It was a lazy Saturday afternoon for the boys, the awkward events of the previous day keeping them locked indoors. After the unexpected run-in they had with Hailey, both Dan and Phil agreed that they should stay inside until she left. (Y/N) assured them it would only be a few more days, so this meant that it was unlikely they would starve while waiting. Another reason they were persuaded to stay indoors was because of the warning (Y/N) gave them late last night. Sometime around midnight, (Y/N) called and left a brief message for the two. She let them know how adamant Hailey had been at following them home. (Y/N) apologized profusely for how inappropriate her friend was being; she thanked the boys for being so patient with all that had happened and promised to make it up to them once this whole thing was over.
For now, there was nothing Dan and Phil could do in regards to going outside. There was just too much risk at another uncomfortable interaction. If Hailey had more constraint, there would have been a chance the four of them could get to know each other better. Unfortunately, that wouldn't happen anytime soon when looking at how obsessive Hailey could be in regards to who she was a fan of. Phil sighed loudly. It was unfortunate, really. He was always up for making new friends.
"Phil? What's with the sigh?"
"Hmm? Oh." Phil shook his head, bringing himself back to the present. "Sorry, just got a little lost in my head for a second. How are things, (Y/N)?"
A whispered reply came from the speaker phone, the familiar voice of their friend crackling on the other side. "Things are good. Hailey and I are just chilling inside for the afternoon. She's in the other room watching some Drag Race. I've already seen this episode, so it gave me an excuse to slip away and make a call." She bubbled over with a mischievous giggle. "She thinks I'm talking to my mom."
"Psh, hopefully she doesn't catch on that your mother sounds like two grown lads!" Dan was sitting beside Phil, grinning to himself with how clever he was being. Phil rolled his eyes, playfully shoving Dan's arm.
(Y/N) laughed on the other side. "I'm not even there and I can already tell that somebody got a shove. Behave you two or else I'm coming over there!"
Dan chuckled, leaning into the phone with a teasing tone. "Come now, (Y/N). We're supposed to be your mother, not the other way around." He placed his elbow on the table, holding his head in his palm while staring ahead at nothing, "So what are you and your friend up to today?"
"Well... Hold up, one second." The sound of (Y/N) shuffling in the background filled the speaker. Phil could hear the door of her bedroom open and close, various voices barely audible as they conversed. After a few moments, the sound of (Y/N)'s soft footsteps became louder until Phil could hear her shuffling back into her seat, letting out a quick sigh. "Sorry, I'm back now. What did you ask again?" Dan repeated himself once more. "Oh! Well, I guess we're going to a party?"
Both Dan and Phil raised an eyebrow, looking at each other in surprise. Phil mouthed a party? to Dan who merely nodded and shrugged. "A party?" asked Phil, repeating his silent question. "Really? I didn't take you for a party type, (Y/N)—" Dan elbowed Phil, narrowing his eyes. "—I mean, sorry! Not to be mean at all! I just, uh, I don't know. You never spoke about liking parties that much."
(Y/N) gave a stale chuckle, her voice unsure. "I've been to a handful during my first year at school, but they were never my favorite. Social gatherings are a real hit or miss with me." She paused for a second, the sound of her fingers tapping uncomfortably echoing into the phone. "I guess it won't be so bad. We're heading to a bar beforehand so it might mellow Hailey out a bit so she's not so wild with the 'male guests'."
Phil frowned a little, noticing how doubtful (Y/N) sounded through the phone. "Are you sure you want to go to this party? Who do you know that's going?" Phil sounded like a worried mother, fitting his assumed role perfectly. Dan was also wearing a skeptical face, his eyebrows furrowed together in concern.
"I know that new guy from our cafe is going— he was the one who invited Hailey in the first place— and Hailey herself, so... That's about it."
"That's it, huh?" Dan's face was blank, his expression wiped clean. Phil was struggling to figure out what he was feeling at this moment. There was no doubt that Dan was a little uncomfortable with the idea, but how bothered was he really? "So this wasn't your idea at all? Just your friend's?"
