Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Two

Dan was carefully piling his clothing into the cupboards beneath his bed when he heard two sets of footsteps come in from behind, "And this is your dorm. Dan's just getting settled in, he arrived about twenty minutes ago. Chris, Dan. Dan, Chris." Ant smiled, introducing them to each other. He gave the last of his tour to the short, messy-haired boy, ending with, "Dan's also a scholar. English, though, not Theatre Studies."

"You have a scholarship in Theatre?" Dan grinned, excited by the idea.

"Yeah!" Chris nodded, "Didn't you apply?"

Dan shook his head, "English had the best chances."

"I'll leave you two to it, see you in twenty with the next one." Ant chuckled, giving them a small wave.

"I'm not rich," Dan explained, giving Chris a shrug as he returned to folding his clothes into his bed, "just smart."

"Oh, thank God!" Chris sighed, throwing himself onto the bed perpendicular to Dan's, "Neither am I. I thought everyone here was going to be money suck-ups." Chris flung his tie around his neck, letting it loosely fall over his shirt collar, "I didn't see you at the introduction day." he pointed out.

"No," Dan confirmed, "couldn't afford the travel."

"Damn." Chris whispered, "You're poor poor."

"Oi, don't be a shit!" Dan laughed, his pre-pubescent voice squealing out, "I live five hours away!"

"Oh, okay. But, still." Chris shrugged, "Anyway, I live two hours down South." he looked at the clock above the doorframe, "What time is dinner?"

"Supper," Dan mocked the etiquette of the school, "And half seven. It's in the leaflet." he pointed at the paper Chris was half sat on. Dan closed his cupboard doors, leaving his empty suitcase at the foot of his bed, "So, why'd ya come here?" the brown-haired boy questioned.

"Eh," Chris shrugged, "parents wanted me to, I guess. And, they get good GCSE results in the subjects I like."

"Drama, I'm guessing?"

"Yeah! Drama, English, and Art." he smiled, "And I think you mean Theatre Studies."

"Of course." Dan chuckled, opening his Prep Diary, "Those are my favourites as well. Say, what class are you in, it's in your timetable?"

"Right." Chris scanned the page, tossing it carelessly to the side after, "1A."

"Same! Easy to remember. Dorm 1a, class 1A."

"We're scholars, so we're in the top set."

"That's scary."

"Why?"

"I'm not smart enough for that." Dan laughed.

The two boys were introduced to the other pupils in their dorm: Matthew and George. The four of them sat around talking for a while, later informed that they had a couple of hours to explore around the house and get familiar with the place. The other two boys were also in their class, because, apparently, they'd put classmates in the same dorms to form friendships.

"Boys?" Mrs Blackwell called out into the corridor, "Can you come down in ten minutes? I'm to take you into the Great Hall and you'll have an introduction."

Chris smiled at Dan, giving him a shrug, "Welcome to the worst years of your life."

"You're so pessimistic."

"I'll remind you of this in three years and you won't be telling me I'm wrong."

"Five." Dan corrected.