One week later.

Phil sat at the coffee shop with Charlie.

"Can you help me find the people who lived in the house before me?" Phil asked softly.

"Yeah, of course," Charlie beamed. "Can you give me any details about them at all?"

"Their last name is Howell."

Charlie paled slightly.

"Like... Dan Howell?" Charlie asked lowly. Phil nodded and Charlie stood up. "I can take you to his parents' house, but I hope you know that Dan is gone. He disappeared a year ago."

"I know. Wait... How do you know?"

Charlie sighed out, turning away.

"I used to be his best friend."

-

Charlie rode in the cab with Phil to the Howell's house. Neither said a word.

When they reached the house, Charlie and Phil stepped out of the cab and walked to the door.

Charlie silently knocked on the door.

A woman in her thirties opened the door and her eyes widened when she saw Charlie.

"Charlie!" She exclaimed, trying to smile, but upsetting memories came back about the son she'd lost. She hugged Charlie. "What are you doing here? And who's this?"

"I'm Phil, Mrs. Howell," Phil smiled softly. "May we come in?"

The woman nodded quickly and lead them inside.

A young boy about Charlie's age sat on the couch playing a video game. "Adrian, turn that down," Mrs. Howell sighed, sitting down on the couch.

Charlie and Phil sat down as well.

"Would you like some tea?" Mrs. Howell asked. Phil and Charlie both shook their heads.

"So," Charlie said, looking at Phil.

"So why are you two here out of the blue?" Mrs. Howell asked. Phil looked at Charlie.

"Well, Mrs. Howell-"

"Please dear, call me Candace."

"Well, Candace, I think I know what happened to your son," Phil stated softly.

All heads turned to Phil, Candace's face filled with shock.

"I now live in the house you lived in and-"

Just then, Mr. Howell came home from work.

"Honey, I'm- Charlie?"

Charlie smiled at the man and looked off.

"What are you doing here, kiddo?" Mr. Howell asked.

"I'm here with my friend, Phil," Charlie replied.

Candace was still in shock. "Candy, what's wrong, my love?" Mr. Howell asked her. Tears fell down her face.

"This boy Phil knows what happened to Danny," she whispered, looking at Phil.

Mr. Howell looked at him, too.

And he sat beside his wife.

"Well, you see, I moved into the house you used to live in, and I found Dan's diary."

Candace gasped, turning to her husband. "Hudson, I can't believe- is he alive?! Is he okay?!" The last two parts were directed to Phil.

"The diary stops with him talking about suicide, and there was blood on the pages..."

Candace burst out in tears, her husband comforting her, but crying as well.

"I thought you two might like some closure," Phil murmured, biting his lip. "I am going to find him for you, okay? You can have actual closure then. I just need one thing."

"Anything," Hudson whispered.

"Where did Dan go to school?"

"Oh, I go to the same school," Charlie said, looking at Phil. "I can take you. What do you need?"

"To speak to a few people."

-

Charlie and Phil went to Charlie's school, hiding in the bushes.

"Okay, so who do you need to speak to?" Charlie inquired lowly, looking at Phil.

"Uh, I only know their first names," Phil stated.

"I'll probably know. Shoot."

"Connor, Tyler, Troye, Chris, PJ, Caspar, Shannon and Derek."

"Fucking hell, other than the last two, you named the majority if my friends."

"I'm glad I met you, Charlie," Phil smiled.

"I know, I am just so fabulously irresistible."

"I meant because you're helpful."

"That too."

The two went off to talk to Charlie's friends, and the last two.

-

HELP RN I HAVE NO INTERNET AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH I MISS EVERYONE OKAY BYE