True Beauty lies Beneath the Skin (Phan)

New Years Day

We'll keep marching
On and on and on
It's New Years Day
So rise from the ashes

Phil had been pretty scared to confess everything about himself to Dan, but it ended up being entirely worth it when Dan said that they could give things another shot. He wanted nothing more than to try to make things work with Dan. Phil was starting to develop legitimate feelings for this guy and was growing more and more attached to Bella. Everything was going so smoothly, and he just hoped nothing would ruin it.

Dan went back to work December 27th until the 30th, then the shop was closed on New Years Eve and New Years Day. Since he'd have some time at home, and because Bella wanted to see them again, Dan invited Phil and Iesha over to hang out on New Years Eve. Bella was extremely excited that they were coming over, and more excited that Phil and Iesha were back in hers and Dan's lives again.

After telling Dan everything, Phil of course went to Iesha in both happiness and distress - happiness that things might actually work out with Dan, and distress because things working out with Dan may actually turn into a commitment, which was something that Phil was not very experienced with.

"Do you think Dan would want a commitment?" Iesha asked.

"I don't know, I'm not even sure if we're dating."

"If you were though?"

"Well, maybe not in the very beginning, but eventually, yeah, probably! He's letting his daughter get attached to me, so that probably means he's intending to keep me around for a while, in one way or another."

"Are you okay with that?"

"I think I could be...but I still don't really know what exactly it is that's going on with me and Dan."

"Maybe the two of you can talk it over when we go to his place this week."

"Maybe..."

"Do you like him?"

Phil sighed, "I do...and I'm pretty sure he likes me too, but he might not be ready to date yet. I mean, yeah, it's been two years since his girlfriend died, but she died. Death isn't something you get over easily, especially when they're someone you were in love with, thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with and the mother of your child! I would completely understand if he didn't want to start anything romantic or if he weren't ready to yet."

"How much of Dan's story do you know?"

"Not that much, I guess."

"Well, I mean, not to be a bitch or anything, but you told that guy everything, so isn't it his turn to do the same thing?"

"I'm not gonna force him to tell me his sob story," Phil said, "I'd like to know about it eventually, but not until he's ready."

"Do you see yourself having anything...I don't know, special with him?"

Phil thought a moment, "Maybe," He admitted, "I don't know. I think it's still a little too early to tell."

Iesha suddenly broke into a smile.

"What?"

"You've grown up so much!" She exclaimed, "You usually rush into these things so quickly, but now you're actually willing to take time to wait until Dan is comfortable to make things official...Wow, I'm really proud of you. You've changed so much these past few months."

"Really?"

"Yeah...I feel like I'm friends with the old you again - the real you." Iesha's smile grows, "And once Dan sees that, I guarantee he'll be in it for the long run."