Phil POV

I'm still getting over the fact that Dan's seen my videos - actually watched me - so I don't notice Will and Luke until they're yelling at us.

Dan steps in front of me as they approach us, apparently without thinking, his arms like a shield in front of mine. I smile, quickly hiding it to avoid it being noticed.

Luke scoffs at Dan, "Yeah, yeah, that's not what we're here for."

"Then what are you here for?" I ask, knowing that Dan's internally panicking a little.

"We met some of your friends." Will grins, flashing us with a devilish grin.

"I'm sure you'll have heard of them. Just some people, oh, what were their names?" Luke steps forward, both of us tensing.

I can't think what friends he's referring to. Dan's maybe? But then he wouldn't have addressed me, would he? Which friends does he mean?

Phil?

I don't know...

Hey, that's okay.

"Oh, got it!" Will laughs, "Two guys, actually: David and Evan."

I could swear the blood solidifies inside of me, my heart missing a beat as my mind freezes and something cold drops inside my stomach, solidifying the butterflies and shattering them across my skin. Dan frowns as he feels me tense up and moves his hand so it's brushing against mine.

"Who?" he asks.

"They're what you pair of pansies might call gangsters."

Phil? You know them?

Sort of. They're not – not good.

Damn. I'm sorry.

"We were wondering whether you'd like to join us." Will asks in mock politeness, a shark-like grin on his face.

I finally relax a little as I realise Dan's still here with me and I'm not stuck at the bus stop or anywhere by myself. There's two of us.

"Why would we do that?" I ask, bolder than I ever thought I could.

Will looks somewhat shocked, "You don't want to?"

"I think I have better things on my bucket list." I murmur, only Dan catching it.

He coughs to cover up his laugh and scowls at Will, "What's your point?"

"I think you'll want to come, Philip." Luke tells me, pointedly ignoring Dan.

I flinch at the name, having left it behind me. I haven't been called Philip in a long time.

Not unless...

My eyes widen.

Will laughs, "Yeah, Matthew's asked for you."

I shake my head, "I'm...I'm not-"

"I think you misheard us. You're. Coming. With. Us." Luke practically growls.

"We're not leaving the school." Dan practically growls back, a fierce feeling of protectiveness radiating off him.

Will shakes his head, "You don't need to come into this, you insignificant-"

"Hey, don't call him that." I interrupt, frowning.

You're not insignificant, don't worry.

Thanks.

Dan turns his attention back to Will and Luke, "You're not taking him anywhere."

"And who are you to stop us? A puny little year ten." Will sneers.

"Luke's a year ten." Dan retorts, still glaring at them.

"I'm neither puny nor little." Luke replies, "And I have a friend with me."

"I have better than a friend; I have Phil." Dan declares, then frowns, both of us slightly confused as to what they're hoping to achieve. Dan abruptly moves back, stepping on my foot. I wince a little.

Now who's clumsy?

Sorry! It's just ... You see Ian too, right?

I don't think before pulling him back a little, frowning as Ian joins us, dumping his bag under a tree.

Dan frowns, still standing his ground as I'm standing mine, "You're in with them?"

"You bet ya." Ian replies, rolling up his sleeves.

We both take a step back but closer to each other. But suddenly I'm spinning and something's crashing into my face - I think a fist judging by the familiar impact - and I'm falling and the grass is growing and Dan's gone from beside me and –

Shit! Phil?!

You can stop thought yelling, I'm good.

I hear Dan chuckle as I cough, sitting up and running my tongue over the tear in my bottom lip from where I bit it. Dan's being held in Luke and Ian's arms, Will grinning at me. His lip curls in disgust and he looks over my head.

"Thanks, man. I've wanted to do that for a while." he admits, laughing.

I frown, not understanding who he said that to, before finally noticing Evan, who winks at me, "Me too."

I don't move until Luke and Ian let go of Dan and he's rushing to kneel beside me, pulling me up, providing me with a ballast as I stand beside him.

Evan grins, "Want to skive school?"

"No." I reply, my voice surprisingly strong. Dan secretly smiles with something akin to pride.

"Well, there's a first time for everything." Evan smiles at the other three, "Yo, who got the biggest car?"

He's awful at grammar.

Give him a break. Not everyone can English as well as you can.

You can, Mr Articulate.

He smiles wordlessly, pure thanks pouring from his eyes as we're pushed towards Will's car. We both climb inside the seven-seater, in the back so we aren't spotted while they drive. Will sits in shotgun while Evan drives, Ian and Luke in the centre seats, trading texts so they don't talk over the other two. Apparently they don't much status either.

I've never been actually told to bunk before.

You've bunked off before?

I didn't say that...