(Y/N) was quiet for a second before a sheepish response came out with a nervous laugh. "Yeah..."
Dan countered her answer immediately. "Why are you going then? Wouldn't it be better if Hailey went by herself? If you don't want to go, you shouldn't feel like you're obligated to attend."
"I know, I know. It's just that I don't think she should go alone. I know how she gets when intoxicated and surrounded by strangers— potential bed buddies I should say. If we were back home, I'd let her go. But since she's in a new place, doesn't know how to get around and such, it would be unlawful for me to leave her without supervision. She's my friend. You guys would do the same for each other, right?"
Before Dan could answer, Phil jumped in. "Of course we would. Dan and I always look out for each other, we would even look out for you without a second thought. But this situation sounds a little..."
"It sounds like something you're not okay with." Interjected Dan, leaning back into his chair with crossed arms. "Honestly (Y/N), as your friends we're telling you that this doesn't sound like a good idea. You don't know these people, nor do you know the area as well as us and—"
"I know Hailey."
Dan's words immediately died in his throat when (Y/N) spoke up, the challenge in her voice making both of their bloods run cold. Dan swallowed and flicked his gaze to look at his friend. Phil looked back, his blue eyes reflecting the same realization as his flatmate. (Y/N) was oddly defensive about her friend.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to sound so snappy. I've just been on edge all through this call. I keep looking back at my door and expecting Hailey to come barging through at any moment." (Y/N) let out a forced laugh, obviously trying to defuse the tension that had built up. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'm a responsible person and I'll make sure that both Hailey and I come back in one piece. You have my word, okay?"
Dan leaned closer to the phone. "You promise on your life?"
"I—' (Y/N) seems taken aback by Dan's sudden serious tone. She paused before speaking, her voice slow and drenched with the purest form of sincerity. "Dan, I promise on my life. I will come back, alright?"
Dan gave a small smile, his voice practically a whisper. "Okay, (Y/N). I believe you."
Phil sat in his chair, the urge to wiggle unbearably strong. He was witnessing the most lovesick tensions that he had ever experienced in his life! Dan was looking at the phone with unfiltered infatuation. If you didn't know who his affection was directed towards, you'd think he was a crazy person in love with an inanimate object. On the one hand, it made Phil's heart flutter with absolute joy with how happy (Y/N) made Dan. His friend deserved love and so did (Y/N). But on the other hand, he desperately wanted to shake their clueless little heads and scream the truth to both of them. One could only take this infuriating chase for so long.
On the other side of the phone, the sound of stomping footsteps erupted into (Y/N)'s space. The voice was muffled and crinkled with static, but it was no doubt Hailey's. The boys could hear (Y/N) talking to her quickly, rambling out some rapid-fire lies. "Yeah, okay. Okay, I'll be there soon. Yep, just talking to my mom—"
Hailey's shrill voice sounded in the speaker. "Oh my God, tell her I say hey!" Hailey ran to the speaker, screaming out for (Y/N)'s mother, asking her about random things, seeing how she was, wondering how her job was... While she was rambling incoherently, Dan and Phil looked at each other with pained expressions, their ears ringing from her intense pitch.
Thankfully, (Y/N) came to the rescue. "Alright Hailey! I've got to let my mom go now." The sound quality of the phone shifted; (Y/N) had taken them off speaker phone. Her voice was clearer than before, the volume louder as well. "Okay, I'll talk to you soon Mom. Yes... Yes... I will be careful, okay? Yes, it's been great but I'll talk to you later. Yep... Alright—" Phil looked over at Dan and noticed how he was covering his mouth in a feeble attempt to control his laughter. Phil snickered quietly, her fake one-way conversation hilarious to listen to.
"—Oookay, alrighty. Goodbye, I love you." With that, the line went dead.
Suddenly, Phil heard a deafening crash beside him, causing him to shriek in surprise. He looked to where Dan had been moments ago, only to find his figure sprawled out on the ground, an arm over his face. Upon closer inspection, Phil could see various shades of red invading his face, the levels getting deeper and deeper with every second. "Are you okay?"
