Hi, my name is [Dan] - COMPLETED

After 38: Dates

"Where you want to go?" He asked as we headed into town.
He didn't bother to change because he knew I couldn't. I tried to think of a place where two guys in a shirt and leggings wouldn't get too many odd looks.
"Maybe Starbucks?" I finally said with a shrug.
"Wow you're such a white gi-guy," he hiccuped on the last word. He looked at me and his face paled.
"Nice save," I laughed and he half smiled back.
"If it makes you feel any better, I used to call Alfie a white girl all the time because he had this weird obsession with pumpkin spiced lattes," and just like that the conversation picked up again.
I wasn't feeling the best but I knew he hadn't meant it that way, it was just a saying. I shouldn't let it get to me, Phil was really trying so I shouldn't throw it all back in his face.
"Are you talking about school Alfie here? He seems more like an Asda coffee kind of guy."
"Don't let him hear you say that," he snorted.
"Oh shit," I cursed as we reached the coffee shop.
"What's wrong?"
"My wallet was in my bag..." The bag my mum had left with, I cursed internally.
"It's fine, I'll pay." Phil shrugged and pushed the door open.
He held it open for me to walk in and I was greeted with the smell of coffee beans and warm air.

We found a seat in the corner of Starbucks, by the window and away from other people. I was distracted by the rain that had begun to fall and patter against the window, condensation was quickly spreading across the glass.
"What would you like?" he asked me.
"Caramel Mac please," I answered and he went right to the front, it was weird that Starbucks was so empty but it felt nice. I absentmindedly started drawing on the window with my finger.
"Two Caramel Macs coming through," Phil announced and placed them down on the table. He sat across from me and I looked at what I had drawn, it was a heart... of course my stupid, hopeless mind would draw that. I rubbed it out but not before Phil had seen it. He made his own heart on his side of the window but he didn't erase it, he kept it there. My chest ached and I had to look down at my coffee so I wouldn't say or do anything stupid.
"I'll pay you back for this," I told him as I took my first sip of the sweet coffee.
"No, it's my treat."
"This feels very much like a date." So much for not saying anything stupid.
"Trust me, a first date with Phil Lester would be so much more romantic," he told me and I looked up in time to catch a wink from him.
"What would you do on a first date?" I asked him and he leant forward and took me by surprise as he grabbed hold of my hand. I couldn't bring myself to look away from his clear blue eyes, they were so enticing.
"Well... firstly I'd take him on a nature walk where we can follow a trail through the trees and see all the birds and animals that live there. When the sun is beginning to set we'll find an open space and set out a picnic basket on the grass," he told me and I closed my eyes. Imagining it being me and him. "The stars will shine on us and we'll just talk all night, about life and our future."
"That sounds beautiful," I breathed out and opened my eyes as he pulled away. He looked out of the window.
"Not like I'll ever get the chance to do that," he scoffed and rubbed the heart away quickly.
"And why not?" I scrunched my eyebrows together. "I thought you'd have boys falling all over you."
"I wish..." he finally looked back to me. "I've only ever liked two people in my entire life... one guy turned out to, not only be straight, but also a douche."
"What about the other guy?"
"I don't think he likes me very much. I didn't make the best first impression..."
Was he talking about me? He couldn't be.
"You never know what he thinks unless you ask," I heard myself say.
"Yeah... maybe one day I will," he replied and cleared his throat. "What was the story behind the dance today then?" He asked and took a gulp of his drink.
Guess we were off the dating topic, maybe I wasn't the other guy he liked after all. What was I thinking? Of course I wasn't the guy.
"Oh... well it's kind of cheesy," I said and blushed.
"Well I love cheesy things, pizza is the best and that's cheesy," he pointed out. God, he was such a nerd. I couldn't help but smile.
"Okay," I cleared my throat. "So we started off as small and closed up because that's how we once were. I opened up first because when I began to be referred to as a guy I felt so free and whole again. I then helped you to open up because Alfie was making you be someone you weren't but you stopped being his friend for me. At the end, we're both open and free," I said.
He just stared at me for a long time, mouth open, and I realised how stupid that idea had been. I slumped down in my seat.
"Now that was beautiful," he told me.

                                                                                    ~

"I should be heading to my house now," I told him when we'd finished our drinks.
"I'll walk you back?" He offered and I nodded because I knew I couldn't do this alone, I would chicken out.
We walked in silence until we reached the bottom of my street, I stopped and Phil halted as he overtook me.
"I... I can't," I shook my head and was about to turn back but Phil grabbed hold of my arm and made me face him.
"You can," he told me. "I'll be there for you until you go in and you can always text me if you want to leave again," he promised me.
I didn't trust myself to speak so I just nodded. He grabbed hold of my hand and I felt better knowing he was with me. He walked me to my driveway and stopped just before we stepped foot on the path leading to my front door.
"Thank you for this," I told him genuinely, I didn't know what I would've done without him by my side.
"Dan..." he trailed off.
"What?" I asked, my breath coming out white as the late afternoon turned cold.
"I want to ask you something," he told me but then stopped.
"What is it?" I squeezed his hand comfortingly.
"If you aren't grounded for leaving home would you maybe like to go on a date with me? As my partner?" He asked and red coloured his entire face.
"I'd love that, Phil," I said and I knew my own face was the same shade as his. He pulled me into a quick hug.
"Good luck," he whispered in my ear and man did I need that encouragement from him... man did I need him.

AN: 
FINISHED A CHAPTER!! Whoop. 
I've had so much work to do that I haven't even logged onto this account (Seriously, I came back on with 1k notifications and 6 DMs, I'm never this popular when I AM logged in wth)
Thanks for sticking with this story everyone and I'll try to update again next week (or sooner if possible) 
- Rach x