Chapter Text
Dan's POV
I was dreading school the next day. I kept thinking that the moment I saw Phil I would burst into tears. Unfortunately for him, that was far from the truth. The minute he came into sight, I was filled with emotional rage. I wanted to make him pay for the way he'd handled everything the night before. I balled my fists up and stormed over to him. He was sitting alone on the grass, picking at it.
"Oi, loser!" I shouted. He didn't look up. Either he didn't know I was talking to him, or he was blatantly ignoring me, I wasn't having either. "Philip Lester! You fucking look at me now!"
His head shot up, his eyes wide. "Dan?"
"Who gave you the permission to call me by my name, Dweeb?"
I grabbed Phil by his collar and pulled him to his feet. By now, we'd gathered quite a crowd.
"What should I call then?" He asked, sounding almost bored.
"Don't answer me back."
He rolled his eyes. "What do you want from me? Money? To bruise me? Tell me what you want."
I was still holding him by his collar, his feet just barely touching the ground, yet he didn't look scared or even intimidated, just bored.
"How about both?"
"Go ahead." He looked me dead in the eye and lowered his voice. "I guess I deserve it."
I screwed my face up. "Don't fucking push me, dickhead."
"I'm not trying to push anything. If you're going to beat me up, get it over with. I have to meet Cara soon."
I narrowed my eyes at the boy in my grasp. "Are you trying to make me angry?" I hissed.
"No, Dan. I really do have to meet her though, I have something to tell her. So, please, beat me up or get your hands from my shirt and let me go."
"Hey look, Dan caught the nerd!"
I momentarily closed my eyes at the sound of Jace's voice from behind me.
"I was just finished with him actually." I dropped my hand from his collar, letting him fall to the ground. "He has nothing of interest."
Phil looked up at me through his sky blue eyes. I nodded ever to slightly, turned on my heel then walked away Jace following behind me complaining about how he didn't get to see the beat down.
Phil's POV
I watched as Dan walked away, and the crowd turned on their heels and left me alone on the grass. I had just seen many emotions pass over Dan's face, each different from the next. The one that hurt me the most though, was the look he gave me after he let me go. He'd given up, the feeling he'd been feeling evaporated and he just gave up. I pushed myself to my feet, brushing the grass and mud from my back. It was time to stop avoiding Cara and come clean with what I'd been doing. I pulled my phone from my trouser pocket, then opened her contact.
To Cara: Hey, where are you? I need to talk to you.
A few minutes of me staring at the screen of my iPhone, and she finally answered.
From Cara: Sounds important. Where are you, I'll come meet you x
To Cara: Our normal spot on the field, I'll be waiting.
I didn't wait for a reply, I just shoved my phone back then made my way to the part of the field Cara and I always sat. I could already see her walking towards me, a frown across her face.
"What's going on, Phil?" She asked when she reached me.
"I need to tell you something."
"I got that. Is this about Dan?"
"What?" I questioned, my eyes wide.
"Has he been bothering you again?"
I scoffed. "No. Well, yes, but that's not what I wanted to talk to you about."
"But it is about Dan?"
"Yeah. It's about him."
"What?"
I breathed out, hard and heavy. I had never been so scared to tell someone something. My heart pounded almost painfully in my chest, and despite it not being that hot out, sweat fell down my face.
"Phil, please tell me what the fuck is going on."
"I slept with him," I blurted out.
She narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"I slept with Dan."
"Yeah, that's what I thought you said."
"You don't seem angry."
Cara crossed her arms over her chest. "Oh I'm fuming. So fucking angry," she said, a large intimidating smile planted on her face.
"You don't look it."
She laughed humourlessly. "What do you want me to say, Philip? Congrats? I forgive you?"
The look Cara was holding scared me. It was like all emotion had seeped out, and left behind an empty shell.
"I- uh."
"Why? And more, how?"
"What do you mean 'how'?"
"How did it happen? And when?"
"Well, the same way as straight sex but, you know in the bum."