Dan raised his free arm, giving Phil a shaky thumbs up. "Yeah, I'm good."
Phil sigh sympathetically, getting up from the table and crouching beside his friend. He reached for Dan's arm and attempted to move it, only to have Dan pull it back over his face. Phil smiled knowingly. "Dan, are you okay?"
Dan paused, a crooked smile wobbling across his lips.
"I wish I could say yes."
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"Aw, you should've handed me the phone. I love talking to your mom so much. She's such a nice lady, so much nicer than my own mom. It's been awhile since we've seen each other so I'd love to catch up sometime. Maybe we could talk about that time where you— Hey, you good?"
"Uh what?" You sat by the desk in your room, staring dumbfounded at the wall in front of you. You were still trying to process what you had just said over the phone. Had you really said the dreaded three words? Over the phone? In earshot of the boy you thought about constantly? Your face began to heat up, your cheeks flaring with a scarlet glow. You could feel an awkward smile creep across your lips.
"Hello~ Earth to (Y/N)! Are you feeling okay? Seriously, you're turning red." Hailey was circling around you, trying to get a better look at your features.
You shook your head vigorously, placing your hands on your face. You gave yourself two quick slaps to the face, bringing yourself out of your troubled thoughts. "I'm okay! Just distracted is all. Sorry, let's get back to watching the show."
Hailey shook her head. "We can do that soon. First we need to pick out something for you to wear for tonight. I can't have my friend looking like she just came from a librarian convention when she's supposed to be out partying and getting some numbers, hm?" She placed her hands on your shoulders, urging you to stand up. You rolled your eyes, complying with her persuasive actions. She pushed you towards your closet, albeit a little forcefully. "We're going to have a little fashion show until we find something that doesn't make you look like a total grandmother." She opened your closet and sifted through a few of the sweaters. She pointed to one of your favorite shirts. "See this? Absolutely not."
You frowned, crossing your arms in irritation. "Oh come on, there's nothing wrong with that shirt. It's my best one!" It was a modest heather grey sweater, the arms adorned with a few black and white stripes. While not a formal article of clothing, it was good enough for a night out.
Unfortunately, Hailey thought otherwise. "Yeah... hard no. Tonight you'll be wearing some of my stuff, okay? I've got the perfect thing for you; you're gonna love it!" Hailey ran to the corner of your bedroom where she kept her luggage and began rummaging through its contents. She grumbled to herself as she threw various clothes across the floor, things ranging from shirts, sweaters to her intimate garments. Having no sense of modesty, Hailey kept throwing everything out into the public world.
Looking at what she had discarded, you could already tell that you weren't going to like this. You let out a long puff of air, preparing yourself for what Hailey was about to put you through. But then again, she was your friend. This was for her. You had to make sure she was enjoying herself.
You kept reminding yourself that this was all for her. All for her, your friend Hailey. You were doing this for her because she was your friend. Your best friend. She was you main concern and it was your sworn duty to keep an eye on her while she was here. You would do anything for her.
But... what about me?
"Aha! I found the perfect dress for you!"
You jolted back to reality, looking towards the piece of fabric your friend was holding. Hailey was smiling broadly, presenting the elegant clothing before you. You inspected the dress up and down, sucking in a gasp with how taken aback you were. The dress was absolutely breathtaking.
While you weren't the type to wear many dresses, you felt that this one would be a rare exception. The dress was a deep burgundy colour, the edges glowing a potent red whenever the light hit it at a specific angle. The dress flared out near the bottom, the length within a modest mid-range. The back end of the dress was longer than the front, no doubt meant to show off more leg. Following the shape, the midsection curved inwards until it expanded upwards towards the chest. There were no straps, instead it was shoulderless; undeniably flattering.
Hailey continued to hold the dress upwards, eagerly waiting for a response. "Well? What do you think?"
"I-its... I... Wow..." You were at a loss for words with how smitten you felt with this dress. The design, the colour, the flattering design; you wanted it all. "I love it."
"Kek, I knew you would! See? I know what people love when it comes to fashion. Lucky for you I haven't worn this dress yet. I figured that we'd go out at least once while we were here, so I picked this bad boy up before I came over. Aren't I a great friend?"
