Evacuee (Phan Fiction)

Lies

I walk into the house with a slight limp. My foot really hurts from Ben standing on it but I try to walk normally as I hold back tears. I stumble into the room where Pj and Phil are sat and I decide to hold my stomach to pretend like I'm sick. "Hey, Dan, what's up?" Phil asks as he sees me.

"Um, I don't feel very well." I lie and Phil raises an eyebrow.

"How so?" He asks.

"My tummy hurts." I lie.

"You're probably just hungry." He says and motions for me to sit on the sofa next to where he is sat. I do so without question.

"No, I don't think so, I just feel really sick. I'll probably be able to sleep it off." I lie.

"Don't you want to play with Chris and Ben?" Pj asks.

"I do, but I don't want to get them ill too." I lie.

"Hmm, you should probably get him home, Phil." Pj says.

"Are you sure? We've not been here very long." Phil looks thoughtful and he's eyeing me suspiciously.

"Yeah, it's fine, Sophie will be home soon anyway."

"Alright then, I'll see you tomorrow though." Phil assures and we begin to leave.

After quick goodbye's Phil and I walk home the long way round. We pass a little park with a wooden climbing structure in the centre. There are lots of children playing and as we pass, they all stare at me. I guess that in such a small village, everybody know everybody and they all know that I'm not from here. I duck my head as we pass and it seems that Phil is oblivious to the staring. "Oi, loser, go back yo your own town!" Someone shouts and I look up just to see everyone laughing at me. I turn away and spot Phil's cottage just in sight. So I do what I used to do back in London; I run all the way there without looking back.

When I reach the porch, I sit on the little bench outside and take deep breaths. I am so unfit. I close my eyes and lean my head back, sighing loudly. After a few minutes I feel a hand on my knee but I don't move. "What's wrong, Dan?" Phil's comforting voice asks.

I shake my head. "I just want to sleep." I say, feeling exhausted despite it only being afternoon.

"Alright. You can take a nap if you like." Phil says gently and I nod, opening my eyes and getting up.

Once we're in the house, I walk to my room and sit on the bed. I'm not supposed to take naps in the afternoon. My mum would always tell me off when I did. I should be cleaning or something right about now. I think to myself for a moment before going to find Phil. I find him sat in the living room with the radio on while he reads a book. "Um, Phil?" I ask to get his attention. He looks up at me, waiting for me to continue. "Is there anything I can do? Like, any cleaning that needs to be done?" I ask, staring intently at the floor.

"I don't think so, Dan. I cleaned up before you got here." He says kindly.

"Are you sure there isn't anything I can do to help out?" I ask.

"I'm quite sure but I'll let you know if I can think of anything." He smiles warmly. "Anyway, I thought you were tired?" He enquires.

"I'm not anymore." I lie.

"Really?" He asked. I don't think he's falling for my crap.

"Yeah." I lie quietly.

"You know, Dan." Phil says with a disappointed expression on his face. "If there's one thing I really can't stand, it's lying. I'm not mad at you for lying, just really disappointed."

My heart breaks. I upset him. The one thing I really didn't want to do and I went and did it anyway. I failed him. I'm a failure. I always was and always will be. "I'm sorry." I mumble.

"Just, go practice your reading." He says, not looking at me in the eye. I nod and sulk back to my room. I get out my book and turn to the page I was on when I finished on the train. I begin to read but I keep messing up and it's making the story sound like nonsense. I try saying the words out loud to help but that just makes me more frustrated. After half an hour of struggling, I throw the book across the room and bury my face in my hands.

"Dan? What was that?" I hear Phil call as my nook thumped on the floor.

"Just- just dropped my book." I say, not moving from my position. And that is where I stay all night. I eventually change into my pyjamas and get under the duvet and even though I was tired earlier, I am now wide awake. I can't sleep. And I feel awful. So I get up and make my way to the only door I have never been through; Phil's bedroom. I knock quietly.

"Come in." Phil calls from the other side. I open the door slowly to see Phil sat up in bed, reading a book.

"Um, hi." I say quietly, still stood by the door.

"What's the matter?" Phil asks, putting his book onto the bedside table.

"Um, I-" I begin.

"Please don't lie to me." Phil interjects and so I tell him the truth.

"I can't sleep." I state.

"Why not?" Phil asks.

"I don't know." Well, I know that I can never sleep but I don't know exactly why. So, it's mostly true.

"Are you sure about that?" He asks.

I shuffle around nervously while looking at the floor. "Well, I just miss my mum. And I don't really like it here too much. I just have a lot on my mind." I tell him truthfully.

"Would you like to sleep in here?" He asks, patting the space beside him.

I hesitate slightly before nodding. "If it's not too much bother."

"Of course it's not, come on." He says and lifts up one side of the duvet, gesturing for me to get in. I slip in carefully, facing away from Phil. I kind of want him to cuddle with me.

"Um, Phil?" I say shyly.

"Yeah?"

"Can you, um, if it's not too weird or inappropriate, can you, like, hug me?" I mumble, feeling embarrassed.

Phil just chuckles and wraps his arms around my gorse, bringing my back against his chest. "Goodnight, Dan." He murmurs sleepily.

"Night, Phil." I reply and close my eyes, relaxing into the warm embrace.

Now this, this is something I could get used to. This is one of the benefits of this place. Although, all of its benefits revolve around Phil.