Lists | Phan

Five: Dan's Control

But it was working, he had to remind himself. He might be tired, but he was way more popular than Chris or PJ, or anyone, for that matter. He glanced around at the people surrounding him, hanging on to his every word, changing their body language to match and compliment his. There were small things too, things other people would never pick up. For instance, the way that some of his friends wouldn't laugh at something unless Phil had laughed, or the way that a few individuals would even unwittingly change their speech to slightly match Phil's. The way that if Phil dropped the word "asshat" or "fucktruck" into his speech, he'd soon notice the people around him begin to use those words - even when they hadn't used them once before. Fuck, Phil could probably use the word YOLO seriously in a sentence and it would be totally acceptable.

Phil was sure that he was the only one that noticed these tiny, tiny details, but they made him feel alive. He was the leader. Everyone around him were just following him without question, doing as he said, loving him – and it was perfect, perfect, perfect.

Phil stifled a yawn.

The base pounding through his ears was making him feel a little dizzy, so he excused himself from the group to go outside for some fresh air. He passed groups of drunk girls, circles of students sitting on the floor playing drinking games and politely declined a few offers to go dance in the living room – which was apparently the 'rave room,' as Zoe had stated earlier:

"You wanna dance, you go to the living room. Likewise, if you're in the living room and you're not dancing, get the fuck out. No glass bottles in there either, duh."

The front door was already half open, so Phil merely passed through it and let the cool (albeit slightly smoky) outside air wash over him. He let out a deep sigh as some of the tension from constantly acting left his body.

"Phil!"

And his body tightened up again.

He turned his head to see a brunette man cheerfully waving him over. The face wandered merrily across his mind, looking for a name to connect with. Phil squinted his eyes in thought, and then mentally berated himself for it. What if the guy saw and took it as hostility? Idiot.

He forced a smile to light up his face as he walked over to the group, still searching for a name in his head...

Joey! Joey Graceffa!

He worked at the Starbucks on Wednesday and Thursday afternoons, and was friends with Daniel and Shane. And Dan.

"Hey, Joey! How you been, didn't expect to see you here." He lied, effortlessly. All his friends were going to be coming, of fucking course he'd be here too.

Joey grinned back and made to offer Phil a beer – to which Phil silently declined by holding up his still half-full bottle.

"Yeah man, gotta have some fun sometimes, right? Have you met Shane, by the way?" He gestured to the brunette man sat on a plastic garden chair next to him – and Phil finally took the time to look properly at the group Joey was with.

Sat on another plastic garden chair a little ways behind Shane, with his legs crossed and a glower on his face was Dan.

Son of a-

Phil beamed at Shane,

"We've never been properly introduced, but I've seen her around campus sometimes." He turned to him fully. "You're in the science block quite a lot, are you taking a science-based subject?"

He made sure to keep his voice and body language inviting – tonight was the night he'd get Dan to like him, somehow.

Shane gave him a warm smile and made to answer him, but Dan cut him off – voice dripping with sarcasm.