Whoop the first official chapter :D

"How'd you do in the Maths test?" Phil asked, right after they had a Maths lesson together. Dan shrugged, looking down at his lap and frowning. "I wouldn't worry, I didn't do well either. It was so hard... did you hear PJ only got 60 out 100? He's the smartest kid in our year and he didn't do well at all so.." Dan swallowed thickly: he got 10. "I hate Maths. It's my least favourite subject. My favourite subject would have to be Media. The teacher's just so nice and I love being creative. It's really fun! What's your favourite subject?" As soon as he asked the question, Phil's eyes widened but, before he could take it back, Dan was unzipping his bag. He pulled out his English book and showed it to Phil before putting it away again. "Yeah, English is cool. I love writing stories because they always make me happy. It's a way to escape from the real world, I suppose. Our English teacher last year though... He was the worst! He never taught us anything because he couldn't control the class at all. It's a miracle I ever passed really. Even if I am quite good at English, if I can say so myself. I don't want to sound self-centred or anything but, you know."

Dan had finished eating and now had his head perched on top of one of his hands as he listened intently to Phil's ramble. He couldn't help but find himself smiling as he was completely engaged in every words he said which was quite odd because he usually struggled with concentrating.

-

Dan was.. panicking to say the least. He had Geography homework due first period the next day that he didn't understand at all and he really didn't want to get a detention. His dad would never react well if he got a detention and he was petrified to say the least. He decided his best bet was Phil so, at lunch, before Phil could have a chance to start rambling, he took out his Geography book and the homework. He gestured to it, making Phil a little confused.

"Do you need help?" He asked, cocking his head to the side slightly. Dan nodded and Phil smiled, moving closer to the other boy so their sides were touching. "Okay, so, do you know what this is?" He pointed at the unlabelled diagram as Dan nodded. "A meander, right?" Another nod. "So, here and.. here are where there is the most deposition takes place because it is where the flow is slowest, okay?" Phil's voice was gentle and he was making sure Dan understood what he was saying. It certainly made him feel better than having someone yell at him and call him an idiot.

Twenty minutes later, the bell rang and they still hadn't finished the homework. "We haven't finished so do you want to finish it after school together? I'd say you can come over to mine for dinner but my brother has his girlfriend over and I don't think there will be enough for you. I don't want to intrude but could we go to yours? I'm pretty sure the school is shut after school for some Parent's Evening."

Dan was tempted to shake his head because of his parents but he really needed to get the work done. Plus, maybe if he had someone over there would be no arguing or yelling so Dan just nodded.

"We both have Media last so we can walk to yours together?"

Another nod.

-

Media went by very slowly, probably because of the anxiety that was making Dan's stomach do somersaults. He was really afraid that his parents would scare Phil away when he was the closest thing Dan had ever had to a friend. Phil made him feel... almost happy. He really liked him.

They walked out of school together and walked home in pretty much silence. Dan got home and held out his hand as if to say wait. Phil wasn't entirely sure what he meant but, when Dan shut the door in front of him, he could assume.

Dan walked into the living room where his parents were sitting before mumbling very quietly. "Can my f-friend come i-in?"

"What? I couldn't hear you." His dad stood up but Dan swallowed, trying to keep it together.

"Can my friend come in?" He repeated, louder so that his parents could hear.

"Friend, huh?" Dan's dad raised his eyebrows, surprised that someone actually liked his son for once. "Is he outside?"

Dan nodded.

"Then yes but don't you think you're safe for today."

-

Phil sat beside Dan on his bed as he was getting out his Geography homework again. "You like Muse?" Phil asked in surprise as he looked around at all of the posters up on Dan's walls. "They're my favourite band!"

They had almost finished the work when there was a knock on Dan's door. They both looked up as it was opened to reveal Dan's dad. "Are you here for dinner?"

Dan nodded but bit his lip when his dad gave him the look, he mumbled, "Yes, if it's o-okay." Phil looked absolutely shocked at the sound of Dan's voice as he had never heard it before.

"Okay, we're having pasta. I hope that's okay."

"That's lovely, thank you so much for having me."

With a cheesy grin (Dan could tell it was fake), he left.

Dan expected Phil to probe him with questions about his voice but no questions came, instead they carried on with the homework. That was the exact moment that Dan realised Phil wasn't like everyone else. He was different. The good kind of different.

-

The pair came down for dinner to find Dan's parents sitting at the table and then two spare chairs. They never had dinner as a family but obviously they were going out of their way to seem like the perfect family to impress Phil. Dan hated it.

"This is really good, thank you." Phil said after a while of just eating in silence.

"What do you think, Daniel?" His mum asked, causing Dan to nod. He really didn't want to talk. He didn't even wait for his dad to give him that look, he just stood up and left the kitchen for a second. He went to the bathroom and just stared at himself in the mirror, in attempts to compose himself. His reflection had purple lines under his eyes and his face was paler than any ghost. He looked so unhealthy and sad because he was falling apart. He didn't want to talk because then everything would get worse and his parents kept pressuring him to speak and he didn't like it. Before he knew it, he was panicking and struggling to catch his breath. He turned on the taps, splashing some water on his face. He then left the bathroom and went back to pretending everything was okay.

"Thank you very much," Phil smiled once everyone had finished eating. "I think my mum will be expecting me home now so I should probably go. Thank you for having me though."

"You're welcome!" Dan's mum replied, sending the boy a friendly grin.

"Before I go, can I borrow your phone? You know, in case you ever need someone to help you with homework again?" Dan reached into his back pocket before holding his phone out. Phil took it and typed something momentarily before handing it back. Dan had time to glance down to see Phil had added himself to Dan's contacts under the name Phil with lots of lion emojis. Dan smiled ever so softly. Phil was then out of the door and Dan's parents were towering over him again.

"You never told me you had a friend. Yesterday you were telling me you were still a loner." Dan's dad had a smirk on his face which basically told Dan how the rest of the evening was going to go. "Have you been lying to me? I never expected you to be a liar as well as a freak and an idiot." Dan was then being shoved to the wall and he was being punched. He was going to have a black eye and he hated those the most because it meant he had to wear makeup.

How are you liking it so far? Is it alright?

I hope you all have a good Thursday!