, his black mascara staining his cheeks. phil looked at him with pity and sympathy.

dan didn't say anything. he didn't know what to say. he just looked at the boy wistfully, but angrily.

it has been about 30 minutes since dan was dragged out of school, so phil must have left halfway through fourth period.

"i'm sorry, dan," phil apologized.

"p-please don't h-hurt me," dan choked. phil walked closer to him. dan flinched back.

"i wouldn't, dan, i promise," phil said, treating dan like a stray and scared cat.

"you would," dan retorted.

pain filled phil's heart, and his eyes were almost overflowing with hurt,

because dan was right.

phil stayed silent for a moment, until he leaned down to dan's level on the swing and looked right into dan's tear filled eyes.

dan's heart raced with every blink of the older boy.

"i'm so sorry for everything i've ever done."

dan has never been more confused. phil had bullied dan ever since dan was a freshman and phil was a sophomore.

soon, a announcement could be heard from the school, because it was so close to the highschool.

all cheerleaders may go to the gym at this time for tryouts.

dan's eyes widened. how could he forget tryouts were today during school!

phil remembered dan's whimsical flips, and gaped at dan, who was paralyzed with fear.

dan finally got his feelings back and dug through his pastel purple backpack, looking for his bright pink uniform. phil watched him as he grabbed it. dan froze for a moment, looking at phil, waiting for something.

"oh. right," phil blushed, turning around, waiting for dan to get into his uniform, which was normally meant for female cheerleaders, but the coach, coach flannigan, was so caring she let dan use the female uniform.

phil turned around again and they both almost telepathically knew what to do, dan fixed his hair and phil shoved dan's other clothing into his bookbag as they both sprinted to the school together.

here i am. running with the school bully so he can help me at my tryouts.

here i am, running with the boy i've made fun of for years, so i can finally help him with something.

both thoughts flowed through the boy's minds. when they entered the school, they looked at eachother as they ran and laughed at eachother lovingly. they both looked forward again, racing to the gym.

at the other side of the school.

when they finally got there, they were both breathing deeply and sweating, they slammed open the doors, and they saw coach flannigan just starting the meeting. both boys looked at eachother and smiled. they looked forward one more time.

and then their hearts dropped.

"phil? what are you doing with him?" asked savanna as coach spoke.