She scrunched her face in evident disgust. "That's not what I fucking meant. I meant how the fuck did he go from hating your guts to fucking you up the arse?"
"He didn't exactly do the screwing."
"Philip, I don't want to know the fucking details. When did it happen?"
"Yesterday," I whispered, avoiding her accusing gaze.
"Speak up."
"Yesterday. It happened yesterday."
Cara blinked slowly, then slapped me hard across the face. "You mean you fucking cheated on me?" She screamed, her face red.
"That's why I was telling you."
"I can't fucking believe it. You cheated on me with a guy who's been bullying you for years? How fucking humiliating."
"It's not like that."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"I don't know. I guess it is like that."
"How long have you guys been doing whatever you've been doing?"
"I'm not sure exactly. Yesterday was the first time we actually had sex though."
"You know, Phil, I thought you were one of the good ones. I stupidly thought you were the person who would sweep me off my feet. The person that would make me believe in love again. But you're exactly like the rest of them." She shook her head, her gaze dropping to the floor momentarily before she looked me dead in the eye again. "I hate you. Never contact me again," she said through teary eyes.
"Cara, I'm sorry."
"Don't, Phil. You're not sorry. You're just a lonely, little dick head. I really expected more from you."
I bit the inside of my cheek, as I watched her walk away. Although I wanted to, I had no right to cry. It was all my fault this had happened, I and I alone was to blame for my now ex-best friend crying. I shoved my hands in my pockets, then headed off down towards the school.
Dan's POV
I was sat on a bench with Jace and some of our other friends when I saw him. He was walking down the field, hands shoved into his pockets and gaze set on the floor. I nudged Jace.
"Hey, watch this."
I got up onto my feet and jogged forward, bumping straight into the black-haired beauty. He fell backwards, landing harshly on his back. "Watch it, faggot." I spat, towering over him.
"Excuse me?" He stared up at me, anger clearly burning through him.
"I said 'watch it, faggot'."
Phil pushed himself to his feet. "I'll give you once last chance to apologise, and walk away."
"Wow, who the fuck do you think you are?" I scoffed.
"I'm Phil Lester, and unless you apologise, I'll tell all your little friends what's been going down between us," he replied. I tried to read his expression, but it was difficult. If there was one thing I'd learnt about Phil over the past few weeks, it's that he's a closed book. He rarely lets his walls down, and honestly, I know why. After years of torturing I don't blame him for being so shut off from the real world.
"I'm not apologising for anything," I challenged, squinting my eyes at him slightly.
He shook his head. "Whatever." Phil turned on his heel, and began to walk away.
"I knew you were bluffing," I said.
Phil's POV
I stopped dead in my tracks. I knew what I was about to do was suicide, completely and utterly dangerous, but I couldn't stop myself. I breathed out, clenched my fists, then turned around my fist smashing Dan across the jaw. His friends, who were standing a few steps away, gasped and stalked forward to steady Dan as he stumbled backwards. He clutched his jaw.
"What the fuck?"
"Apologise." I didn't know what was going through my mind, after years of bullying I think I just lost it. I had never in my life felt so angry. I didn't know whether it was Dan's comment, or the build up of everything but I think I'd gone mad. I looked at Dan and his friends through murderous eyes.
"Punch him back, Dan!" Jace yelled.
"No. I'm done." This time, Dan turned to walk away, his hand rubbing at his jaw.
"Don't walk away from me, Daniel."
"Fuck off, Phil."
I clenched my fists tightly, my nails digging into my palms. He was not getting away that easy. I charged at him, hands held out in front of me, knocking him over. Dan fell face first into the grass. Jace, and the other apes grabbed at me, pulling me backwards. Jace's clenched fist was just inches from my face when Dan spoke up.
"Get off of him. This is my fight, I'll fight it myself." He brushed the loose pieces of grass from his trousers. His friends let go of my arms, then backed away. "Little Philip Lester is all grown up, finally fighting back. It's refreshing."
