Playing With Fire || d.h

24. What Did He Say

Self Harm Trigger Warning

Your POV

The next morning, I wake up lying on my stomach, wrapped in PJ's sheets. I attempt to flip onto my back, but as I try to move, my entire past screams in pain, and I realize I ache all over from the gym last night. I had worked out compulsively for at least two and a half hours, until I exhausted myself to the point of getting dizzy as I stand. I remember seeing Dan coming home with that girl, and anxiety pulses in my chest, hard. I suddenly have to sit up, taking deep, rapid breaths, until I get my breathing under control. I feel the tears stinging my eyes, and hastily wipe them away.

I look to my left. PJ must already be up. I slowly crawl out of bed, limping to my bag on his wardrobe. I fumble around for my bottle of Advil and pop a couple in my mouth. I stretch a bit, my muscles screaming in protest, as an attempt to make it easier to disguise how much pain I'm in. As I walk across the room, I can feel myself limping. I just pray to God that no one else will notice.

I glance at the alarm clock. 10:36. I grab my phone off my charger, and head out of PJ's room and into the lounge.

"Oh, hey there, stranger," Phil greets me cheerily as he sees me walk into the room.

"Hey, there," I croak, cautiously lowering myself onto the couch beside PJ. "Whatcha up to?"

"Eh, just hanging around," replies Phil, giving an innocent grin. "You got any exciting plans for the day?" He asks.

"If you count lounging around in pajamas all day exciting, then totally," I reply, lying back on the cushion.

"Ah, the foolproof plan for a perfect day," he chuckles. "PJ and I were actually gonna wait for Dan to wake up, then go film a video with Felix, if that's alright."

"Oh, yeah!" I reply, smiling at him. However, now I have Dan on my mind. "You didn't... see Dan come home last night, did you?"

"No, but Phil and I both went to bed pretty early, anyway," PJ answers.

"Oh... okay," I try to sound casual, but that just means I'm the only person who knows he brought a girl home last night. Did she leave, or what if she's still here?

"I'm gonna head to my apartment," I say. "I need a change of clothes and a long shower," I chuckle nervously.

"Okie dokie," PJ answers, quickly kissing me on the forehead before letting me stand up.

"See ya later, gator," Phil salutes me, and I slap him jokingly across the head as I walk past him.

Before I make it out of the lounge, my head suddenly spins like a top, and I instinctively grab the corner of the wall for support. Luckily, it passes as quick as it came, and when I turn back to Phil and PJ, neither of them seem to have noticed. I take a deep breath, and walk into the hall. However, only a few feet forward, I'm forced to stop in my tracks. I stealthily dip into the open doorway of the bathroom, and peak around the corner.

Dan cautiously inches the front door open, as the girl he must've hooked up with stands awkwardly next to him, her arms crossing her(almost bare)chest. As he pulls it about two feet open, the door creaks, causing him to visibly cringe.

She sighs heavily, looking at Dan. However, he keeps his eyes attached to the ground. The girl rolls her eyes annoyingly, and sashays out the door. I'm five seconds away from running after her and pulling her ratchet extensions straight from her scalp.

Dan's entire body tenses up, then dramatically slouches down as he gives a large exhale. He starts walking toward the lounge, and I quickly dart into the bathroom and out of his sight, holding in my breath as he walks past. As soon as he's out of my eyesight, I quickly dart around the corner and into PJ's room. I sloppily assemble all of my shit, and book it out of the apartment. I know Dan is completely oblivious to me having seen anything, but I still feel like he'll instantly be able to tell that I was hiding something. Every time he looks at me, it's as if I become completely transparent.