The next day Phil left the house at the same time as Dan on purpose.
Not that he was interested in the younger boys weird habits, he was just bored and didn't want to be at school in time.
He waited until the light in the window across the street switched off, grabbed his bag and went downstairs. It was already quite late and Dan must've been in a rush, considering that he actually hated coming late. Or at least Phil thought he would, because he was a good and organized person and always seemed disappointed in himself when he was late.
Not that Phil observed the younger boy.
He opened the front door and Dan did the same. They locked eyes for a few seconds, then Dans glance wandered to the ground.
His hands clutched the straps of his bag and he started walking.
The black haired boy did the same, but a few steps behind the other one, who stopped abruptly, turned around and walked the way back.
"What are you doing Howell?" Phil asked but didn't get an answer.
Whatever Dan exactly did, it seemed like he locked the front door of his house.
Multiple times.
When he caught up with Phil, he looked kind of livid. "Why are you waiting?" He asked.
"Thought we could walk together" Phil said slightly embarrassed. That didn't fit his image and Dan must've thought the same.
"Um o-okay?"
Phil didn't think long and just crossed the street and stood now right next to the slightly shorter boy.
He just looked at his feet, which perfectly hit the middle of the squared shaped pavers, while Phil just walked careless on the cracks.
"C-could you -" Dan began. "What?"
"Irrelevant" he answered and just continued walking.
Dan wasn't normal, everybody knew, but nobody seemed to be interested in something odd; except Phil.
The taller boy seemed to hear a little mumble from the other one and quickly understood that he was counting.
"28"
"29"
"30"
"Could you stop that?" Phil asked slightly annoyed.
"Oh sorry yes."
"34"
"35"
