Chapter 2

First encounters

"Ah!" I said, sounding a bit like Phil when he's surprised, and dropping my phone. I grabbed for it and juggled it around a bit, but then caught it. Dan chuckled to himself.

"I'm sorry, did I wake you?" I asked.

"So I guess you know me then, but who are you?" he asked, not answering my question.

"I'm Evelyn Thomas," I said. "I was at Vidcon, and I saw you fall down the stairs, and I was with you when the paramedics showed up, so they asked me if I wanted to come, so… I did. I hope you don't think that's too strange, I was just….I…"

"I like your accent," he said, "Where are you from?"

"I'm originally from Bath, but now I live just outside of Manchester."

"I live in Manchester!" he said.

"I know," I giggled. "I watch your videos!"

"So you're just in America for Vidcon then?"

"Yep!" I said. "I called Phil, by the way, and he said he's on his way here."

"I appreciate that," he said, then thoughtfully, "When did you call?"

"Kind of a long time ago actually. Maybe he got lost?" "Sounds like him, the twat," he said, smiling. I giggled.

"So did you like Vidcon then?" he asked.

"Oh, yeas! It was so much fun! I met Charlie, and Carrie, and…"

I pulled the chair close to the bed. Dan propped himself up on his arm to chat with me.

We talked about Vidcon and Manchester and Youtube and Maltesers and other things, but eventually we were interrupted by the doctor coming back to check on him. When he left, Dan asked me to take a picture of him in the gown for a video. Then we took a picture together and exchanged numbers. That's when Phil arrived.

"Sorry!" he said, "Got lost! How do you feel, Dan?"

"Got a headache, but I can handle it, macho guy like me," he joked.

Phil turned to me. "Evelyn?" he asked cautiously.

"Yeah, hi!" I said, and he hugged me. The doctor came and said that Dan could go home, and gave him medicine to take with him. Phil said that they could bring me to my hotel, and after Dan changed into his normal clothes we went out to Phil's rental. Dan said that he would call me after we were both back home in England, and thanked me for "saving him."

I flopped onto the bed in my apartment and sighed. Ugh, plane rides…I pulled my laptop out my suitcase and went to Youtube. New video from Dan! It was another "Reasons why Dan's a Fail…(yay)!"

"Hey Danosaurs! How's it going? As you probably know, I went to Vidcon the other day and, well, it was lovely until the last day…"

He said that he was really clumsy, and in addition to having butterfingers, sometimes he has two left feet. He talked about how he fell down some stairs, ("I'm so attractive sometimes, right guys?") and then he showed the picture I took of him at the hospital! He said that there was a girl who was "first at the scene" of his "stairs adventure". Then he showed the picture of him and me!

"Her name's Evelyn! She stayed with me at the hospital while we were waiting for Phil. She was so lovely, and she's a Danosaur too! Let's call her!" He called me, but I didn't answer, of course. I was on the plane at the time.

"I bet you don't want to talk to that twat from Vidcon, huh?" he directed at me. "I don't exactly blame you." I laughed, and Dan ended the video.

I picked up my phone and scrolled through my contacts. I smiled at his number and called him.

"Dan!" I said. "Hi! I saw the new video! I loved it, thanks for putting me in it!"

"Oh, yeah, sure Evelyn," he said. "Great to hear from you! I thought that you were going to abandon me and never call me ever!" he joked.

"Yeah right, Evelyn Thomas is going to ignore The Dan Howell, The Danisnotonfire!"

"Well then, since you're talking to me, how about dinner tonight at Phil's and my flat, as a sort of thank-you?"

"What are we eating, Delia Smith pancakes?" I joked.

"How about some pizza instead?" he asked.

"Sounds good!" I said. "I'll be there! Text me directions, okay?"

"Great!" he said.

I pulled on my red jeans and a black solar system t-shirt I thought Dan might appreciate. I went out of the apartment to my car and slid into the seat. I turned it on and stared dejectedly at the gas meter. I definitely didn't have enough gas to get to Dan's house. I picked up my phone and dialed.

"Claire!" I said. "You didn't fill up the gas tank!? You can't return my car and not fill up the tank! You said you would! Now I don't have enough to drive to Dan's house!"

"The guy who dropped you off at the hotel!? Good job, he's cute!"

"Claire!"

"Sorry, I forgot to! I'll fill it up later today, promise! Just take a cab for now."

"Okay," I sighed. "See ya. You better come fill it up, okay!? I got stuff to do tomorrow!"

I called a cab, and was soon standing on the steps of Dan and Phil's apartment building.