The silence that followed our departure was so awkward that I had to pretend to rummage in my bag for something to avoid running off in the opposite direction. I hated to admit it, but my reluctance to talk was partly caused by the hammering of my heart and sweaty palms just from being close to someone so...
Eventually, Phil decided that it was time we talked.
'So, what brings you to Green Forest?' he asked, with a slightly crooked grin and a flick of his ridiculously immaculate hair.
'My Dad got a new job working at that building firm up the road, and my Mum decided that it was best we had a change'. My sentence was followed by our turning right down another identical corridor. Phil looked at me again.
'And you got stuck here. It's not so bad, but just watch out for the canteen food. I didn't think anything could taste as bad as the crap they call food.' This earned a laugh from both of us; I could almost feel some of the tension evaporating into the air.
'What class have you got first?' I asked him. I didn't want to admit how badly I hoped I would be in it with him.
Replying quickly, he said 'Double Chemistry with Miss Turner'.
'Awesome, that's where I'm at!' We exchanged another lingering glance. In another attempt to get to know him, I casually dropped in 'I love your t-shirt'.
His eyes lit up. 'You like Death Note?!' Now the ice was broken.
'Love it. I always preferred Light to L though'. He looked incredulous.
'No, L every time!' This conversation carried on for a further ten minutes, during which we discovered that we shared about fifty common interests, mostly in films, TV shows and books. I had completely forgotten that I was supposed to be memorising the corridors and rooms and making actual use of this free period, but I had never expected to get on so well with Phil, and whilst in his presence I just forgot about pretty much everything else.
'I guess that's the end of the tour then' Phil said, stopping abruptly. We were just in time for the bell signalling second period. 'We can walk together to Chemistry if you'd like'. I would like, I very much would like.
'Sure.' I replied. He touched me lightly on my back to get me to turn the other way, but the touch still sent a spark throughout my entire body. He withdrew his hand, and I could see the ghost of a smile on his lips.
Chemistry turned out to be quite interesting; it always had been one of my favourite subjects. I was always too good at making explosions, however. They might as well have called me Seamus Finnigan. My bench was situated towards the back of the room in the corner near the large window that provided an view onto the school kitchens. Phil was one bench over, next to a girl with long ginger hair. I could see him fiddling with his pen, and when I looked back, I could see it had exploded, leaving a large blue stain on his exercise book. I attempted to supress a giggle, but unfortunately Miss Turner had a keen sense of hearing.
'Everything alright over there, Mr Howell?' she questioned. I nodded, and with a sceptical look she turned back to ionic bonds. This time, Phil was grinning. We shared a glance over the bench, my eyes hanging on for longer than strictly necessary. When I left the class, I was fully expecting to be walking to break alone, but there Phil was, black Converse leaning up against the brick wall opposite the door, waiting for me.
'Hi'. I offered. Hi? Is that really the best you can do? 'I thought you would be having break with your friends'.
For a fraction of a second, he looked uneasy. Then, 'I thought you might want someone to sit with'. And the grin was back. I thanked him, and we began walking off in the direction that he said was the dining hall. Sitting down at the standard budget school tables and chairs, I put my bag down, and Phil slid onto the seat opposite.
'Alright there Phil? See you've found someone to sit with, after how long?' The tone of the speaker from the next table across was patronising and thoroughly unkind. I turned to look at their face, and it turned out to be a boy about four inches taller than me, and I am not short by any means, with short brown hair and a sneering look on his face which brought out all of the worst features in his already spiteful looking face. He was sitting on a table of around eight others, all of whom were laughing at his comment.
'Shut up.' Phil countered, without much force. What was this guy talking about?
'Oh, that's right, you are just picking up the poor new guy who has no choice but to hang around with you. Why don't you come over here, Dan? It's more fun over here, and there's no weirdos'. I was so confused, and Phil looked like he wanted the ground to swallow him whole. He was staring intently at his trainers.
'Why are you talking to Phil like that? He's been nothing but kind to me since I got here' I bit back, immediately protective of the boy I had met what couldn't have been more than two hours ago.
'Just leave it Dan, let's go.' Phil whispered, tugging on my sleeve. I stood my ground.
'Ooooh look, Phil's got someone to stick up for him. Isn't that so cute'. The big guy jeered. It turned out his name was Ryan, and he was not the sort of person anyone wanted to get into a confrontation with, especially on their first day. They had no right to talk to Phil like this. And also, where were Phil's friends? They should have been sticking up for him.
'Leave him alone. And also, why the fuck would I want to hang around with someone who can talk to another person like that?' Sometimes I hated my short temper, but right now I didn't care. Ryan's previously smug expression turned to one of fury.
'What did you say to me?' His hands were balling into fists as he spoke. 'You think you can walk in here like you own this place and talk to me like that?' By now, the canteen was dead silence. Ryan advanced towards me, but I felt Phil's hand pulling me back.
'We need to leave. Now. You do not want to get into a fight with him.' His whispers were urgent. I didn't want to leave, I wanted to stand up and face this guy, but I could see the distress on Phil's face.
'Yeah, you walk away with your freak friend. I HOPE YOU'RE HAPPY TOGETHER! And this is not over.' For a fleeting moment I was amused by how someone with such a seemingly low level of intelligence had managed to get into this school, but I was brought back to the situation by Phil gripping onto my arm, no, my hand, and tugging me out of the hall and down the corridor, into what appeared to be a disused classroom.
'What the hell just happened?' I asked, utterly perplexed. Tears were welling in Phil's eyes but he fought them back and attempted to get himself together.
'Dan, we… er- we need to talk'.
