I Want It, I Got It

Chapter 12

It was hard for Phil to watch Dan leave the next morning, that he will admit. He never expected to feel such a gutted sensation in his chest to see Dan get into the black cab and drive off into the distance.

He got used to having another person in his life, living at his flat even if it was just for three days. So to go from hearing Dan to having radio silence again was hard. He even thought for a moment that Spike felt the same way with the way he whimpered for minutes after Dan left.

He fell asleep, not long after. And he tried his best to sleep in before he had to go back to the BBC for his next shift. By 10am, he was already catching the tube to the BBC and he was already missing the last few days.

PJ was already in the office before him, sitting at his laptop and scribbling on a piece of blank paper. "Morning." Phil says, setting down his bag at his desk and plopping into the chair. "How was your weekend?"

"Quite eventful actually." PJ answered, looking from his laptop and leaning back in his seat. "Sophie and I went to visit her parents in Brighton." He paused. "Although, I don't think our weekend was quite as eventful as yours. When were you gonna tell me that you and Daniel Howell were shacking up in your flat?!"

Phil's eyes widened and he immediately stood up, walked over to the door of their office, and shut it before returning back to his desk. "Okay, listen." Phil began. "Dan wanted to come back to London without being noticed so he stayed at my flat this weekend. It was nothing more."

"Well, you two certainly made a mark with that video you posted."

"What are you talking about?" Phil questioned. "It was just a harmless video."

"Have you even been on social media since you posted it?" PJ asked, suddenly turning his laptop around to show Phil the screen.

Phil gulped, and read the first headline.

"HEART EYES HOWELL? IS THIS THE NEW MYSTERIOUS MAN IN DANIEL HOWELL'S LIFE"

"PJ, you know that's bullshit!" Phil cried, pointing at the screen. "Dan and I are just friends!"

PJ threw his hands up. "Calm down, mate." He said, his voice soft. "I know that. But I'm just telling you what every single story is about. Your video is the product of every entertainment news source out there. Everybody who watched your video is commenting about how you and Dan acted in it. That's all I'm saying."

Phil felt his body tense but then relax. PJ wasn't trying to be rude or even aggressive, he was just looking out for Phil. He had to remember that. That's exactly why PJ was showing Phil these headlines now and not letting Phil discover them for himself.

"I'm sorry." Phil said, letting out a breath. "I've been on edge about the entire thing. The video was Dan's idea but I also agreed to it."

PJ nodded and reached down, turning his laptop back to face him again, the headline no longer glaring Phil in the face.

"Phil, can I ask you something."

Phil felt his stomach drop, and his heart pick up speed. Looking closely, one could probably see the way Phil's chest was beating so hard through his jumper.

"Are you and Dan dating?"

Phil knew the question was coming and even though the answer was, without a doubt, no, he still felt a multitude of answers go through his head as he began to process it. He could say any number of responses from no to I want to. But he doesn't know the correct response.

"No." Phil says finally. "Dan and I are not dating."

There is a lull in the air, his words hanging like a string in front of them. PJ looks down at his desk and then back up at Phil. "You'd tell me if you two were together right? Like you wouldn't let me find it out over some stupid headline?"