Dan placed his notebook beside him, staring blankly at the wall. His stomach was flipping, in the most horrible way. He felt queasy, the room having a slight spin to it. Luckily, his roommate was nowhere to be seen, most likely with Chris or maybe even Phil.

Phil.

Dan pulled his knees to his chest, burying his head into them. He let out a soft cry, unable to hold his emotions in.

"Dan? Oh Dan..." PJ said, running through the door to his roommate who was crying his heart out. He sat beside him, wrapping an arm around the fragile boy.

"Phil likes me." Dan whispered, full of disbelief. "He can't like me."

"Didn't you notice?" PJ smiled sympathetically as Dan leaned onto his shoulder. He could feel the boy's body shaking against his.

"He said he was straight... This can't be happening."

"Dan.. look at me." Dan managed to lift up his head, focusing his teary eyes on his friend. "He loves you." Dan let out a loud, distraught sob. "And that's okay.. Just tell me, do you love him back?"

"I can't-"

"You can."

"I can't-"

"Dan, calm down.. You can."

"I don't know."

"That's okay."

"It's not."

"It really is. Look, it's getting late. Get some sleep."

-

Dan was trapped in the glass room again. Dan's aunt was standing outside with a smaller, fifteen year old Dan and they were both crying. "You're going to live with me. Your parents are gone and so you need a guardian. I'll be your guardian." Dan's aunt wiped a tear from her eye, trying to hold it together.

"I don't want to." Dan simply mumbled, shoving his hands into his pockets and looking down at the dirty ground.

Present Dan walked over to the glass, pressing his hands against the transparent material. Tears were brimming his eyes and he was continuously mumbling, "Don't be difficult."

"You have to."

"I don't."

"Dan, you're fifteen. You cannot look after yourself yet."

Dan grunted, rolling his eyes and replying, "Fine. But that doesn't mean you can replace them."

Dan's aunt's mouth opened slightly, like she was about to say something but she closed it again, deciding against it. A tear travelled down her cheek as she shook her head.

Present Dan wiped his eyes. He blinked and, suddenly, he was in a white room, still trapped by the glass walls. Two people were standing opposite him, staring at him through wide, teary eyes. "Dan.." The woman said, holding out her hand and pressing it against the glass.

"Mum!" Dan screamed, his voice shaky.

"You're okay. I wish I could be there to hold your hand and help you with your life but, sadly, I am not here anymore and neither is your father. We just wanted to say that you should stay strong and that we are forever watching over you. That Phil boy, he seems really nice. Maybe you should give him a chance."

"I can't, mum. He'll just leave and leave me broken again."

"He won't. I promise."

"You can't promise.. You don't know him."

"We know more than you think we know." Dan's dad chipped in, smiling very softly.

"But.. You.."

"Trust us." They said at the same time, smiling kindly and pressing their hands against the glass. Dan let out a loud sob, pressing his own hands against the glass, one over his mum's hand and the other over his dad's. A tiny crack began to appear in the material but it was nowhere near shattering.