I'm Glad I Met You

Messages from Dan(s)

Phil felt like he had been in the car for forever before he spoke up. “Hey dad, how long until we get home?”

His father glanced behind him at Phil, “Half an hour more. I know, it seems a bit long,  but we’ll be there in no time.”

The car fell back into a comfortable silence. Phil glanced at his phone. Still no word from Dan, which was reasonable Phil decided, he probably wouldn’t text Phil until he got home right? At least that’s what he said. Phil looked back out the window at the scenery that was blanketed in a sweet darkness. He sighed once more. Going back to London made Phil pretty distressed. In London, he had to act like an adult, keep up on everything adulty like bills. God, he hated bills, really he hated being an adult. He wanted to stay home and screw around on the internet all day like he had in high school, but his mother wouldn’t allow that anymore and he knew it. For the time being, anyway, Phil decided, he was going to live in the moment, he was home for the first time in what felt like forever and he would enjoy every second of it.
Phil checked his phone again. No new messages, the same as last time. Oddly, something grew inside Phil. Sadness? No, it couldn’t be. It felt like a weight on his chest, pressing down on him, anxiously awaiting whatever was to happen.

Maybe some sleep would help. He rolled away from the window in his seat and put his feet up like he would when he was younger. Comfortably curled up in a ball, Phil felt his eyes slowly start to flutter shut as sleep slowly took over.

Phil woke up to his mom shaking him. “Honey, I hate to wake you up, but we’re home,” she said, her voice gushing with love. Phil realized that he hadn’t heard his mum talk to him like that since he left home. Suddenly he was filled with a sense of nogalista, and his lips curved upwards slightly.

“Okay mum,” he muttered with a sleepy voice, “I’m up.”

She smiled and backed away from the car door so he could get out. Phil slumped from the chair to standing on the ground and lost balance. His mum caught him, “I guess someone’s a little sleepy, huh Phillip?” she asked him, wrapping one of his arms around her shoulders and guiding him to the front door.

His nod was barely noticeable. It took all his willpower to not fall asleep right then and there. After struggling up the stairs to his room, his mum lay out his bed clothes and kissed him goodnight, “I’ll see you tomorrow, sleepy head,” she said before closing the door.

He quickly slipped out of his suit and into his much more comfortable pyjamas. As he got under the covers, there was a slight knock on the door. “Phillip? I’m sorry to bother you, but you left your phone out in the car. I thought you’d might like it.”

He grunted, and his mum walked in and placed his mobile on the stand by his bed. She kissed his forehead and left, closing the door behind her.

Against his tired body’s will, Phil reached for the phone, to check, just to see if Dan had happened to text him.

But alas, again the screen read nothing but the time. Phil was too tired to care, however, dropping his phone from his hand as sleep slowly took him.

He awoke with a start, but couldn’t figure out why, he had been having such a good dream, something about the sun and the moon. He couldn’t hear anything outside his door, so he figured that his parents were out on an early Saturday morning ride. Just enough time to check tumblr then, he decided. He jumped out of bed, the previous day’s grogginess replaced with vigor. He looked around for his phone and couldn’t find it. Confused when it wasn’t in the usual places he left it, he sat down on his bed. Maybe he should call it..?

As he prepared to stand up, his foot hit something hard and phone-shaped. He bent down and removed the duvet to reveal his phone. He immediately remembered his mum coming in last night and handing him his phone. He also remembered Dan and his promise to text him later. “Time to see if he lives up to that promise,” Phil whispered to him, pressing the circular button at the bottom of his phone.