*Book One* Slave Boy (Phan)

Chapter Ten

Word count: 1980

Chapter Ten

After Dan and Phil finish eating their share of the pizza, they ask for a a small box to take the rest of it back to the Lester's. Soon they're out in the car and it's only seven thirty.

"Well, we don't have to be back at the house for another two and a half hours. What should we do?" Phil asks.

Dan thinks about it for a few seconds. He supposes that Phil doesn't want to have to explain to his mum just yet.

"You know that park near the center of town?" Dan asks.

"Yeah; do you wanna go there?"

"Why not? It gives us something to do..."

"Alright," Phil agrees. "Let's go."

It's only a ten minute drive to the park from where Dan and Phil are, which is nice. Phil turned on the radio to cover the silence. Dan and Phil then discover that they like the same music. That's one thing they have in common.

Once they arrive at the park, Dan and Phil find a spot on the grass by a lake that is at the outer edge of the park. The park has barely anyone around, and the only light comes from the moon.

Dan sits down first and takes a small rock, which is resting nearby, into his hand. He chucks it into the dark water as Phil sits down, leaving a foot or so of space in between them.

"What Lance did to you was a pretty shitty thing," Dan comments, throwing another rock into the water. He can feel Phil's eyes on him.

"What Liam did was just as bad."

Dan doesn't reply. In fact, he sits and stares across the lake for a minute or so, even though he can't see anything.

Honestly, it didn't really hurt Dan, he was just worried about Phil. He hasn't taken any of his relationships too seriously...since Nick, that is.

Dan can feel Phil's eyes still on him, so he shrugs before chucking yet another rock into the lake.

"You can't act like it was nothing Dan," Phil says, turning his attention to the lake as well. "What is with you?"

"What?" Dan asks confused, his hand dropping to his side.

"It's like you're hiding something. There is something that you have kept deep down, isn't there? You put on this tough outer shell so that you don't get hurt or something."

"You think you have me all figured out, don't you?" Dan asks, sarcastically.

"We all have secrets Dan. Some just hold onto them tighter than others."

"You have no idea what you're talking about. I have no secrets. I have no need to keep any."

"Really? Do your parents know about Liam?" Phil asks. Dan keeps quiet.

Phil lets out a breathy chuckle. "Do they even know that you're, what, gay..bisexual...?"

"Pansexual." Dan mutters quietly.

"What?" Phil asks, unable to hear Dan.

"I'm pansexual," Dan repeats, glancing over at Phil. "And, no, they don't know."

"Oh my god Dan; how do they not know?" Phil asks, but Dan doesn't answer. He only chucks another rock.

"I mean, it can't be easy hiding your boyfriends from your parents," Phil continues on. "Unless Liam was your first..."

This makes Dan laugh. Phil looks at Dan confused and waits for him to elaborate.

"I'm not that inexperienced, Phil."