Hate Me Closer (Phan)

Chapter Four

A week had gone by and the two Hepburn boys had finally got into the swing of things. They knew their way around the main school building and knew what time their meals were. In their heads, as long as they had that, they'd be just fine. Dan was drumming his pencil against the desk as his eyes were glued to a passing rabbit on the other side of the glass.

"Stop that." Chris complained, burying his head in his hand, "If I have to cope with twelve weeks of you bloody doing that until the Christmas holidays, I'll scream."

Dan chuckled, turning his pencil to be ground between his teeth instead. Chris held his hand out, grasping the pencil when Dan passed it to him and chucked the piece of stationary onto the floor.

"I'll still suck on that," Dan muttered, kicking his shoe to trample it back towards him.

"Suck on my dick." Chris remarked quietly, keeping his eyes trained towards the front of the classroom, "Want to go outside campus with me after school today? Apparently there's a park nearby."

"Sure." Dan nodded, "As long as we're back at seven-fifteen for supper."

"Obviously." Chris laughed.

"Boys." the teacher complained, crossing his stubby arms as he approached Dan and Chris' desk, "Do I need to move you? Will this be every lesson?"

"Sorry, Sir," they muttered at the sixty-year-old with a bald head and grey beard, or Mr Cooper, if they were going to be polite.

***

After period four, Chris and Dan walked along the corridors and out of the old building. The clouds overhead threatened rain, so they trod quickly along to their house as another boy, George, from their dorm approached. He stood in front of them, turning his body slightly with a cocky grin to his face and a jump to his steps, "Hey, you two."

"What do you want?" Chris eyed him, a strain to his voice. He didn't like George. He hadn't done anything drastically wrong, but it was something about his presence and the way he interacted with people that just slightly frustrated him.

George groaned, "Nothing. Can't I talk to you?"

"We're in the same dorm but you've not said anything helpful for an entire week," Chris mumbled, shuffling his bag higher up his back.

The three of them became aware that a group of Third Formers were hastily approaching from behind. George smiled, "Well..." Chris exchanged a glance with Dan, before the blonde boy continued, "You're going into town later, I was wondering if I could join, you know?"

"Why?" Dan hummed, stepping out of the way of the older boys behind them.

"Think you could buy me some snacks? We could do a midnight feast."

"Buy your own snacks." Dan muttered, his cheeks flushed with the knowledge he got less than ten pounds a month, and that had to carry across his essentials, like deodorant and toothpaste, "You've got money."

"Sure, but..." George smirked, "What's five quid?" he snarled at Dan, whose eyes burnt back, "You can't even spare a fiver? God, I knew you were poor."

"Fuck off, alright?" Dan began, stopping them in the path and yanking on his shoulder, "Shouldn't I have more respect for having the fucking brains to get in here?"

"You're not special, Dan." George spat, "I'm also in top set, don't forget that. I got in here for free and could go to the introduction day-"

Dan's hands were grasped at his shoulders, ramming the smaller frame backwards slightly, shoving him along the path.

A teacher approached from behind, "Boys...what's going on here?"

"Just playin'." Dan smiled.

"George, is that true?"

"Uh, yeah, Miss." the teacher looked between them both before nodding, walking away from them.

"Don't fuck with me, George, okay?"

"We'll see about that, Shithead."

***

"Dan, stop letting him get to you," Chris mumbled with a mouthful of food between his lips.

"How can I not? I'm stuck with him for the next five fucking years." he rolled his eyes, taking the first bite of his lunch, "Say...do you straighten your hair?"

"No?" Chris shook his head, "So they're your straighteners."

"Why'd you say it like that?" Dan defensively argued.

"Scene kid." Chris chuckled.

"Ah, fuck off." Dan laughed, fixing his side-fringe and tapping on the large oak table. It was set up so there were two large, long tables positioned vertically along the room, with the caterers at the top of the room where the last of the boys were getting their desserts. The two best friends sat opposite each other, right on the far end with at least a seat between them and the rest of their house.

Chris shook his head, "Nah. You'd miss my jokes."

"Jokes? Remind me when to laugh." Dan giggled. Chris briefly stuck his middle finger up at the snickering boy in front of him, "Say, what d'ya think of that Phil kid in our class?"

"What's your obsession with him? Leave him alone, Dude." Chris defended the clumsy young teenager, whose head seemed to either be in a book or a snack.

"Come on, he's a giant nerd. He's got a fucking Bandicoot keyring."

"So that's the character on his bag." Chris looked up, "And you call him the nerd when you also know what that is?"

"Okay, at least I didn't break three test tubes in Chemistry."

Chris snickered, "Fine, fine. You win. He's an idiot. But don't go round spreading rumours."

"Please, I've got no one to take the mick of him with, other than you." Dan spontaneously began to laugh again.

"What?!" Chris whined.

Dan looked up, swallowing a mouthful of food, "The teacher heard you call him hot. Not sure if that's more or less embarrassing than the test tubes."

"No!" Chris squealed, covering his face, "...My fault."

"Entirely." Dan shoved another forkful of Yorkshire Pudding into his mouth. A look came over the younger boy, his nose crinkled and his bottom lip nervously being bitten between his teeth. Dan furrowed his eyebrows, "Mate, let it go. I think he's hot, too." but, Chris shook his head, so the other boy spoke up again, "What is it?"

"I hoped the teacher comment would make it clear-"

"You're gay?" Dan asked, putting his fork down.

"No-" Chris intercepted, "But bisexual," he murmured after making sure nobody around them was peering into their conversation. With a shrug on his shoulder, he looked patiently up at his friend, watching his accepting smile creep onto his lips.

"Okay." Dan simply replied. He looked up suddenly, "I'm...not-"

"No, no. I'm not hitting on you." Chris giggled.

"Harsh." Dan pouted, giving him a playful wink, "Want to go and get our books ready?"

"Sure, what do we have?"

"I was hoping you'd know."