The Switch // phan

chapter 1

"good morning, cheshire" says the excited news reporter on tv. Another boring day in the life of 17 year old Phil Lester. His days have become pretty much exactly the same. Wake up, eat breakfast, get dressed for school, after school goes to his work which is just a little corner store, after work he goes home, eats dinner, takes a shower , does pointless homework and goes to sleep. He's tired of it. It's been this way since he was smaller.

Phil lives with his grandma, as his mum passed when he was 4, in an accident. But Phil doesn't like to speak of it. His dad? He abandoned the family when Phil was born. and his older brother? He's in college already somewhere out in the rest of the world.

"Nan, do you ever wonder what it's like in the city?" Phil asks almost every morning.

"Phillip, you're going to be late, please eat." His grandma says with a concerned tone trying to stop the conversation that is brought up everyday.

"I know nan but think about it! What if we save up and leave this hell that we've called home"
Phil says excitedly.
This is a first.
His Nan's eyes grow wide when what he said hits her.

"Phil, you know we can't do that. Your mum also grew up here, she would want you to stay here." She says raising her voice in a slightly angry tone.

"No grandma! Mum would want me to explore! To do something meaningful in my life instead of stay home and do nothing!"
His grandma just rolls her eyes jumping up to walk toward him tugging at his arm to make him stand and leave to school.

Phil is an honor student, who could've graduated last year but decided it was best to just do 4th year as he nothing better to do at home but hope online about a new life in the cities.
He sits through his boring 8 classes with no struggle whatsoever. Watching everyone else just be confused on a simple math equations and easy essays. Phil isn't the athletic type though, he's avoided sports halls since primary school. He hates the thought of having to take a pointless class on how to run across a field or how to throw or hit a ball. So he just finds a good spot in the school to sit and read alone throughout that class.

Amanda, 4th year student who uses Phil really only for his brains.
She runs up to Phil leaving campus after school
"Hey Philly! Need a ride? It's like 20 degrees."
Phil despises when people he doesn't like call him that name. His mum only really called him that.
and that was really his only memory of his mum.

"No I'll be fine." He says as he rolls his eyes and walks away.

He sighs loudly as he inserts his headphones in his ears and begins to walk faster.
The sun is already setting at 5 pm. Phil's home is almost 2 miles away. But he would really rather walk alone then sit in a car and give the girl what she wanted from him. Cheats and answers. He knew he was more than just someone's tutor. So when he heard that's what she was using him for since 2nd year of secondary school he gave up on trying to make friends.

Phil looks into the dim sky filled with thousands of stars. Letting his thoughts all hit him in the back. Same thing everyday. But something today felt off... he knew since his question to his nan. He looked up again to see a shooting star but it was soon blurred by the giant clouds coming out of his mouth as he exhaled. But he screamed anyway.

"PLEASE, LET ME BE A CITY BOY IN MY NEXT LIFE."
It echoed and all he could do was be overpowered by his desperate emotions. He fell to his knees and cried.

He arrived home around 7 with dried tear stains, rosy cheeks and a bright red nose.

"You're finally home! Where were you?" His grandma runs to the front door to yell worriedly at the tall skinny raven haired boy.

"I took a different route." He said almost inaudibly with his eyes staying glued to the floor hoping his nan wouldn't notice the tear stains.

"Well, let me know next time. You must be hungry walking forever in that cold." She says walking into the kitchen.

Phil shakes his head. "No, I a-ate out." He lied.

His grandma just rolled her eyes nodded and took her place back at the dining table with her sewing needles.

As Phil made his way to his room in a hurry as he could feel tears threatening to fall.
These emotions he's feeling are indescribable but the best he would explain them is, horrible.

He threw his bag on his desk chair, and his phone and house keys on the bedside table. He plopped on the bed hopelessly crying as he just stares at the ceiling trying to calm down.

When he finally maintains a steady pace of breathing his eyes start to fell heavy and his breathing even slower

... and drifts off into a deep sleep.

>>
Hey! I hoped you enjoyed my bad writing :/
I'm really interested in the thought of this story. I just have trouble putting it into words. Anyways I will update as much as I can.
thanks for reading
-susan