Crystal opens the door just a peek. "Who is it?"
"It's Jamesy," Dan says a little uncomfortably, it wasn't his real name after all. "I need to stay here for a little bit, it's urgent."
"Oh God, come'n." She shuts the door behind them and rewraps her silk robe. "What 'appened?"
Shaking from either lack of oxygen or sense, Phil issues a no from his head.
Dan wants to say my friend here did something really fucking stupid– but decides against it. It wouldn't really make anyone feel better. "I'll tell you later, we just need to talk it over, I think. Is there somewhere we can maybe go in private?"
Phil looks up, surprised.
"Afraid it's just the one room 'ere."
"Oh."
"Ey, ya know I can go up if you like? To Mirandy's? She won't mind a bit ya know."
"Really?"
She laughs. "Of course Jamesy. Anything for ya. Let me just get my stuff. Oh right- no cops comin' round right?"
"I mean we just ditched school so nothing federal."
"I'm just gonna pretend ya broke in and my lover and I were unaware of the defiling of my place going on downstairs."
Dan doesn't know what to say. How the woman can be so human despite her surroundings, he hasn't figured it out yet. He just knows it makes him warm inside.
"Thank you."