Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Twenty-Four

Dan appreciated the shorter drive to school than the five-hour one he believed he'd be trekking for five years. With Phil's earphones shared between them, it went by as though they were driving to a park. He chuckled, taking the ear piece out as the village came into sight, "You know, I almost don't want to go back to school." Dan stated calmly.

"I'm glad, Dan." Kath smiled, "So you don't mind coming down again in two months' time?" she gave him a bemused wink.

"If you make me answer that, you're expecting me to admit I'm not an angsty teenager." Dan pointed out.

Phil's mum sighed, a grin on her lips as she pulled onto the curb outside the school, "You know, sometimes changes in reputation are for the better."

They stepped out of the car and took their suitcases out of the boot. For the first time, Dan carried two of the briefs in, and both were his own. He stood outside the school gates, showing Katherine and Nigel a lopsided grin before the woman he'd learnt to adore threw her arms around him. She then took Phil in her arms, standing in front of the boys who already stood above her height, "Have a good term." she smiled, "And take care of each other."

"Thank you," Dan whispered, hoping she understood that he wasn't simply responding to her wish for them to enjoy the next couple of months.

"It's been a pleasure." she responded truthfully, taking a step back, "Well, I'm a phone call away for the both of you. I'll see you soon."

"Bye, Mum!" Phil waved as he dragged his bags up the stone path that rattled with each step.

"Bye, Kath." Dan waved, too, but more discreetly and turned away knowing if he didn't soon, he wouldn't want to. He caught up to Phil with a few strides, walking beside him as they took themselves towards their separate boarding houses.

"Do you think it'll be weird sleeping in different buildings, now?" Phil chuckled light-heartedly.

Dan shrugged, "Only if you make it weird."

"Hey!" Phil complained, bashing his shoulder against Dan. The younger boy looked up, naturally fearing that his year-mates saw that.

"I need to stop doing that," he mumbled.

"Doing what?"

"Caring what our classmates think," he admitted.

"Just stop harassing me and I'll be happy." Phil deviously grinned, taking a right turn away from Dan, "I'll see you in class tomorrow."

"You too, Phil." the brown-haired boy strode up to Hepburn and through the open wooden doorway.

Mrs Blackwell stood with a concerned smile against her face and her head tilted, "Have fun?" she asked, passing Dan a small plastic envelope.

"Yeah, actually." he nodded, "You were right."

"I always am." she teased, "Chris arrived already, he's upstairs...I doubt he's unpacking."

"What's these?" Dan asked, looking through the plastic.

"Your new scholar tie bands for Theatre and Music. You can keep your English one, just don't wear it."

"Right." he nodded, "Thank you." he sighed as he looked at the staircase, pulling his two suitcases up the carpeted wooden steps and round to his dorm, 2b. In his room, Chris sat with his legs on the closest bed, shoes still on and his own bags messily sprung out beside him.

"Hey, Chris!" Dan beamed, flinging his suitcases onto his bed and the tie clips into his jeans' pocket.

"Danny boy!" he teased, turning his body around to face his friend.

"You're tanned." Dan pointed out, snickering slightly.

"You're jealous." Chris winked.

"Barely. Tan Dan is a sight I don't want to see." he smiled, asking, "How was your holiday?"

"Yeah, really good. Although, can we save that for another time? I don't think I packed my tie..."

***

The two boys searched for over an hour until they gave in and Dan poked Chris to shamefully admit he'd not packed his entire uniform. That was for the boy to discover he'd left the tie under his covers when he went home, and Mrs Blackwell had stored it in her apartment, waiting for him to realise. She chuckled, passing it back to him and hopelessly asking him to be more responsible.

Dan logged onto the school computer in the Common Room before supper, realising he should probably check his emails before the term restarted. He hummed, deleting through them until he stopped with the mouse hovering over an email from "Prof. Stanley" titled "In regards to your interest." Dan furrowed his eyebrows, clicking on the link to be met with nothing far off an essay of an email.

"Dear Daniel Howell,
In early Autumn I received an e-mail from a long-term friend of mine whom you'd know better as your late grandmother. Firstly, I would like to offer my dearest condolences. She was an incredible woman and one whom I greatly respected and took pride in knowing. However, before her passing, she reached out to me expressing your interest in the performing arts and your aspiration to be an actor in the future.
As you may know, I'm the president of the Californian Performing Arts and Literature Trust College. I receive tens of thousands of applicants every year, taking in four thousand of those students per year. And, I won't deny it, someone like your grandmother putting forwards a family member of hers does interest me.
I will expect you to go through the application and audition process as every other student must. I understand you attend a boarding school in Britain, so this may be recorded and sent to my address on a CD for your ease. You will need to complete your SATs as well, and once I have both your audition and results I will contact you to see if we will move forwards with the process. At this point, I will be requesting your application and contacting your current school upon approval.
In regards to the audition you put forwards, it must be between two and three minutes precisely, and written by any established playwright. You may use extracts from pieces you've recently performed.
I hope to hear from you soon, please could you respond ASAP if you are planning to post me your video audition.
Yours sincerely,
Professor Stanley of PALT College, California (Head)."

Dan stared at the email, grinning as he stared at his lap, whispering under his breath, "Thank you, Grandma."

"Dear Professor Stanley,
I would like to begin by thanking you indefinitely for this opportunity. My grandma was wonderful to me, even in the short time I spent with her. Hearing you speak so fondly of her means a lot to me.
I'm currently in my second year of Auburn Independent School for Boys (year 10) and have recently performed Romeo and Juliet. I hope a performance from Shakespeare isn't too basic. In other words, I am extremely grateful that you're enabling me to have this opportunity, and I will record and send the extract within the next week. I hope to hear from you again soon.
Many thanks,
Daniel Howell."

He wasn't quite sure what to think.