PJ'S POV)
This was it. Today was the day. The day my life finally starts. My first day of high school.
I wasn't sure which I was feeling more; nervous or excited. But I knew it was going to be an interesting year. It always was with me around.
Mum pulled up in front of the school. The same shit school I'd gone to since year 3.
I got out of the car ignoring mum's lectures about safe sex and how to prevent rape. What did she think this was? A stripper bar?
I walked into school doing what I do best – avoiding human contact. Then I saw him. The one person everyone avoided. That boy was dangerous.
Maybe that entranced me, maybe I was just stupid. In any case, I still approached him that day two years ago. That was the day the bullying started. It was relentless and harsh, just like the boy himself.
You wouldn't dare to say that to his face. No-one dared to voice his name above a whisper. It hadn't been spoken in years, maybe.
Until the new kid started school here. Dan Howell, they say his name is. Most people just know him as the boy who dared to say it, the boy who said 'Phil Lester'.
"Hello, hello, Earth to PJ. Anyone there?" Louise grinned
"Huh" I said intelligently, as she giggled at my confusion.
"Sorry, what?" I corrected myself.
"Did you hear anything I just said?" she sighed, I thought before slowly shaking my head and gazing back into space.
I was confused, Chris and Phil hadn't approached me at all today. Maybe this year would be a better year, maybe they were sick of bullying me. I mean, it had been 2 years.
I could see Louise's mouth forming some kind of gibberish so I just nonchalantly nodded my head. Suddenly, she burst out laugh and my blurred vision, sharpened. I started at her, waiting for an explanation but she wasn't nearly done laughing her ass off at me.
"You, you, you" she attempted before bursting into another fit of giggles.
I waited…..and waited….and waited. Until finally, Louise had composed herself enough to spit the words out
"You just confessed to having a crush on Chris frickin' Kendall" she burst out laughing once again.
I gave her a hard look, because he was coming this way and I could see in his eyes that he wasn't messing around
"Wait, you don't do you?" she gasped, suddenly serious
"What?" I diverted my attention back to her
"Have a crush on him" she repeated herself.
I didn't had time to tell her to shut up but I knew even if I had, it would be too late. He was already standing behind her, smirk on his face. Louise suddenly realised and threw her hand over her mouth in shock-horror.
"Well, well, who do we have here" Phil mocked, bowing his head slightly, "Fairy Princess and Gay Boy".
His friends snickered and I suddenly felt angry. I wasn't gay but even if I were, why would it matter?
I stood up, finally ready to give Phil Lester a taste of his own medicine but I was pushed down by a hand. I looked up and saw the one and only Dan Howell looming above me.
"I know all about you, Phil Lester. I thought by now you would know not to insult people when you're exactly the same. It's called hypocrisy." He leered stepping towards Phil.
Phil glared with such menace and hatred – If looks could kill, Dan would be dead 10 times already.
"I know what it's called" Phil sneered, taking a step towards Dan, "but maybe you should take your own advice before telling others to"
Dan just laughed in his face, he once again stepped closer to Phil. Dan was half an inch taller than him and he knew it.
They were almost nose to nose now and I could feel the sexual tension from where I was sat.
They both stood staring into each other's eyes when Phil started to lean in towards Dan's ear.
"Until next time, Howell" he spat before sauntering off with his group.
Dan let out a deep sigh before sliding down next to me at the table, I looked over to Louise who had tears streaming down her face.
"I'm sorry PJ" she hiccupped, "I didn't mean for that to happen"
I smiled at her, of course she hadn't meant it.
"It's really okay, Louise, I know you didn't mean to. It wasn't your fault" I assured her, and a look of relief settled on her face.
I turned back to the boy sat next to me in awe
"Thank you. I mean, wow, thank you" I awkwardly laughed
He grinned, dimples and all
"That's okay. He was being a dick anyway. I'm Dan by the way. Dan Howell" He stuck his hand out.
"Hi, the name's Liguori, PJ Liguori" I grinned, shaking his hand.
Dan laughed
"Well, it's very nice to make your acquaintance Mr. Liguori" he winked, cheekily.
Before I embarrassed myself any further, Louise decided it was time to butt in.
"HI! I'm Louise! And you're really cool!" she giggled maniacally.
Dan looked a bit startled before shaking her hand and smiling.
Then, the bell rang. I had art next, which wouldn't be a problem except it was with Phil and Chris. Louise had English with a girl called Zoe, so I couldn't sit with her. I looked up at Dan.
"What do you have now?" I questioned hopefully,
"Umm, I'm not really sure. Let me just check my timetable" he stuttered, dropping a few pieces of paper.
I picked them up for him while he scurried around trying to find his timetable.
"Art!" he finally piped up,
"Okay, good me too" I dragged him by the arm down the corridor
"Bye Louise" I called over my shoulder, but she had already found Zoe and walked into class.
We walked for a while before I cleared my throat
"So Dan, are you any good at Art?"
He looked flustered for a moment, fumbling with his hands
"Yeah, I guess you could say that" he mumbled
What the hell was going on? One minute he went from this confident, funny, outgoing guy and know he was….like me.
"Are you okay, Dan?" he looked up at me through tear-filled eyes
Suddenly, I couldn't help myself
I pulled him into a bear hug, I don't know what made me do it but it just seemed like the right thing to do.
When I let go, he smiled at me
"Thank you, I needed that" he whispered
I gave him a kind but questioning look because what the hell just happened?
He seemed to understand what I was saying so he took a deep breath
"I'm new as you know" he started, "I left my old school because I was being bullied, that's why I stood up for you today because I know how that feels. I just. I have never seen that side of me before and honestly, it kind of scared me" he sighed in exasperation and relief.
I just hugged him again
"I can't really change how you're feeling about yourself right now, but thank you because you saved my guts" I muttered into his shoulder.
"But we really need to get to Art now" I hurried, looking at my watch. We were 10 minutes late, maybe we'd get off the hook because Dan was new.
We walked in two minutes later and I went to explain to the teacher why we were late but the thing was, there was no teacher.
"Hey Howell, remember what I was saying last time?" I heard a voice taunt Dan, I turned around and there he was, once again
Phil Lester