Dan wandered through the halls in his own little world. His thoughts were buzzing inside his eccentric head, making him extremely paranoid. He just wanted to go home. He decided his best option would be to fake being sick so the school would call his parents.

Dan headed to the nurse's room and put on his best "sick" face. "I don't feel good." He muttered, holding his hands over his stomach.

"Let me just take your temperature."

Dan did end up going home: apparently he did have a temperature although is probably wasn't because he was sick, it was probably because he was still angry.

"Daniel?" Dan's mum said as soon as they were both home. "Do you need any paracetemol or anything?"

"I'm not actually sick..." Dan mumbled, dropping his bag down by the door.

"But I thought you had a temperature?"

"I do... It's just not because of the sickness." Dan's mum frowned.

"What is it then?"

"I got angry and I don't know-"

"What made you angry?"

"An idiot in my class. I wanted to-" Dan cut himself off, deciding his mum didn't need to know the aggressive things that ran through his head when his classmate had talked to him.

"Is this why you're always sad? Are you being bullied?" Dan bit his lip.

It had gotten worse, hadn't it? It wasn't even just Chris anymore; he was just the main target of the whole school. He had to tell his parents before it escalated any further. He had to do it so he took a deep breath and...

"Yeah." That was all it took for his mum to gasp and pull him in for a protective embrace. The one word made Dan's world slow down and turn around. Just admitting the truth automatically altered the world. Dan realised that is mum cared. She actually cared! If she didn't then why would she be hugging him so tightly? The embrace held love, the kind you can't fake.

However, even after telling his mum, he still refused to speak to anyone.

-

The next day, Dan was back on Chris' radar. As soon as the bell rang for lunch and Dan reached the library, his name was called.

Dan could automatically tell that it was Chris from his sharp, menacing tone and overall deep voice. It made Dan shiver. Dan turned, accepting the fact that there was no point trying to run.

"What's up, freak?" Dan most definitely was not in the mood for the name calling- anger was already swirling in his stomach. "Can't speak? No surprise there." Dan clenched his fists, trying everything to hold back his anger. "You can't even defend yourself... What are you, a-" Dan had had enough. He sent a hurtling fist towards Chris' face, making Chris help in both pain and surprise. Dan just started throwing kicks and punches like there was no tomorrow. He was just yelling and screaming in fury until someone forcefully grabbed his shoulders and pulled him away from Chris.

"I'm not a freak!" Dan yelled, angry, hot tears falling down his face.

He heard someone say his name but it sounded misty and muffled. Someone was shouting at him and that sounded like a distant echo. Dan's eyes blurred over with tears and all he wanted was to disappear.

Crowds of people had gathered to watch Dan Howell beat up the school bully so everyone had seen his breakdown. The crowds disappeared as soon as a teacher ushered Dan to the head teacher's office.