You nodded numbly, edging forward with stiff footsteps. You grazed your hands over the dress, marveling at how pristine it felt. "Its... my size, right?"
Hailey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I made sure of it. I'd look stupid if I brought you a useless dress. I can't be seen with you if you look like an idiot. It would totally ruin my chances with the boys." She suddenly cleared her throat, looking away. "I mean, that won't happen. We'll stick close by the entire night. So... yeah."
You were so excited that you had hardly heard what Hailey was going on about. You were in a trance, the dress taking up all of your available attention. Something about this dress made you want to put it on immediately, to spin in a circle and feel the skirt wrap around your hips. This dress was almost as seductive as Hailey; that was a tough thing to go against!
"Can I try it on now?" You begged, feeling impatient and fidgety in your casual clothes. Hailey looked very surprised by your attitude, probably expecting a different reaction from you. Nevertheless, she nodded and handed you the dress. She turned her back on you, covering he eyes childishly as you stripped from your everyday attire and into the elegant article of clothing. After a few moments of lifting and squeezing into the dress, you called for Hailey's attention. "Well? How does it look on me?"
Hailey still had her hands over her eyes when she was turning around. "(Y/N), I bet you look great in that dress. I have good taste— Holy Fuck! You look hot!" When she took her hands off her eyes, they practically jumped out of her skull. She grinned widely, covering her mouth and stomping around like a giddy girl. "You look so good! Oh my God, I haven't been able to get you in a dress since... ever! This is totally unlike you; what's changed, girl?!"
You tilted your head to the side, unsure of what she meant. "Nothing's changed. I'm allowed to get enthusiastic about dressing cute." You looked down, examining the beautiful dress you were wearing. You could already imagine yourself in a fantastical situation:
Looking beautiful, you would walk out on a warm summer's eve, a gentle gust of wind blowing through your hair. Just then, someone would tap on your bare shoulder, snatching your attention. You would look over slowly, eyes meeting with the man who stood behind you. He would smile and offer you a dance. You would gladly accept, taking his hand in yours. The two of you would sway together, enjoying the silent company of each other's embrace. When the time was right, you would gaze into each other's eyes, an unspoken urge between the two of you. Just then, he'd lean in with a lustful expression, engulfing you in his desire. You would willingly give into the pleasure as your lips threatened to touch. You would look up one last time to take in his features—
His chestnut curls, his potent mahogany gaze, his endearing dimples; his irresistible lips; a sinful addition to what you already desired so strongly—
You forcefully stopped your thoughts from going any further, your nails digging deep into your arm. You felt the tips of your nails dig beneath the surface of your skin, hooking underneath, drawing bulbs of blood. You began to tear up; you were unsure whether this was from the physical or mental pain you were enduring. Either way, it was torturous.
"Woah, A-are you okay (Y/N)?" You blinked several times, loosening the pressure you had clamped onto your arm. Hailey was staring directly at your face, looking concerned over the tears in your eyes. "You're crying? Is everything alright?" You swallowed dryly, looking down at your dented arm. She hadn't noticed the marks you inflicted.
"O-oh, sorry. I'm just overcome with emotions. I-I love the dress, truly I do!" Neither of your responses were a lie.
"Oh, well in that case let's get ready early! I can do your hair and makeup for you. You and I both know that you struggle with these types of things, haha!" Hailey smirked at you, patting your shoulder and walking out of your room towards the bathroom. You stood frozen in place for a few moments, your arm beginning to ache once the shock ebbed away. You let out a shaky breath, bringing your hands upwards to wipe away the drying tears. You sniffed once, blinking rapidly as you composed yourself.
Never had it been that painful to think about Dan. At this point, you didn't know how much longer you could contain this little secret. It was only a matter of time before you cracked under pressure, your feelings flowing to the surface.
Truthfully, you wouldn't mind confessing to him. If it ended this torture, you'd do it a million times.
A/N: Thanks again for all the views, votes and comments! We're almost at 10k views! Amazing, I love you all! :)
—B