SUPER RICH KIDS | PHAN

nineteen.

dan

dan was losing his shit. he could barely stay upright as he trudged his way back to the shelter, trembling with the rage coursing through him.

dan couldn't believe the nerve phil had. how could he say that to him? dan knew he had exploded a bit on him, but what phil had said was a new kind of low. and kicking dan out of his car? that was just inhumane.

dan kicked a bottle by the side of the road, cursing under his breath and tugging at his messy locks of hair. jesus, and he had started to like him. well, not really, but at least he could stand him. not anymore. dan wasn't sure if he could even be around him anymore.

what a spoiled jerk.

by the time dan got back his feet hurt like hell and his head was throbbing. he stumbled to the glass door and pushed through it, sighing. he just wanted to sleep.

before he could even get his eyes on his bed, katrina stepped in front of him, her arms crossed against her chest. she gave him a look, staring him down with her infamous cold stare.

"where have you been?"

dan rubbed at his mouth, avoiding her eyes. he knew she wouldn't be mad at him, but he still didn't like seeing that look on her face. it made him feel like he had failed her. all of them. he was already so conscious of his mistakes that it always hit him hard.

"with phil."

his voice broke unintentionally and he winced, his gaze falling to his feet. he could feel her frowning.

"and...?"

"and?" he figured the best way to go would be to play dumb. she raised her eyebrows at him.

"and, what were you doing with phil? and why are you so dusty?"

dan bit his lip, his cheeks heating up. "i..." he sighed. "i wanted him to take me to get medicine, and i kind of blew up on him. he got pissed and kicked me out of his car." dan left out all the things that were said, his neck already splotchy with embarrassment.

katrina stared at him. "what?"

dan nodded anxiously. "i walked back..."

her expressions shifted like the weather, going from cloudy to full on thunderstorm in seconds. "jesus christ, dan..."

dan pursed his lips and moved to step past her. "it's fine, honestly." he was too tired for this. "i just want a nap and a good cry."

she was one of the only people he could say stuff like that to without getting teased. she knew what it was like to just feel broken, to feel like your limbs just wouldn't work, no matter how hard you tried. but this time, she wasn't having it. she stood her ground.

"where is he now?"

dan shrugged halfheartedly, taking a seat on his mattress. "probably at home. or with his parents. or at sunny's."

dan watched her think and chew on her thumbnail, her gaze falling away from him. finally she groaned and moved to sit beside him.

"you have to apologize."

dan blinked at her, shocked. it seemed so unlike her to suggest it, it took him by surprise. "what? why?"

"look... i know it isn't your fault." she scratched the back of her neck, licking her lips. "but we need this place, dan. think about earl. think about nina. we have to stay here for them, they need this. if he kicks us out..." she trailed off, but dan could finish that sentence with about twenty things. he took a deep breath.

"...yeah."

she smiled weakly at him. "he doesn't deserve anything he gets. but for once... give it to him. yeah?"

dan sighed and nodded slowly, his shoulders slumping. "yeah. alright. you're right."

she grinned and patted him on the back. she dug into the pocket of her jacket and pressed something in dan's palm. money, a wad of it. "found it in phil's desk."

dan laughed, closing his fingers around it. it was almost therapeutic to feel money in his hand. "thanks."

she gave him a quick hug. "get a taxi. i believe in you."

dan stood, offering her one last smile. "wish me luck."

he turned toward the door, grabbing his brown jacket that was hanging on a hook beside it. before he left, he heard her speak again:

"you'll need it."