"Hello?" I questioned gingerly into the corridor phone.
"Hey Dan?" A girl at the end of the phone spoke hesitantly "it's me, Louise"
My heart began to thump loudly. Louise was talking to me! She had called me especially, I had stood her up though. Then my heart began to thump in my throat... did she know I was here? Surely she must, she had called this place.
"Louise?"
"Oh you could sound a but more thrilled to hear from me" she giggled from the other side of the phone, I chucked humourlessy. Still feeling my heart pound.
"Um... sorry. Hey Louise!" I enthused, feeling a dry lump in my throat as I said it "what's up?" "Where were you?" She questioned but she didn't sound mad
"Louise I-"
"Dan it's fine. I know" she knew "why didn't you tell me? You're my little munchkin, you need to tell me when youre feeling down"
"I'm always feeling down" I mumbled into the phone and Louises sighy 'aww' made my heart break just a little "but I'm better now you called" I tried to lighten the mood up. I hear Louise swallow.
"I couldn't not talk to my Danny boy... just, get well soon?" She sounded hesitant but her voice was warm and laced with concern. I nodded although she couldn't see.
"I'll try" I told her, my voice dry.
"Are you using that?" A shrill old women asked me as she reached for the phone that was clearly in my hand. I nodded and stepped as far away as the cord would let me.
"what's going on Dan?" Louise asked, I heard shuffling as she moved.
"Someone else wants the phone" I sighed "talk later"
"Bye Dan" her voice faded as I moved the phone away and ended the call. The shrill woman left and didn't even use the phone but I was glad she had interrupted. I realised that I wasn't ready to talk to my friends just yet, I needed a bit of time to compose myself before I went outside again, before I started my life again.

I slumped back to my room and saw Phils black hair sticking out of the duvet. Mustn't it be boring for him? Being stuck on here all day? I remember having to wait wait in my house from 8am until 5pm waiting for some parcel to arrive that never came:I couldn't go to my room, I couldn't wear headphones, I just had to sit around waiting- and watched the occasional episode of 'Friends'.

"Hey Phil" I said and he didn't reply, no surprise there "don't turn around" he didn't even stir. I began to take my shirts and skinnies off to replace them with pjs. I had a feeling the Phil wasn't sleeping, he was too still and his breathing was rapid. My stomach began to rumble at the lack of food in there.
"We're pretty similar you and me" I told Phil, although it felt like I was talking to an empty room "I can't eat and you can't talk. We're both pretty messed up I guess" He didn't reply and so I sighed and snuggled into my duvet. After a moment I heard him move, the duvet rubbing against his pjs.
"Secret" his voice was low, barely a whisper. I held my breath so I didn't miss a word "I can talk, just not to people out there" I was quiet, I wondered why he had told me. Wasn't I a person from out there? Why was he talking to me?
"Secret" I replied "I can eat, just not the food out there"