Euphoric but Empty

Dan

      Dan woke up at 5:30 a.m. He reached over to check the time on his phone and noticed 3 missed calls and 1 voice mail. All from Paige the lawyer. Dan wondered what could be so important. He listened to the voice mail:
      Hey Daniel! I was hoping we could chat? I am not inviting your parents. It is just going to be you and me. This is something that we should discuss alone. Call me back as soon as possible to discuss a time and place. Thanks!
      Dan was kind of worried. What could Paige possibly want to discuss that couldn't be said in front of his parents? Dan calls Paige back and they agree to meet at the park right after Dan gets out of school.  He looks out the window to see if his father's car was still there, as he had done yesterday. No reason to risk a run in. He goes to school with his thoughts running at 100 miles per hour. What if she isn't giving me a choice anymore? What if i'm put in foster care? What if I have to leave Phil?! Dan started to hyperventilate. He stumbled into the bathroom. He looked at himself in the mirror. Dark thoughts began to plague his psyche. You don't deserve him. He's better off without you. He doesn't need your problems. Dan began to gasp, desperately searching for air. He curled up in the corner and began to try to calm down. His vision blurred. He could barely make out the echoy voice calling his name.
      "Dan? Dan are you ok?! Dan what happened?!" The voice was familiar and soothing. When Dan's vision began to clear he half expected to look up and see Phil's gorgeous ocean blue eyes. When he did look up he was shocked to be greeted by a pair of cat-like emerald green eyes.
      "Dan? Are you ok?" Pj asked. Dan tried to answer but only managed to cough. "Dan, calm down. Take deep breaths. Breath in, breath out." Dan and Pj breathed until Dan was able to speak.
      "Pj, what are you doing here?" Dan asked, his voice still raspy.
      "Well, I was going to the bathroom, when I heard an annoying, raspy, breathing." Pj chuckled. "And I came in to discover you on the floor. But, seeing as you're okay now I guess I'll be goi..."
      "Wait! I thought you hated me." Dan said.
      "Oh, I do. As far as anyone else is concerned, this never happened." Pj turns to leave.
      "But, why? We used to be best friends Pj. Why do you dislike me all of a sudden?" This causes Pj's head to snap around in anger.
      "Oh, we were friends. Best. Friends. Until you decided you were too good for me and started hanging out with Anthony and Tyler instead. You abandoned our friendship." Pj said, tears welling in his eyes. Dan was taken aback. That wasn't how he saw it at all.
      "Peej, I didn't abandon you." Dan said. "Tyler was new to school so I tried to be nice to him. Anthony just so happened to have the same idea so the three of us started hanging out. I was so excited to introduce you to them. You guys would've been such good friends! But then, you became so, cold. You were distant and I couldn't figure out why. I'm sorry if you thought I hated you because trust me, that was not my intention." Now both Dan and Pj are tearing up.
      "When did our life become such a fucking teen drama?!" Pj giggled. Dan chuckled as well. Then the two made up and walked to class together. When they got there, only two seats where left. Two seats way in the back next to each other beside Tyler and Anthony. The two boys sat down as the rest of the class stared. Tyler leaned over and whispered in Dan's ear, "Do you need me to tell him to fuck of? Cause I totally can." Dan laughed and shook his head. Telling Tyler about the events in the bathroom. His friends were very understanding. They even let Pj sit at the table at lunch. Pj brought his friends, Chris and Alfie. The group talked and laughed through the whole lunch. Dan was happy to be reunited with his old pal. And to have made new friends along the way.
After school Pj walked with Dan to his car. Dan was so happy about his reunion with Pj, he almost forgot about his meeting with Paige. He waved goodbye to Pj and drove to the park. He was 15 minutes late and Paige was already there, sitting at a picnic table typing something on her phone. Dan walked up and sat down across from Paige. She looked up and noticed him sitting there. She smiled and put her phone away.
"Hello Daniel. Why don't we skip the pleasantries and cut to the chase." Paige said. She stared at Dan with great intent as he nodded. "Ok. So we were in a bit of a predicament about your custody deal. We heard about what happened with your father. He is being persecuted as we speak." Dan took a shaky breath and gave a small nod. He was glad to have that stress done with. "And that would leave your mother, whom we assumed you didn't want to pick because of... everything." Dan nodded again. Wincing at the acknowledgment of what happened. "Well, yesterday, I got a call. There is a family that is willing to take you in. Perhaps you know them... the Lester's?" Dan froze at the name of the family. He was shocked and at a complete loss for words.
"I-I have to go." Dan managed to sputter out. He began to stand and walk away when he heard Paige call out behind him:
      "Just call me if you decide to go with them ok?" Dan continued walking but he nodded his head in approval. He reached his car and drove without doubting himself for a second. When he reached his destination he climbed up the stairs and knocked on the familiar front door. The door flung open to reveal a somber and sympathetic face.
      Dan flew into Phil's loving arms as he had done many times before. But this time, he was crying tears of joy.
      "Thank you." He whispered. "Thank you so much." And he buried his face in Phil's shoulder. Phil just smiled and hugged him tighter.