Waiting for You // Phan

--- 25 ---

Dan's POV

Wind whips around my face as I stand on a cliff, covered in a thick layer of grass and dotted with little white flowers. It's cold, but not too cold.

I'm barefoot, in an oversized black jumper and ripped skinny jeans. I don't know why I'm not wearing shoes.

I also don't know why I'm standing on a cliff.

"Will you save me?"

I turn round and face the cliff edge. PJ, expressionless, is standing on the very edge of the cliff, slightly tilted upward on his toes, like he is about to take flight, but I know if he steps off he will fall.

"Or will you save me?"

I turn around again. I am not on a cliff; I am on an island. Only instead of being surrounded by water, I'm surronded by an empty void of who knows what.

And at the other end of the cliff, of course, is Phil. He, like PJ, is also standing, slightly tip-toed, on the opposite edge of the island. Both of them, glassy eyes, stare at me.

"Me?"

"Or me?"

I turn again and face PJ. PJ, my oldest and probably my closest friend.

And behind me, Phil. Phil, the new friend, the one I haven't known as long, who I don't know as well. Surely I should just save PJ?

But I love him.

You love them both.

But he's special.

They're both special.

What do I do?

I feel butterflies, not because of Phil, but because of the fear of letting one of the people I love die. And living with the fact I favour the other more.

"Choose." PJ says quietly.

"Or we'll both be gone." Phil says after him.

"And you'll be alone here forever." Their unified voices echo around me, and the wind is gone. The air is still, anticipating the decision I'm about to make.

"PJ..." I whisper, breathing slowly. "...you're my best friend, and I care about you, but, Phil, I... I don't know why, but I think I have... have to choose him. I know, if you were... normal.... that you'd be mocking me right now, wouldn't you? You'd be breaking out the Dan loves Phil thing." I laugh, softly, and look up at PJ, who still just stares blankly.

"I'm sorry."

I turn my back on PJ, and run toward Phil. I grab him by the shoulders and pull him forward, and he falls onto the ground, and coughs. That's when I know he's back to 'normal.'

I stand up, leaving Phil on the ground, to see PJ begin to tip back.

"No!" I shout, sprint toward PJ.

I'm not going to make it.

"PJ!" I scream, as gravity begins to take him. He's normal now, too. I see pure fear shine in his green eyes, and then his head disappears from view.

"Dan!" I hear his cries as I reach the edge of the island, my hands grasping empty air. I hold my head in my hands as I see his figure, fading away into the empty abyss below, screaming and screaming and screaming.

He's gone. I collapsed on the floor, start to shake and cry. I let my best friend die. I let my best friend die.

I don't hear Phil approach behind me, but I feel his arms wrap around me, and I turn and bury my face in his chest, sobbing against his jacket.