Dan winks at me and takes my hand in his, our fingers slotting between each other's like they were made purely for entwining. I smile but I can't stop myself worrying about why we're going anywhere with them.

Dan yells in surprise as we stop without warning, clutching my hand harder. Evan grins and shifts into a parking gear, before turning the engine off and walking round the back. Dan and I disentangle our hands and watch him open the boot. He yanks my arm and I practically fall out, stumbling. Dan's exit is a little more graceful but still filled with stumbling as Evan pushes him out of the way.

Dan glances at me with a frown.

Are you hurt?

No, you?

Nah.

Will scowls at Evan, "Dude, you almost ruined my car."

"Hardly matters." Evan waves his hand nonchalantly, "Follow me."

We're sandwiched between two pairs of people: Will and Evan in front of us and Ian and Luke behind us, so Dan and I have no choice but to follow and go wherever we're being led. As it is, we're led inside what looks like a stagnated building but is actually a massive space that looks similar to the grounds near...

Dan, we're in my neighbourhood!

Phil? Don't panic. It's okay.

I shake my head, recognising the building I hadn't fully noticed earlier. It's the building where all of Drake's gang members are recruited. They might not be a legitimate gang but they act like they are, which is just as bad if not worse. I've only been inside here a few times but now I can see they're all stood in front of a small makeshift platform made out of stray planks of wood or discarded furniture.

On the platform stands Drake, a few of his friends, Matthew, who I'm not too surprised to see, and someone I'm absolutely shocked to see: Dylan.

"Phil, don't stop moving." Dan whispers to me.

I blink, realising I was stood still.

Ian chuckles behind me and David bangs into us from the side. I accidentally step on Dan's foot as he pushes me and Dan curses, jumping. David makes a disgusted face but greets Evan with a grin.

"Yo, how long left?"

"Couple minutes?" Evan guesses.

Dan and I exchange a baffled look, walking until we're pretty much right beside the platform, with the perfect view – if we'd have wanted to watch this. Dylan looks agitated, glancing around every so often. He catches my eye, looks around, and then literally stops moving at all for a second, his eyes widening. He turns back to me, glances at Dan, and frowns at the two of us.

'What the hell are you doing here?' he mouths, no sound escaping his lips.

He doesn't ask me who Dan is but I'm sure he can guess from just looking at us. Evan and Will stand either side of me, with Ian and Luke on either side of Dan. The two of us frown at being separated but I figure out why when I feel their grips on my arms. I try my best to pull away but their hold remains firm as they wickedly smirk.

Phil? What's happening?

I think someone's being recruited.

Is it your brother?

I'm momentarily shocked by the fact that he recognised my brother but it only takes a split second to remember he watches YouTube.

Which one?

I sigh, slumping a little as Dan does the same, both of us waiting.

Not long after, Drake clears his throat so loud he must have hurt his larynx and claps his hands, "Y'all gonna be thinking 'bout why I asked ya to come, right?"

There's a general response of agreement and Drake laughs, clapping a hand on Matthew's shoulder, "I'll let 'im tell ya."

"Yeah, go Matt!" someone yells.

Matthew steps forward and glances at me before starting to speak, "As y'all know, I promised everyone a newb."

My eyes widen as he reveals himself to already be a full member of the gang. Dylan throws me an apologetic look but I shake my head, a soft 'no' slipping from me as I tense again.

Evan smiles and tightens his grip again as he whispers, "Figured it out, snob?"

"Don't call him that." Dan half growls at Evan.

"Shut up, kid."

Dan, stop.

Why should I?

Because there's no need for you to get hurt.

He smiles softly and stops glaring at Evan, relaxing a little.

"So, I got us my little bro." Matthew continues, looping an arm around Dylan, who tenses, but our eldest brother only continues, "Now all he needs is the tattoo and we've got a member. Y'all agree?"

There's a round of cheers as Dylan glances to me yet again, "Sorry."

Even though he properly says it, I can't hear it over the whistles and cheers. Then someone's walking up the middle, someone with a box of ink and a tattoo gun, and grinning at Drake, "The usual?"

"You bet," Is the response he gets, so he settles beside Dylan.

How can he be okay with getting a tattoo? He hates needles...

"...but hold back on the painkillers." Drake adds, locking eyes with Dylan as he says it.

I scowl and struggle against Evan and Will, both of them shaking their heads. Dylan makes a pained sound as he watches the tattoo guy get his equipment ready.

Phil? Phil, don't try to –

Whatever he was trying to tell me is cut off when Dylan flinches.

"No!" I yell, trying to get to him.

Evan pulls me back and Will strengthens his grip to the point where I'm sure it will bruise. Dylan shakes his head at me but I wince as tears sting the base of his eyes.

