(This '*' means a change in POV)

"Hey Phil." I smile as I sit next to him in the canteen.

"What? You've just forgotten about us?" Chris asks.

"I don't even think that's possible." PJ smiles at Chris.

Chris cheekily smiles at PJ and I roll my eyes, "Get a room." I groan.

"We may just have to." Chris says.

Phil snorts and puts his head on my shoulder, "Our friends are stupid." He mumbles.

"I agree." I say.

"I thought I heard my name, what?" Chris says and turns back towards us.

"We said stupid." I say.

"Okay, thought so. Stupid is my middle name."

"Of course it is." Phil says while lightly laughing.

PJ looks at me, then Phil. He faintly gestures about Phil having his head so casually on my shoulder. It's like he thinks we're a thing. Ha, I wish. Wait-

"Dan?" Phil brings me out of my thoughts.

I quickly turn my head towards him, "Hm?"

"You okay?" He asks.

I notice Chris and PJ intrigued on our conversation. I don't understand why they're so nosy all of a sudden. It was just a small gesture. Friends put their heads on other friend's shoulders all the time.

"Yeah, fine." I smile.

Phil smiles back at me and we turn our attention over to PJ and Chris again. Chris eyes us up and down.

"So Danny, where have you been the last few days?" Chris asks, fighting a smirk.

I shrug, "Over at Phil's."

Chris nods and purses his lips, "Why not at his house and not yours?" He pushes on.

I look over at Phil with a worried look and he's already chewing his lip, "Reasons...?"

"Reasons?" Chris asks.

"Reasons." I confirm.

"Are you going to tell us the reason?" PJ asks.

"No."

"Why not?"

"Because."

Chris whispers something into PJ's ear which makes PJ snort and spit some of his drink out.

"What is it."

"It's nothing." PJ says while dying in laughter.

"Chris, I swear-"

"Oh it's nothing." Chris says and throws a grape at me, "You'll live without knowing about it."

~

"I can't come over today...sadly." I say and put a book into my locker.

"Why's that?" Phil asks.

I sigh, "My parents are finally back from another business trip and they want us to spend time together."

"Ah, okay. That's fine. Can I tell you something that'll make you smile?"

"Hm?" I glance over at Phil before putting another book into my locker.

"Jaxon says that he loves you already." Phil smiles.

I pause and look over at Phil, "You serious?" I question.

"Deadly. This morning he was saying 'I love Danny' over and over again." He smiles

I widely smile and let out a sound of disbelief. This makes me so happy I can't even begin to explain. I hug Phil tightly, quickly picking him up and spinning him around.

People in the hallway cough and I quickly let go of him, looking down. That looked very relationship-esc. I look over at Phil but he's just smiling over at me.

"They thought we were couple." Phil whispers into my ear and giggles.

A laugh with him, "It did."

~

"I'm home!" I call out.

"Daniel, could you come in here, please?" I walk into the living room.

"Ye- Ryan? W-What are you doing here?" I question the boy standing in front of me.

My heart rate quickens and I try to calm my breathing. Why does he have to be here? I don't want to see him. I didn't want to see him ever again. I don't need him anymore. I'm better now, much better.

"Long time no see." He smiles with an evil grin.

"What are you doing here?" I squeak out.

"Just stopping by. I was in the neighborhood and was wondering how you were doing."

"I'll leave you two alone." Mum smiles and walks out of the room.

No, don't go. I think to myself.

"Please leave." I instantly say as she leaves.

"Why leave? Come on Dan, I want to have some fun. I got some stuff-"

"No! I don't need that stuff anymore, I'm fine. I'm better now."

"Ah, you've become a softy." He smirks.

"I have not become a softy." I croak.

"Really? I've seen you prancing around with your new boyfriend."

"He's not my boyfriend." I say with clenched fists.

Although I wish he was...I don't have time for thinking like that right now.

"Then who is he?" Ryan hisses.

"He's a friend." I shoot at him.

"Oh really? Then why are you hanging around his little boy all of the time?" He pushes on.

"How did you-"

"I know things, Danny. Can I call you that? I'm calling you that."

"Ryan, please j-just go. I don't need your help anymore. I'm happy." I fight back tears.

"Fine. But, if you ever need any-"

"I don't need it." I whisper.

