two birds - [Phan]

talking - 02

                              {🌿}

    It was weird.

    The way Phil talked to Dan was weird. It was almost like he was reading a dramatic play off a piece of paper. He added emotion and inflection to every word he said like he was an actor. Phil also added hand motions to his banter. Dan found it admirable how interesting his body language was.

    "My mother and I moved here only a few days ago. That's why I couldn't come to school he first few days. She needed help to get everything in working order so we could get settled.", Phil explained. Dan nodded. Makes sense. He wanted to interject and add more to the conversation because it was really only Phil doing the talking right now.

    Dan cleared his throat a little and began to speak. "Yeah. I've lived here my whole life and my family doesn't travel much so I don't know a lot of other places besides here. It's cold and kinda quiet here but it's okay, I guess."

   Phil nodded. "Exactly. We used to live up in Lancashire but my mother found work here instead. I'm not exactly going to miss my old school that much." Dan perked his head up. "Why?", he asked.

"I didn't really have the best reputation in my old school. Especially the high school where I attended freshmen year. I'm not exactly the coolest person as you can clearly tell."

"I think you're okay.", Dan said.

Phil dipped his head to the right a little. "Yeah but being cool is kinda what you need to be in high school. I got made fun of a lot. Nothing violent or seriously persistent, but just enough to make me keep my head down. I'm kind of nervous to be at this school, though. I don't know how I'll fit in here."

"You don't really need to fit in much here. As long as you don't interfere with others, you'll be fine.", Dan said, trying to show off a smile. "I guess.", Phil replied halfheartedly. There's was a bit of silence between the two for a while. It was a cold and nervous silence and affected them both. Finally, Phil spoke up.

"So what do you like?", he asked. Dan cocked his head. It took him a while to realize that he's never been asked that question casually by another person before. He looked upwards to think a little. "What do I like?", he mumbled out loud. It was quiet again, but only for a little bit as Dan wanted to keep it from being awkward.

"I guess I like music. I don't really like books but they help to pass time during school." Phil's eyes lit up a bit. "You like music? What kind?" Dan froze once again. He doesn't really know the genre of music he likes. He does like certain bands, though. He didn't say anything at first, but then Dan spoke. "I like Muse and Green Day. I also like piano."

Phil smiled. "You like Muse, too? Well, I like alternative or just generally happy sounding songs." Dan didn't say anything. He liked how Phil was as happy as he was. He was also friendly. Unusually friendly. Phil had started this conversation with Dan in a matter of minutes but before that, no one had really even spoken to him in the three days that school had been going on.

Dan swallowed harshly. He tried his best to act cool. "Nice.", he simply said. Before Phil could say anything else, the bell sounded for sixth period to begin and lunch to end. Everyone in the cafeteria began to throw their food away and grab their things to leave. The noise still continued though. Dan sighed a bit. He didn't want their conversation to end. "I guess we should go.", Phil said quietly. Dan nodded and grabbed his book and place under his armpit. They both sat up and made their way to exit the cafeteria.

Later...

"How was school today, Dan?", his mother asked from the kitchen as he closed the front door behind him.

"It was fine.", he replied quietly. His mother spoke again. "Anything new happening so far?". She turned off the faucet.

Dan hesitated. "This new guy joined our class."

"Oh, really? Why so late?", she said in an amusing tone. Dan shrugged. "He just moved in."

"Okay honey. I need you to hurry up and get changed I need you to do a few things because I need to make dinner before your father gets here." Dan nodded to himself and headed up the stairs. Each wooden step creaked beneath his feet and he tried his best not to make so much noise. He turned on the lights at the top of the stairs which illuminated the hallway before him in a warm glow. He strolled down the hallway and entered his room.

His room was colder in comparison to the rest of the house. He liked to have his fan run all day all the time. His room wasn't the most colorful thing in the world. He had posters strewn about and he had a bookshelf filled top to bottom in miscellaneous books. He hung his backpack on the hook in his closet and began to take off his uniform. He removed his blazer and began to undo his tie when he heard people talking out his window.

Dan looked up and walked to the window, peeking through the blinds. A large moving truck was parked outside the house across the street from Dan's. An older woman was talking to one of the workers. They nodded a bit and she even laughed at one point. Dan kept watching intently. He hadn't even noticed the house had been purchased.

All of a sudden, a car pulled up to the house and parked behind the moving truck. Another man stepped out, holding a briefcase. He walked to the woman and the worker and joined in the conversation. Then, another person got out of the car. A student wearing the same blazer as Dan. Dan's eyes widened and gasped when the student's face came into full view.

It was Phil. Phil had moved into the house across from him.

(A/N: also, Pretty Odd is my favorite p!atd album.)

~mystery man 🌼