Phil's POV

Waking up at six in the morning was high up in the list of things Phil would rather jump off a cliff than do. Especially not at this moment.

He was pathetic. He's seen his dad for ten seconds, and he was on the verge of a breakdown. He didn't even know what it was; his dad had never done anything that should make Phil mad at him, or scared, or anything. He hadn't been the best fatherly figure, but nothing that warranted Phil acting like this.

And he knew that Dan has gone to see the Highers about him. He hadn't mentioned his intentions, but it wasn't hard to guess. He hated that he was worrying Dan that much, that he couldn't pull himself together for more than a few hours at a time.

And now there was school.

Not only would he have to spend the next seven hours trapped in classrooms with nothing to do, but after, he'd have to go and watch his dad again. They had to get this job done. Dan had offered to go alone and make observations himself, but Phil knew damn well it had to be him that did it.

Phil was silent the entire drive to school, looking down at his lap and twisting his fingers together. He could feel Dan throwing him small glances every now and then, but he didn't acknowledge it. He'd rather sit in his own simmering silence than talk about his feelings.

"I'll see you later?" Dan asked, pulling up a couple blocks away from the school. Phil didn't reply, just opening the door and walking away. He didn't even look back, keeping his head down.

He had a headache as soon as he walked through the door. Fuck, he really didn't feel like doing this today. This was only his second full day here, and he was already sick of it. Sure, he'd made a few friends on Friday, but the rest of the student could all very well go fuck themselves.

His first lesson, maths, was the last place he wanted to be. He actually planned on sleeping through the entire thing, and as soon as he sat down, he folded his arms and proceeded to fall try and asleep.

And he did, for maybe a minute, before someone slammer a book down next to his head. Phil jolted up out of his slightly uncomfortable position, staring up confusedly at the beaming, dark haired boy grinning down at him. Dean, from the group he'd befriended.

"You really don't want to sleep in this class, mate." Dean said, sliding into the usually empty seat next to Phil. Guess he was switching seats for the day. "Mr. Collins will tear you a new one, trust me on that."

Phil sighed, dragging his hands across his face roughly. What he wouldn't give to just curl up under a bed for a few days and not talk to anyone. "How are you, then?" Phil asked tiredly, mostly out of politeness.

"Well, it seems a lot better than you." Dean replied, grinning at Phil's glare. He seemed too happy all the time. "Have a rough weekend?"

"Oh, you wouldn't believe."

They didn't have a chance to talk anymore, as just then, the teacher walked in. All the chatter that had been going on ceased as the teacher began lecturing.

But Phil wasn't listening. He had no need to, he wouldn't be here for long. And honestly, maths wasn't something he could get interested in at all.

And the morning passed unbearably slow. He didn't have any other classes with the other members of the group until gym, which he was looking forward too, surprisingly. He'd been an asshole this morning, he knew, and Dan didn't deserve that. Just because he couldn't handle himself didn't mean he had to take it out on other people.

The locker room seemed a lot less subdued today than last time, and Phil thought it maybe had something to do with the fact that it was a Monday.

"You, look like shit." Emma said as soon as he walked out. She must have been waiting.

"Thank you, for your observations." Phil said sarcastically, but Emma only winked and walked off.

Phil yawned, ruffling his hair a bit before joining the rest of the students in the center of the gym. He spotted Dan off to the side, giving him a worried stare. Phil shot him a small smile, which seemed to reassure him slightly.

After an almost painful warm up session, Phil sat down heavily on the gym floor. He didn't think he could make it to the bleachers. Emma sat down next to him eventually, pulling her hair into a ponytail.

"You seem very popular for a new kid, ya know." She said slyly, smirking. Phil raised an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"Besides the creepy gym teacher, you've got another admirer."

Phil shook his head. "Yeah right." He said. He wasn't interesting enough to have an admirer, and Dan didn't count.

"You can't tell me you haven't noticed Patty Walters checking you out this whole time?" Emma said in disbelief, and Phil shrugged. He really hadn't. "He's doing it right now!" Emma exclaimed, pointing across the room.

Phil looked over to where she indicated. Most of the other teens were sitting in various places around the gym, on their phones or talking to friends. There were a few people actually participating, running around and tossing things back and forth.

And all the way across the gym was a guy, leaning up against the wall. He did seem to be staring at Phil, but it was hard to tell from this distance. All Phil could really make out about him was he had blonde hair and wasn't wearing any gym clothes, instead in dark jeans and a T-shirt.

"He doesn't seem like my type." Phil said with another shrug. He didn't think anyone would ever come between him and Dan.

"Doesn't matter to him." Emma said. "Seriously, watch out for him, Phil. He does this all the time; picks some random, innocent person and twists them till their unrecognizable. I lost a very good friend cause of him."

"Don't worry. He won't have a chance to make a move on me." And it was true, he was positive. They had two days left at most in this job, and even if this Patty guy tried anything, all he'd have to do is tell Dan and it wouldn't get far at all. He'd seen jealous Dan too many times.

"Just be careful." Emma said, and Phil nodded.

When the class was finally over, Phil waved goodbye to Emma, telling her to go ahead without him as he went back to the locker room. He was the last person there, and by the time he'd opened his locker, most of the other guys were gone. Pretty soon it was only him, and he sighed in relief.

It was taking a lot of effort, making it through the day without dropping on the floor an curling into a ball. He felt like he hadn't slept in weeks, and his limbs felt heavy. He clutched the edges of the locker tightly and squeezed his eyes shut, breathing deeply.