"Just in case-"

"GO!" I shout at him, anger boiling up, "I HAVEN'T NEEDED YOU OR ANYTHING YOU HAVE FOR MONTHS. STOP ASKING ME IF I WANT ANY."

"And why is that? Because you'll cave in?"

I don't answer because that's exactly it. I'll cave in. I'll become the alcoholic and druggie I used to be. The depressed alcoholic and druggie I used to be. The person I was when my parents died.

"I take that as a yes. Well, if you ever want anything. You know where to find me and, you'll get a discount."

Ryan walks up to me and I look the other direction, "Good luck, Danny." He says and walks out of my house.

I let out a breath I was holding in. It's like a weight has been listed off my shoulders. I just want him to understand that I'm done with that stuff. I'm not in a gang anymore. I don't drink and, I don't do drugs. They changed me and I became an awful person. A person that I don't want Jaxon to see.

Jaxon.

One of the biggest reasons that I won't become who I was. I love that kid way too much. It's just something about him. And, no, it's not the fact that he's Phil's child. He just fills a hole in my heart. The hole that my real parents used to fill.

Phil.

What if something happened? What if him and Jaxon got hurt? I don't understand where this sudden outburst of fear came from. I think it's simply from the unknown, not knowing if Phil and Jaxon are safe.

"Mum?" She comes back into the room.

"Has Ryan left already?" She asks.

"Yeah. He just wanted to say hi."

"Oh...okay then." She says, confused.

"Anyway, can I please see my friend, Phil? I know that you wanted me to spend time with you and dad-"

"You can go. Your father won't be home until tomorrow. His flight is running late."

I let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much." I rush and quickly peck her cheek before running out of the house.

~

I run down the street. I've never ran so fast like this in a while. I usually ran from the cops...it never ended so well. I see the familiar graffiti art on Phil's house and somehow my feet begin to run faster.

I pant and wheeze when I finally make it over to the front of the house but, I notice something different...a new car is parked. Does Phil have someone over? It doesn't look familiar, nothing I've seen at school.

My heart rate mellows down and I cautiously make my way towards the door. I touch the knob but here a muffled sound. What could be going on? I guess there's only one way to find out.

I put my ear up to the door. Yep, it's muffled screaming. They come from Phil and an unfamiliar voice. They're screams of anger as well. Like a fight. A very heated fight.

I take it upon myself to have a look inside. What could really happen? I get killed by a axe murderer? My hand closes around the doorknob and I slowly turn it. The door quietly opens and the screams instantly intensify.

I see Jaxon at the stairs and he-he's crying along with some screams. He sees me standing there and instantly runs up to me.

"Jaxon, what's wrong?" I quietly ask and crouch down to his eye level.

"D-Daddy's y-y-yelling a-at lady."

"Do you know who she is?" I push on.

"N-No." He cries.

I can't make out the screaming. It's too far away. I want to walk over to it but I'm scared to.

*

"I want to see my son, now!" Vicky orders.

"Last time I checked, you wanted nothing to do with him and me." I hiss.

"I've changed."

"Clearly. Did you get some work done?"

"Oh wow real mature."

"Comes from the woman who hooked up with my best friend when she was pregnant with someone else's baby!"

"That was uncalled for."

"What? The truth was uncalled for?"

She rolls her eyes, "I'm seeing my son.

"I'm not going to allow that. I have blocked you out of his life for a reason and he is not your son."

"Why can't he see his mummy?" She coos with a evil tone.

"You are not his mummy, and you never will be!" I scream at the top of my lungs, "Why can't you get that into your thick skull?"

"Because it's not true. I'm the one who birthed him."

"And I'm the one who took care of him. Do you even realize what you did to me? Huh?! Yeah, we were 15 and stupid. That doesn't give you permission to want nothing to do with Jaxon and leave me for my best friend. That's not what girlfriends are supposed to do. Even if we were a proper couple which we weren't."

"You were my worst mistake." She hisses.

"Right back at you." I shoot.

"You don't want me to see...what's his name?"

"Jaxon." I growl.

"You don't want me to see Jaxon, fine then. I won't see him."

"Good, now leave. You're making him cry."

"I don't here him crying anymore." She crosses her arms.

My head perks up. She's right...he has stopped crying, "Stay here." I angrily say and walk out of the room.

