BURN ; phan

t w o

The last bell rang and Phil nearly full force sprinted to his locker. Jumping half the stairs to get to the third floor, he quickly grabbed his bag and pulled on his jacket before thumping back downstairs. He came to an abrupt stop as he turned the corner on the first floor, Dan's back was to him as he was getting in his locker.

The older boy marched up to the brunet with a wild smile on his lips. He leaned against the neighboring locker, startling the boy beside him. He ripped out one of his earbuds before looking over at Phil. "You scared the shit out of me."

"Sorry. How was your first day?"

"Fine?" Daniel said, confused, as he packed his bag and pulled his hood over his head, closing the metal door.

"Anyone bother you?" Phil asked, flanking Dan's side as he made his way outside and to the bus.

"This one kid asked if I was your boyfriend when I was in the bathroom. He was joking though, so..."

"What did he look like?" Phil asked, looking down at Dan since he was indeed taller.

"About your height, blonde, his shoulders were really big, I'm sure he could bench me."

"That's Evan. Don't worry about him, he's one of the cool ones, he won't harm you or anything. But I'll tell him to leave you alone."

"Look," Dan grabbed Phil by his forearm, dragging them to the side of the hall so they would be out of the way. "I know you're only doing this because my mom asked, but you don't have to. We can smile in the halls and laugh at family dinners, but I'm used to being the outcast and I know that's not your scene. You can stop being fake with me, I get it."

"Okay," Phil dropped the facade, losing the bounce in his step and suddenly growing 5 inches as he loomed over Daniel. "Yes, I am looking out for you because your mom asked, and yes I act pretty fake around my "friends", but I know what it's like to an outcast, so you can drop the armor and be real with me, okay?" He said sternly, matching Dan's tone. "People here are rude, especially the kids I'm associated with. Having me in your corner seems like a good fucking idea, so you might wanna take it if you don't want your days to be miserable. Understand?"

"I'm not some fragile little doll that my moms paints me out to be. I don't need you, Phil." Dan spat back.

"You don't? Have fun getting pumbled in the bathroom and harassed on the bus, because what I say around here, goes. If you haven't caught on yet, I'm adored around here. You wanna pass your AP classes with all A's, you should know that I've taken every AP class in this building and those teachers flock to me like vultures. I have what you need to get by with ease. So why be a dick about it?" He growled before shouldering past the younger boy and marching outside and bac onto that damned bus.

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Just as expected, the little brunet boy flanked Phil's side once the bus came to a stop at their High School. They didn't say anything until they were inside, Dan grabbing his arm once more and pulling him to a side, almost in the same spot as yesterday.

"I'm sorry, okay? I just get really defensive whenever people try to help me because everyone always lets me down, and I didn't want to feel like a burden-"

"-You're not a burden, Dan." Phil tried.

He only shrugged before carrying on. "I like the real you much better than the Jock you, and I don't want to make enemies already. How about this, we change the deal up a little. I don't need to be protected or anything, I just need a friend. You can be fake and whatever to keep appearances, I get it, we can pretend we don't even know each other. But I know it would make my mom extremely happy if you came over to my house and stayed the night or whatever."