"I'm just sick of your harsh words."
"And apparently you're brave enough to actually punch me? Impressive."
I held Dan's gaze, his lips were pressed in a line, and his eyes held almost no emotion. Almost like he'd fully given up on feeling.
"Yeah. And you know what?" I spat.
"What?"
"It felt good, and I'd totally do it again."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah."
Then he lunged at me, fist making contact with my cheek.
Dan's POV
One minute Phil and I were throwing punches at one another, the next, he had me pinned to the floor, his face hovering inches from mine.
"Don't fucking test me, Daniel. I may not look like much, but I could take you in a second."
I know.
"You're a lot stronger than you look, but I could get you off in a second."
Phil raised his eyebrows, a small smirk playing on the lips I was not-so-subtly staring at.
"Then why aren't you?"
"I think we've both discovered I quite like being underneath you."
"Want to say that a bit louder?" He asked, his head cocking to the side.
"Not really," I replied.
Lying there, Phil hovering above me was sending me into dark, imaginative places. His beautiful lips were so close, just begging me to kiss them. Don't do it, Dan. My hand clutched his collar. No, stop it. I pulled him inches closer. This is your last chance, Dan. His lips were now brushing softly over mine. Too fucking late. Phil's lips pressed against mine, his hands tugging into the grass either sides of my head. If the crowd watching us was making noises of disgust, I couldn't hear. All I could hear in that moment, was the loud beating of my heart in my ears.
"I didn't see that coming," Phil said after he parted our lips.
"I'm not surprised," I answered, my fingers tracing over the already forming bruise around his eye.
"Wow, that hurts."
"I'm sorry."
"Don't. Don't apologise to me, Dan. I'm the one who's been a dick. To you, to Cara. What I've done is unforgivable."
"I forgive you. I don't want to keep hating you in public, Phil."
"What do you mean?"
"I mean, I want to be friends. Just friends. No strings attached. No sex, no games, just an amazing friendship."
"Why'd you kiss me then?"
"I like things to be final. That was the kiss that has finalised the friends with benefits agreement."
"Should I get off of you then?"
"Yeah, probably."
Phil's POV
I pushed myself to my feet, then held my hands out for Dan. He took it gratefully. I helped him to his feet.
"Dan, what the fuck was that?" Jace snarled.
"Guys, this is Phil. He's one of the sweetest guys I have ever met. For the past few weeks, we've had a little thing going on."
"Little thing?"
"We were what you'd refer as 'friends with benefits'. It has been a pretty spectacular past few weeks, but that's all over now. Guys, this here is Phil," he wrapped an arm over my shoulder. "And he is my just friend. If you want to stay friends with me, he's no longer a target."
"You're a fag?"
Dan pouted his bottom lip, eyes on the sky, clearly thinking about what he was to say next. "No. I'm attracted to girls, and guys. So, I guess I'm bisexual or something."
"Ew. I thought I'd seen you checking me out in the changing rooms."
Dan laughed. "Jace, I wouldn't check you out if you were the last person on earth."
"Why? I'm hot stuff."
"You're really not."
"Fuck you, man!"
"You know what? I don't think I want to be friends with you guys any more, I'm done with all the negativity in my life. Peace out."
Dan grabbed my arm, pulling me away.
"Wait, Howell!"
Dan turned around on the spot, to be met with a fist. If it hadn't been for my tight grip on him, he would of fallen over.
"Trust me, we don't want you to be our friend. Faggots are not welcome."
"Whatever," Dan said, clutching his bleeding nose. "Let's go, Phil."
Dan and I headed off into the school. "We should get you cleaned up, that looks bad," I said.
"To our bathroom?"
"We're just friends now, it's just a school bathroom."
"Right."
"Oh, and Dan?"
"Yeah?"
I wrapped my arms around him, pulling him in for a tight hug. "I do love you."
He rested his head against mine, I could feel the smile he was sporting. "As a friend thought, right?"
"Yeah. But I definitely love you."
"I love you too, man."