"You alright?"

Phil looked up as Dan moved closer to him, his eyes scrunched together in concern. Phil loosened his grip on the locker.

"Not really." He replied. Dan came over, reaching a hand out and pushing it through Phil's hair gently. "People get on my nerves."

Dan chuckled. "You and me both. I saw you made a friend, though."

"A few, yeah. Not that it matters. I won't see them again in a couple days."

"Don't think about it like that." Dan said with an eye roll.

Phil moved closer, wrapping his arms around Dan's waist and burying his face into Dan's shoulder. "I'm sorry about this morning." He muttered.

"It's fine." Dan said, kissing the top of his head. "I know you're going through some stuff, and I may not like the way you handle it. But I won't ever get mad at you because of it."

Phil pulled away slightly, glancing up at his boyfriend before pulling him down into a kiss.

He was kinda desperate. This wasn't a solution to anything, but right now, he wanted this, needed it, even.

Dan kissed him back, running his hands softly up Phil's sides and settling on his hips. He pushed Phil back, pressing him firmly but gently up against the wall of lockers begin them. Phil reached up, carding his fingers through Dan's hair, opening his mouth so Dan could slide his tongue in.

This was nice and all, but Dan was being too gentle. He'd been being gentle with Phil ever since the ritual, after he'd found out about the scars in Phil's stomach. And Phil missed Dan, who would pin him to whatever surface they were occupying and kiss him till he couldn't breathe. The Dan that would leave marks on every available surface of his skin and touch him in places he didn't even know felt good. Who made Phil lose his voice from screaming so loud.

Phil jumped up, wrapping his legs tightly around Dan's waist and kissing him harder. The shorts he was still wearing rode up slightly on his thighs, and Phil shivered as Dan gripped them tightly so he wouldn't fall. His fingers tugged at Dan's hair, pulling it, and he grinned as Dan groaned into his mouth.

His mind was going hazy, and he was grateful. All the stress, the worry, the hopeless feeling he had in his chest, disappeared as Dan tugged at his lips roughly. The self doubt vanished as fingers traveled up his legs to his waist, pushing under his shirt hotly.

Phil pressed his hips forward, grinding into Dan slowly, relishing in the friction. He pulled away, leaning his head back against the lockers and moaning as Dan just started kissing down his neck to his collarbone. "Don't you h-have a class to get to?" Phil stuttered, closing his eyes tightly.

"Nah." Dan breathed against his neck. "Free period for me." He bit down slightly on Phil's skin, and Phil jerked at the sensation.

"No marks." He whispered. "People will notice."

Dan pulled away all together, still pressing up against Phil, their noses touching. Both were breathing hard, and Dan's hands were still stroking Phil's chest gently. Phil leaned forward, trying to reconnect their lips, but Dan pushed him back. "We shouldn't do this here."

"I think we should." Phil complained, moving his hips again, but Dan reached down and stopped him. "Please, Dan. I want you."

"I am not having sex with you in a high school locker room, Phil." Dan said with a laugh. "A couple more hours, yeah? And I'll do whatever you want me to."

Phil pouted, but he knew Dan was right. This definitely wasn't the kind time or place. He sighed in agitation, but released his hold from Dan's waist, sliding back down to his feet. Dan kissed him once more, deeply, before smiling at him and leaving. Phil watched him until he was gone.

Fuck, he was ready to leave already.

~ ~ ~

"What took you so long?" Emma said as Phil sat down with them in the cafeteria. Everyone was staring at him, waiting.

He'd had to wait another ten minutes until he calmed down enough for his hard on to go away and he could leave. Needless to say, he was a little late.

"I, uh... wasn't feeling too good. Stopped by the bathroom."

"Didn't run into Patty, did you?"

"Aw no, Patty's after you, now?" Jack asked from beside him.

"Sure is." Emma answered, biting into a French fry happily. "He was eyeing Phil up all last period."

"I thought he was still trying to get into that Evan guys pants?" Luke said in confusion.

"He already did." Jack said. "At that one party, like, last month."

"That doesn't matter." Louise interrupted. "Right now, he's after Phil, and we can't have that happening."

"Why not?" Phil asked. "I mean, not that I'm not grateful or anything. But why worry about me?"

"He's the worst kind of person to get involved with." Luke said grimly. "He'll make you think you're special, treat you like you're one of a kind. And once he gets what he wants, he'll ruin you." He practically spit out the words, and Phil guessed he'd experienced it first hand.

"I'll stay away from him." Phil promised, glancing around at all of them reassuringly. "He won't get to me."

They all hesitated, but soon enough, dropped it, going back to whatever they had been discussing before. Phil stared down at the table, picking at his fingers anxiously and losing himself in his own thoughts.

Mostly about whatever Dan had in store for him after school.

~ ~ ~

a/n: I really haven't been doing much justice with these authors notes, huh. This one might be kinda long, so here we go.

Firstly, I want to say happy birthday to @philcuddlesdan (if I'm not too late). He leaves the best comments, and sorry I don't use the stars anymore.

Second, how are you guys? I don't ask that too often, and I honestly like knowing. You guys always deal with my shit, least I can do is care bout you all.

And how about that Japhan, huh? I know it's got me crying from feels.

Lastly just hope you guys liked this chapter. I know I'm bullshit at updating it, but I'm having fun writing it.

That's all, lovely readers. See you next time, peace :3