// a bit shorter but I needed to end the chapter there for excitement :) //

***

Phil looks sideways at Dan, a wide smile on his face.

"Only fools fall for you, only fools fall! Only fools do what I-" Connor is singing, dancing around Dan's bedroom while he and Phil sit beside each other on Dan's bed.

He freezes when the door opens, revealing an amused Troye standing at the door, which makes Connor blush madly, Troye smirk and Dan and Phil collapse into laughter.

"Uh... Hi," Connor stammers, his cheeks turning even more pink with embarrassment.

"Hello," Troye says with a smile, "don't worry, I thought your singing was adorable."

Connor opens his mouth to say something, but finds himself lost for words, which makes Troye laugh and mess up Connor's hair.

"You're so cute," Troye laughs before sitting in between Dan and Phil, putting his arms around them, "you're all cuties."

Well, there isn't really a gap between the two as their shoulders are touching, but he sits half on Dan's knee and half on Phil's.

"Hey! I'm not a cutie, I'm tough - like a lion," Phil says, raising his eyebrows.

"Yeah, one of those adorable cartoon lions," Troye says, "you can't pull off actual man eating lion."

"I could!" Phil insists, and Dan chuckles, reaching up and ruffling Phil's hair affectionately.

"Couldn't!"

"Could!"

"Are you two done flirting?" Connor asks teasingly, interrupting the two.

"Hey, I'm a taken man," Phil says, shoving Troye off and laying in Dan's lap, who rolls his eyes and smiles fondly down at Phil.

Connor smiles but can't help to feel a slight pang in his heart. He wishes he had someone who loved him as much as it was clear the two loved each other. He wants love like that.

"They're so cute," Troye says to him as he stands beside Connor while they look and Dan and Phil just smiling into each other's eyes.

"I know," Connor replies with a laugh, "I'm happy to see Dan happy finally though."

"Me too. I wasn't a great friend to him, but I want to make that up to him," Troye says, "I want to prove that I can be a good friend to him."

"Well, I've learnt to just be there for Dan when he needs you," Connor says, "that's all he needs from you. Just be able to tell when he really needs a friend."

"He's got Phil for that now," Troye laughs as they look at the two now kissing.

"Ah, well I can never be truly replaced," Connor jokes.

"Nah, I don't think you could," Troye says with a smile.

Connor blushes again, but manages to smile back at Troye without internally melting. Troye's phone rings, interrupting the moment.

"Sorry, it's Tyler," he says, smiling at Connor again before walking out of the room to answer the call.

Connor sighs. Who's Tyler? Probably his boyfriend. Connor walks over and sits on Dan's desk chair, looking from his best friend kissing his boyfriend to outside the room, where Troye is talking on the phone.

Why can't Troye love him like Phil and Dan love each other? That would make this thing a whole lot simpler, and easier.

[ #tronnor or #troyler???? ]

***

Later that night, Phil is asleep in his room when a noise wakes him up.

He sits up, rubbing his head and tangling his fringe. He hears a tap against a window and lays back down with a sigh, dismissing it to just an animal or something.

His thoughts drift to Dan and he wishes Dan was beside him right now, so he could just cuddle beside him right now, but he's in the next room with Connor.

Phil knows that Dan and Connor would never hook up or anything, he trusts them both. But he can see how fond they are of each other and he never wants to get in between their friendship.

Phil sighs again, rolling over and cuddling one of his four pillows instead. He's just about to drift off go sleep when his cone vibrates from his bedside table. the screen lighting up.

He must've forgotten to flip it over or put it on do not disturb. Phil decides to check the notification, as he's fully awake now anyway. He reaches over and picks up his phone, but has to also slide on his glasses first to read the message.

He frowns when he sees it and his heart picks up. It's the mystery texter.

Unknown number: look out your window x

Phil shakily slides out of bed, walking hesitantly towards his window, not quite prepared for what he'd see next.

***

*twenty minutes earlier*

Dan sits up when he hears the sound of rocks on his window.

He frowns, glancing at Connor, who is still snoring heavily from beside Dan on the mattress, before walking slowly over to the window and sliding it open.

Conveniently, a pebble flies up an hits him square in the forehead when e leans out. Dan grimaces, rubbing his forehead before looking down were a figure stands.

"Dan?" A female voice calls, "it's Bethany."

Dan frowns, holding up his finger before he races in and retrieves his phone. He unlocks it and sends a text to her, pointing to his phone, so she takes out her own, reading his text.

Dan: what are you doing here? why couldn't you just text?

Bethany: it was important. Can you come down?

Dan: I'll wake everyone up

Bethany: just... climb the tree or something then.

Dan: are you kidding?! no way!

Bethany: either climb the tree or come through the front door. Please I need to talk to you.

Dan: we technically are talking

Bethany: I'd rather say what I want when we're not texting or you're leaning out a window while I'm on the ground.

Dan: fine, but if I fall from the tree, you're paying for any injuries.

Bethany: whatever, don't stress.

Dan sighs, slipping his phone into his pocket and climbing out his window, which is a squeeze for his massively tall frame. He sighs, reaching out and swinging onto the large branch out the front of his window.

After ten minutes, Dan finally makes it to the ground, not entirely sure as to how he's going to get back up.

Dan looks across at Bethany as he leans against the tree, puffing from the exercise and sweating from the heat. She's typing on her phone, but pockets it when Dan stands up straight.

"Thanks for coming down Dan," Bethany says, "I know we haven't talked in a while, and I've missed you. But I knew you'd been a bit... Well, I knew you'd need space."

Dan looks at Bethany expectantly, waiting for her to go on.

"Well, I couldn't wait any longer because, well, I like you Dan," Bethany says, "like, really like you."

Dan freezes. No, no, no, no... He thinks. He takes a step away from Bethany, shaking his head. He wishes he had a voice to say the words in his head.

Bethany doesn't seem to get the hint from the vigorous head shaking, or she's just taking advantage of his inability to speak. She takes a step towards him, leaning forward and placing her lips against Dan's own.

As soon as they touch, Dan pushes her back, looking at her with wide eyes. He takes another step back away from her, but she stands with a small smirk on her face.

And then Dan looks up at the window to see the worst possible sight; Phil leaning out and looking down at him.

*********

an// hello hope you enjoyed! Sorry it's been a while but... Merry Christmas! I hope you have a wonderful day :) sorry if I slightly ruined it with a cliffhanger oops.

Thanks so much for all your support on the book. Only a few chapters left though :( I'm thinking of going to around 30 chapters total for this book :)

I'll try to update before new year! But if not, SEE YOU IN 2016!! Love you all! ^_^