*

I hear footsteps coming my way and freeze. Jaxon holds me tightly as we sit on the ground together.

Please be Phil. Please be Phil.

"Dan?" A voice whispers in disbelief.

I look up through my fringe and see Phil standing in front of me.

"W-What are you doing here? Why are you here?" He whispers.

"Who is it?" A female voice asks and she walks to Phil's side.

She eyes me up and down in anger, "Who's this?" She loudly asks.

Jaxon lets out a small sob and I hug him tighter, "Jaxon, do you want me to pick you up?" I whisper.

He nods and I stand up. Jaxon puts his arms up and I grab him, putting him on my hip.

"He's a friend." Phil says.

"Just a friend? Just a friend gets to hold my son but I can't?"

It must be Vicky...oh god. It was really bad for me to come, "Look, I'm sorry for being here. I just came over and opened up the door. I didn't expect for you two to be fighting and Jaxon crying his eyes out."

"He was crying that much?" Phil whispers and clouds fill his eyes.

I glance at Jaxon's head buried into my shoulder and sadly nod, "He was also screaming." I quietly say.

Phil walks up to me and places a hand on Jaxon's back. Jaxon let's out a small whine/scream and Phil moves his hand away, tears now streaming down his face.

"Jaxon?" He asks.

Jaxon whimpers, "Phil, I-" Phil cuts me off.

"He's scared of me..." Phil trails off and wipes his tears away.

"I'll gladly leave now. Didn't realize that my child was such a dumb ass cry baby." She says in disgust.

"Wait right there." I angrily say.

I check Jaxon to make sure that he's fine with my tone, "Jaxon is not a cry baby. Even if he was, it does not concern you. I don't even see why you showed up here. You haven't cared about Phil nor Jaxon for 2 years and now you show up out of nowhere because? Obviously, Phil does not need you and he was doing much better with you gone. So, you can take your snobby ass out of here and stop saying those kind of words towards Phil and Jaxon, do you understand me? I may not be with Phil but, I have been here for him and Jaxon longer than you have."

"Does it look like I care what you think, faggot?" She hisses and walks out of the house.

Remember that Jaxon's here. Remember that Jaxon's here. You can't get worked up.

Focus on Jaxon...

"Jaxon? Hey, it's okay now. The lady's gone."

Jaxon removes his head from my shoulder and looks over at Phil with fear, "Daddy?"

"Yes, Lion?"

"W-Why did you have to be so scary?" Jaxon sounds barely audible.

"I don't know, Lion. I'm sorry." He says with shame.

"Daddy won't be scary anymore, okay? He promises. Right?" I look up at Phil and wait for his response.

Phil quickly nods, "Of course."

"Do you want to be with daddy now?" I cautiously ask him.

Jaxon takes a little to respond but finally shakes his head. I look up at Phil with a sad look and he looks on the verge of tears again.

"Hey, is it okay if I talk with daddy for a little? I'll be back, I promise."

"Okay." Jaxon whispers.

I get on my knees and set him down. I get back up and lead Phil into the kitchen.

"I'm sorry that I came here. I didn't realize tha-" Phil cuts me off.

"No, stop. I'm glad you're here." He quietly says but doesn't meet my gaze.

"W-Why is that?" I push on.

Is he going to say what I think he's going to say? Can Phil possibly feel something towards me other than a somewhat platonic friendship.

"I've realized that you truly care for Jaxon and that means so much to me. I haven't found someone who has felt so strongly about him and it completely warms my heart. If it weren't for you, I wouldn't of had even known how scared Jaxon was. That he was scared in general at that. Sometimes, I just feel like the worst father a kid could ask for..."

"Don't say that." I instantly say. Phil looks up at me with a bewildered look, "You are far from a bad dad. You are far from a bad friend. You are far from a person. You may not be the most privileged but God dammit Phil, that doesn't matter." I step closer towards him, "I just want you to realize how amazing of a person you are. I want you to realize that there isn't anyone in this world that's better than you." I stare deeply into his eyes that now have a slight spark in them.

"How am I supposed to realize that?" He whispers.

"By letting me show you." I answer.

"I can't let you do that."

"Why?"

"Because I'm too scared to love and trust. Friend or not."

~

WELL THIS WAS A TURN OF EVENTS OK. -J