Hi, my name is [Dan] - COMPLETED

After 32: 1 v 3

It was cold when we stepped out of the house. Phil was about to lock up when he saw me shivering, a thin puff of white escaped his mouth before he stepped back inside. When he reappeared, the same white huffs of air blowing around, he had a green hoodie in his hand. He passed it to me without a word and I slipped into it quickly as he locked up. I snuggled into the warmth and I could smell Phil's unique smell rising from the material.
It looked worn, the front part faded, and I wondered how often he had worn this. I wondered if Alfie would know what it looked like. It was against school regulations to wear one so it wasn't like Alfie would see it or anything. I would take if off as soon as we got into the building, bundle it up and hope that Alfie didn't see either the hoodie or us together. I was worried that Alfie would see us and claim Phil back as his friend which would consequentially lead Phil to being pulled back into the dark side. I hated that side of Phil. 

"What's happening with you and Alfie, then?" I asked as we walked together. It was still cold out despite the hoodie but that wasn't the only reason why I wrapped my arms around myself. 
"I told you," he said cooly and looked ahead. He squinted against the morning sun that was peaking out ahead of us. "I'm not going to be friends with him anymore."
"Well you can say it but it doesn't mean it's true," I shot at him. 
"I don't want to be friends with him anymore..." Phil sighed, the white air wavered in front of me. 
"But you want to be friends with me?" I asked and lifted my head up so I could see his face. He turned to face me as well.
"Yeah," he told me and he didn't seem to be lying but it was hard to tell. 
"Why?"
"Because you're... different."
I felt my breath hitch in my throat. He wants to be friends with me because I'm different? Because I'm transgender? Does he think he'll discover something about me, does he think I'll be interesting because of what I identify as? Because I've got to tell you I'm the least interesting person ever. What if he gets bored?
He must've seen my wide eyed expression because he quickly stumbled his next words out. 
"No, no not like that. That was the wrong word... I meant different like, you're, you're," he snapped his fingers in thought as though he were trying to pluck the words from the air. "Better. Amazing. Cute. Wait no, scratch that, I'm sorry that was inappropriate. Ugh, I'm not used to explaining what I like about people." He seemed flustered. The cheek I could see was bright red but that could've been because of the cold air hitting the injury there, I couldn't tell.
"It's okay, don't push yourself." We descended into silence again and I began to wish I hadn't opened my mouth. But he had called me cute, hadn't he? Is that something you call a friend? I had personally never called a friend that but what did I know about friendships? I felt like our relationship was moving both too fast and too slow at the same time. I wanted to grab it in mid air and hold it so it stayed completely still.
The thing about friendship is that it can fade away quicker than it can grow.
"Just... if you decide to go back to Alfie give me a heads up." I didn't want to be blind sided when I saw them hanging out again. I knew it would hurt me but I couldn't quite figure out why.
He didn't reply to me and that sent a chill run down my spine. I pushed the lump in my throat away but it grew even larger when I saw the school building. 
We walked inside together and I immediately pulled the hoodie off, Phil gave me a sideways look but didn't say anything. 
"Keep it," he said when I tried to hand it back to him. "Meet me back here at lunch, okay?"
"Okay..." I half-heartedly agreed, my mind still wandering as I worried about seeing Chris and PJ today. "Wait!" I yelled out when I realised what he had said but by then he was already walking down the corridor to his lesson. 

I glanced down at my timetable. I probably should've memorised it by now but with everything going on I could barely remember the day never mind what lessons I had on it. Drama was first. It was time to explain to Chris and PJ about what had happened with Phil. 
"Hey guys," I mumbled as I walked into the classroom and slung my bag down. Their eyes were on me as I sighed and sat down. 
"Spill the deeds!" Chris's face was red as he was bursting for answers.
"Did you really hit Phil?" PJ asked, he was much calmer. News really does travel fast in schools. I bet everyone was buzzing with the information by now. 
"Well... yes but-"
"But what? You hit THE Phil Lester, you're a legend man!" Chris cheered and slapped me on the shoulder, I flinched away from his touch. 
"It's more complicated than that," I tried to explain but I couldn't pull the words together to make a sentence that would explain the last twenty four hours. 
"Complicated how?" PJ asked, he narrowed his eyes at me. His forehead was thick with worry lines. "What happened yesterday? We were really concerned about you." 
"I know and I'm so sorry..." I paused. "I stayed over at Phil's house." 
"YOU STAYED OVER AT PH-" Chris yelled out but PJ managed to jump over the desk and place his hand over his mouth just in time to stop the rest of the class from knowing too. 
"Mr. Liguori, would you please sit down!" The teacher snapped and went back to the little group at the front that were talking to her. 
"Geez would you keep it down," I hissed. PJ went back to his seat but kept a close eye on Chris.
"Why didn't you text us? You just went home with him and thought it'd be okay?" Chris asked me, his voice much much quieter this time. 
"He could've done anything to you, Dan," PJ commented. 
"But he didn't," I defended. "He's actually really nice and he told me he's not going to be friends with Alfie anymore."
"Of course he told you that," PJ scoffed. 
"I know. I'm being an idiot, aren't I?" I asked and banged my head against the desk. "Phil's meeting me at lunch what am I going to do?" 
"We'll be there with you mate," Chris told me. "We'll scope him out, 1 v 3! He won't stand a chance!" 

I felt my lips tug into a small smile. I was so lucky to have these people to call my friends. If Phil was just playing me then I was glad to have PJ and Chris by my side to help me through it all. 

AN:
Whoop finally got this written up! Sorry if it's a little all over the place but my painkillers are strong af. 
- Rach x