Rumor Mill - Phil

Chapter 2

"Th-thank you," I stutter out. Dan's mouth twitches to one side in what could be a smirk or a smile.

"Don't get used to it," he says gruffly. I feel my face fall, and Dan's eyes soften slightly. "It's Phil, isn't it?" he asks. I shiver internally at his use of my name. 

"Yeah. And you're Dan." It comes out more eager than I intend, and I bite down on my tongue. Dan nods, his head swaying to one side as his hands slip into the pockets of his jeans. "How do you know who I am?" 

"The same way you know who I am. Infamy." Dan bites his lower lip and laughs. "You're the only kid at this damn school brave enough to admit he's gay. You're pretty well known." 

I look at him in shock, my mouth opening slightly as I try to respond. My eyes cast down, I say, "And I guess you hate me for it, just like everyone else?"

Dan laughs, and I grimace, daring to look up at him, but his eyes are kind and the laugh is warm. "It takes more than something you're born with to make me hate someone."  I must look uncertain, because he steps forward and gently pushes my arm. "Come on, Phil. Are the rumors about me really that terrifying? Look, if it makes you feel any better, so am I," he says with a smile. 

"What?" I say. Dan rolls his eyes good naturedly. 

"I'm gay too, Phil. Well, bisexual. But lately it seems like I'm much more attracted to men," Dan says. And before I can even respond, he says, "Look, why don't you come home with me? We can hang out. You seem like you need a friend." 

My eyes light up. "So do you," I respond. 

Dan chuckles. "I'm used to being alone, trust me. It always turns out that way, no matter where I go. Let's get out of here, yeah?" I nod, and I follow him through the alley. We walk side by side down the pavement in silence, and I kick a stone in front of us.

Finally, I say something. "Why didn't I know you're bi?"

Dan shrugs. "No one outside my family and my exes does. I've just never found it important to announce. I'm not one for labels. Though I completely respect you for being open about it."

"I needed to clarify it...You know, for all the girls that were all over me," I say with a smile, and Dan knows I'm kidding, judging from his laughter. 

"You ever had a relationship, Phil?" Dan asks, and his bluntness surprises me.

"I-- not since the fifth grade. That doesn't count, I guess," I say, rubbing the back of my neck and focusing on the pebble I'm kicking down the pavement. "What about you? How many have you had?"

Dan is silent for a minute, and I start to think he's not going to respond until he says, "Too many to count." He stops talking, and I can feel a heaviness that wasn't there before. We walk a few more blocks before he stops in front of a two story brick house. His home is much nicer than mine, and I try not to feel surprised. 

"This is me," he says. He glances over at me.

"Wow," I say. 

He raises his eyebrows. "What? Surprised I don't live in a meth lab?"

"No! It's just...I don't know." 

"I know, it's disappointing. I can assure you that I am much more boring than everyone says. In some ways, at least. In other ways, I'm a lot more screwed up." I decide not to question him as we walk up the brick pathway to his front door. He pulls out a set of keys from his leather jacket and slides them into the lock, pushing open the door. The house is relatively neat, but silent. 

"Are your parents home?" I ask as he shuts the door behind us. 

Dan snorts. "Almost never. Their work keeps them pretty busy. I'm mostly on my own here."