"Stop it!" I yell again, glaring at Matthew, who innocently beams at me,

"What's the matter, Philip?"

"Shut up." Dylan glowers darkly but Matthew only laughs:

"You're one of us now. That means you answer to me, get it?"

"Mathew, stop!" I shout, kicking at Evan, who only kicks me back and causes my left knee to starts shouting as well, mostly at Evan, but also cursing at pretty much everyone else. The both of us have never felt so out of place but we try anyway.

It doesn't work.

Dylan ends up with a matching tattoo and everyone is either laughing or cheering, high-fiving each other around us. Dylan groans as he clutches his arm and the plaster currently covering the tattoo. He whispers something to Matthew, who sighs and reiterates it to Drake.

Drake laughs, "A'ight the lot of ya! Bugger off!"

Slowly but surely, everyone else disperses, even Evan, Will, Ian and Luke. I'm left in the room with Dan, Dylan, Drake and Matthew. Dan is next to me in an instant, smiling as best he can, his dimples showing themselves whether or not he knows it.

I grin back at him and Drake faux vomits, "I'm out. Matthew, if you kill 'em, you're dead."

Matthew nods and a spike of fear curls around my spine as he raises his eyebrows.

Dylan shakes his head, catching my gaze as he sighs. I frown, not at the tattoo or the gang, but the look of total defeat in his eyes. His sunken expression is the worst thing I could imagine on him.

Matthew snorts, "One of us now, huh?"

"I hate you," I tell him even though he was addressing Dylan, "I hate you."

Before I can move, Dan can swear or Dylan can intervene, Matthew's pushed me backwards and I'm falling, my hands automatically cupping behind my head so I don't get a concussion again.

Matthew snarls as he lands above me, "You best not forget, Philip."

Dylan's face fleetingly slides into view as he angrily yanks Matthew off me, the two of them glaring at each other while Dan pulls me up.

I'm shaking; I know I'm shaking.

I know Matthew and Dylan are fighting; I'm aware of Dan's hands on mine but I can't focus on anything other than Matthew's angry crimson eyes and the threats they've both sent, as well as acted upon, before. It's like my eyes are shielded with a colourless foil, the world buzzing around me but unfocused, smudged.

Can you feel my hands?

I can sense, actually sense, the kind concern in Dan's voice. It's as if he unveils the cloudy confusion that is my memories, just enough to thought talk me five words.

Five small words.

Five words that bridge a way back to Dan.

Five words that bridge a way back to Dan's fingers interlinked with mine, his warm palms and his cold fingers.

Five words that bridge a way to his knees pressed against my feet because he's kneeling in front of where I hadn't realised I'd tucked my knees up.

Five words that let me narrow my thoughts down to the boy who's neither talking nor writing but I can somehow read exactly what he's trying to tell me anyway.

Five small words that can ground me to Dan and let me escape from the memories inside my mind.

Five small words.

Phil?

Dan.

Hey Phil.

Hey.

You okay?

Okay.

Want to get up?

Okay.

Three, Two, One...

And then he's pulling my hands, I'm lifting my arms and we're both standing again. He smiles up at me, cocking his head to one side so one of his dimples seem to be extra cute, like it's suddenly become seventeen feet deep or something.

The two of us are turn to see where my brothers are when Dylan reaches for us, almost grabbing Dan but changing his mind when Dan steps back, and pulling my free wrist, all three of us starting to sprint.

It doesn't last long.

Dan slows down as soon as we've navigated our way outside so I only manage to pull him into one of the older, abandoned bus stops before I'm tired as well.

Dylan scowls at the both of us, "Philly, come on, we need to move."

Dan glances at me, his cheeks tinged with a pale lava red, and nods slightly, winking. I beam back at him with a resolve to ignore the fresh ache in my thighs, pulling myself and, at some points, Dan along with me. Dylan stays a metre or so ahead of us, only allowing us to stop when we've reached my house.

Dan groans and literally just falls into a slump, leaning against the wall and bracing his hands on his knees with his shoulders curved over.

I smile fondly at him but end up in pretty much the same position myself, one arm thrown across my abdomen as the combination of a probable bruise from Matthew ramming into me and my own running presents itself as a problem.

Thankfully, it doesn't take long for us to recover, at which point Dylan's already called Henry. Dan's eyes widen as he sees Henry and he frowns, glancing around as if he hadn't realised where he was before now.

It takes him all of a few seconds to gasp, "Oh, shit."

"Dan!" I nudge him, albeit smiling.

"Sorry Phil."

I don't know stuff about gangs (except the fics) so forgive me for that...