The Cute And The Confident- Phan

Chapter 20 - Regret

Dan decided to leave school early that day after the incident with Tyler and then causing Phil to hate him; he hated himself for what he had done to Phil and all he wanted to do was lie down and sleep away his issues.

However, as soon as he stepped into his house, his mother was on his case asking why he was home so early.

"Daniel, it's not even midday. What are you doing home?" she huffed, whilst drying her hands - she had clearly just been cleaning the kitchen, but Dan had no idea why she was hand cleaning dishes when they had a dishwasher.

Dan frowned, "I could ask you the same thing."

"Yes, but I am your mother," she stated, as if Dan didn't know. "Now, what happened?"

She then gasped as she noticed the ever growing bruise on Dan's face and clutched his cheek within her fingertips.

"Who did this?" she almost whispered and when Dan visibly gulped she stepped back mortified. "Not Tyler, please not Tyler."

Dan nodded, "We had a fight."

Sarah shook her head disbelievingly and began to make her way into the lounge, gesturing for Dan to follow. They sat beside each other on the sofa in an awkward silence until Sarah decided to finally speak up.

"What was the fight about?"

"What do you think?" Dan huffed. "He's the one that wrote those notes to Phil."

Sarah placed her hands over her mouth and gasped once again, "Why would he do that?"

Dan shrugged, "Jealousy I guess."

"I told you he was bad news, Dan," she sighed, whilst fiddling with her apron, which was tied around her waist from the cleaning. "Did Phil see?"

Dan nodded warily; he really didn't want to have to tell his mother what he had done to Phil. She'd hate him as well and he didn't want that. He wouldn't be able to handle it. However, there was a huge part of him that knew he would have to tell her: to explain why he never comes over or why he never speaks about Phil to her.

"What happened?" she frowned. "Daniel, I know you. You're hiding something from me."

Dan sighed and tears began to glisten over his eyes, as he thought of what he had said to Phil. How could he do that? Tyler, that's how.

"I may have said some things that I regret saying, but I had no choice, you have to understand that," Dan gushed.

Sarah frowned worriedly and she shuffled in her seat expecting the worst, "What did you say?"

"Tyler threatened me; saying that if I don't stop seeing Phil that he'll beat him up, so I told Phil that-" Dan cut himself off with a sob. He really didn't want to repeat it, "I told him that I don't want to be seen with him, as this is where it gets me."

Sarah sat back into the sofa and raised her eyebrows in shock. How could her son do something like that? Especially to someone like Phil; someone so innocent, so fragile.

Dan looked over at his mother through tear filled eyes and one fell, cascading down his cheek, as she sat there in silence. She was speechless.

"Say something," Dan sobbed. "Please? I feel bad enough."

"Dan, I," Sarah started. "Why?"

"I don't know."

Sarah got up from the sofa and began to slowly walk out of the room.

"Mum, please don't hate me," Dan sniffled. "I can't have you hating me too."

Sarah stopped in the doorway and leant against the frame for support, "I don't hate you, Dan. You're my son, I couldn't ever hate you. I'm just - just disappointed."