Flower ((A Dan Howell Fanfiction))

Chapter Thirteen:

Emily was so happy when I told her I had plans with Jackie this weekend. She clapped her hands, and grinned wildly, and Adam patted me on the shoulder, shaking me light-heartedly. Xander watched me curiously from the other side of the kitchen table, poking uninterestingly at his oatmeal.

"Are you okay, Xander?" Adam says, his eyes holding worry.

It hit me like a train when I realized why they were worried if he would eat. I'd forgotten he had been anorexic. They don't want him to relapse.

Emily watches with bated breath.

Xander looks up at them, and then realization hits. "Oh, no. Mom, Dad. I'm not going to relapse. I promise. I just suddenly lost my appetite."

That didn't seem to help them worry less.

Suddenly, I wasn't so hungry either.

I set my spoon in my bowl of oatmeal, and pushed my chair back.

When everyone looked at me, I put my hands together.

"If you'll excuse me..." Nobody said anything; they just watched me walk out of the kitchen.

I was in my room minutes later.

Me: Hey, can we meet up sometime today?

Then I press Send.

Dan replies minutes later.

Dan: Okay. Starbucks?

I nod to myself and reply Okay.

+++++++++++++++

Starbucks was quiet.

I sat silently at a two-person table in the corner of the shop, sitting on a hot chocolate. Dan had messaged me a few minutes ago, saying he was almost at the shop.

Wrapping my hands around my drink, I look around Starbucks, watching the barista behind the counter. The door jangled as it opened, but I just look back at the table top, taking another sip of my cocoa.

"Chrys?"

I look up and see Dan, standing next to my table, a mug in his hand. He seemed nervous, a little awkward.

"Hey," I said to him.

He gave me a shaky smile, before I gestured for him to sit.

Dan sat, and set his mug in front of him. "So..." he said.

I set my drink down. "I'm sorry I ran out. You scared me, and because of that, my body threw itself into a panic attack, and I didn't want either of you to see that." My voice evaporated, so by the time I finished my sentence, I sounded one of two things: out of breath or embarrassed. Or both.

Stop taking my breath away, Dan. That fucking smile. Stop.

Dan smiled, relieved.

"The last thing I want to do to either of you is cause worry because I'm a terribly anxious person. That's the last thing I want to do."

Dan reached across the table, taking my hand in his.

"Chrys, please. You made us worry by trying to spare us. Please, tell us how to help so next time we know how to help."

I closed my eyes. "Dan, stop. You're going to make me cry." He chuckles and squeezes my hands. I open my eyes and smile at him, using my free hand to lift my cocoa to my lips. Dan still held my hand as he took a large gulp from his coffee.

It was only when the barista called across the shop, saying "You too are adorable." that Dan and I pulled our hands away. My cheeks were red, and I nervously held my drink in both hands, hiding my face from the nose down behind it.