In the Company of Others [Completed]

Chapter Forty-One

Phil opened the door wider and stepped aside to let Mrs. Howell in. She walked in briskly, her arms crossed against her chest and her face currently etched in a way that made Phil worry he was about to be slapped again. He flinched at the thought and closed the door slowly.

"Would you like some tea? You can sit if you like." He said motioning towards the couch though he stayed close to the door, not quite sure what to do in this situation.

She shook her head. "No thank you. What happened? Between you and my son." She practically spat out the word you and Phil coiled back. "And you better tell me the truth."

Phil leaned against the wall and shoved his hands into his pockets with a shrug. "Where exactly am I supposed to start?"

"When did you first have sex with my son, let's get that one out of the way."

He felt his cheeks flush thinking back to that first night. The phone call and Dan greeting him so hotly. He cleared his throat. "Start of February. We would of been together about a month by then."

"So you started dating in January?"

"End of December. Technically."

She shook her head and exhaled. "How did this even start? Were you using him or blackmailing him with his grades?"

Phil shot up straight and looked at her like she was mad. "Say whatever you like about me but I'm not using him. Or anything like that. I care about him, I love him." She pursed her lips again and he coiled back and looked down at his feet. "It's just bad timing."

She gawked at him. "Bad timing? That's a bit of an understatement. You're his teacher for crying out loud. How could you let this happen?" She yelled. "It should have never gotten this far to begin with."

Phil paced up and down. "It wasn't like I planned on it. I was just helping him because he looked like he was going through a rough time. He never paid attention, the kids bullied him, and being a teacher, I needed to look out for my students."

She raised one eyebrow and pursed her lips. "Go on then. When did the line get crossed?"

"I don't know when! He emailed me. Asking for help with a lesson. That's how this whole thing started. And it went from email to IM to texting to meeting up to-" He paused as he looked her in the eye,"to love. We connected, I would do anything to be with him. It's not just something I do to get off. Dan is the one person I care most about. And we fight and we kiss and everything else that couples do and the only difference is-"

"You're his teacher." She finished for him, her voice not lacking any emotion. She shook her head fast and hitched her eyebrows up for a second before looking at Phil again, her eyes slightly glazed. She licked her bottom lip nervously. "I don't know what to do here." She whispered as she sat back on the edge of the arm rest.

He swallowed. "What do you mean?"

"Everything." She blinked fast and a year rolled down her face. She wiped at it and covered her face in her hands. "I don't how to handle this. Every fiber in my being is telling me how absolutely wrong and disgusting this is. But I just can't shake the fact that Dan has been happier in the last five months then he has been in the last four years." She buried her face into her hands again.

Phil stepped forward tentatively. "I don't know what to say here." He cautiously moved closer until he was sitting next to her. He threw an arm around her and let her cry softly onto his shoulder. "But I really do love him. I'll tell you everything you want to know if it'll help you. Just please let him come back to school."

She nodded thoughtfully. "Why did he really punch that kid in the face? It was your class. I can't help but think-"

"They did bully him. They pushed him too far. But he was pissed at me, too. Because I tried to push him away."

"You tried to end it." She said to herself. "Why?" She asked looking up at him.

"He deserved more than me. He deserved to have someone who could take him out in public and didn't have to hide him. And I didn't want to hurt him. Ever. This is the last thing I wanted to happen. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. At least, you're honest." She stood up and paced for a moment. Phil couldn't tell what she was thinking, but he hoped it was good. "Can you do me a favor?"

Phil stumbled up and nodded. "Of course. Anything."

She tuned on her heel and looked at him seriously. "I'm going to put him back in school. He will be there on Monday." A sigh left her lips as she thought for a moment before softly speaking. "I'd appreciate it, if you could just be his teacher for now. Please."

Phil felt a catch in his throat, his heart sinking slightly but he looked up from his feet. "What about after?"

"Then you better treat him right." She smiled kindly before going to the door and leaving without another word.

Phil relaxed and flipped over the armrest and back onto the couch. He dialed PJ's phone, his fingers crossed that he was still with Dan.

"You rang?" Dan answered, Phil could practically see the coy smirk lighting up on his face.

**********

Dan hung up thirty minutes later, still smiling. He passed PJ his phone back. "Thanks. You're awesome."

"I know." PJ said through a mouthful of food as he continued to shoot at things on the TV. "What'd you talk about?"

Dan shrugged. "Nothing particular. Just nonsense, really. That's what I like about him. Even with everything going on, he can still take my mind off of it."

PJ grinned. "I know the feeling. Chris is the same way."

"Boyfriends are great." Dan stated with a laugh. "Here's to being in love." He said raising a Dorito.

PJ raised his Dorito and clinked it against Dan's. "Cheers to that, mate." They stuffed the Doritos down with laughs. "Now I have a question."

"Go for it." Dan mentioned as he picked up a controller and entered into the game.

"I'm doing pretty shit in Math. Think you can hook me up with a better grade?" PJ joked.

Dan smacked his arm. "Sure. It's called studying!"

PJ groaned. "You're no fun. Slut."

"Bitch." Dan groaned back.

PJ smirked at him before busting into hysterics with Dan. For the moment, Dan felt like everything was going to be just fine.

A/N: We hit the read goal! Holy fuck I'm so beyond happy! You are all so amazing and hopefully not on fire. Like share comment and ily babes. (Also forty is spelled weird and I don't like it.)