Seis~

"So, Why exactly were YOU, Phil Lester," Dan spat my name like I was poison in his mouth. "Why were you sent here?"

Dan Howell, the mysterious fire-starter who had spoken to thin air in the forest with his wild look and evil glinting eyes, had been bugging me for a while. Well, his voice. His voice had been repeating that same thing repeatedly in my head since he left me to "Go out with a girl" last night. Yeah right. He'd gone back into the forest. But for what?!

In a way he was right. Why exactly was I at this school? Easy. I was at this boarding house because I couldn't look after myself and needed to improve my education right? So why do I feel like I'm trying to reassure myself?

Back in the basement, the day I had heard that voice. The american voice who nobody else could hear. The one which started all of this. All of this..madness.

Because the voice in the basement and the girl drowning in the bath, the vision I had of her being ducked under dirty blood tinged water…they must be new right? I haven't seen anything like this before? No, definitely not.

So why was I sent here? Why Redtail Boarding specifically?

Dan had a point. And of course I knew. I was sent here because my mum couldn't look after me since she was always at work, and dad is rarely at home. But something, some stupid thought buried deep into my mind inhabiting my roommates voice was telling me something different. Does this mean I'm no better than Dan, or PJ and Chris, Bethan and Zoey?

I'm not crazy like them. I can't be. I don't hear voices and see girls dying! somewhere in my mind Dan's voice was back. "Chris was sent here because he tried to kill himself." he had said, his eyes burning into mine. Something else I can't explain. Dan being able to burn me with nothing to actually psysically burn me with.

"He saw death. DEATH everywhere!" Dan's voice screamed. I thought about the girl- Elizabeth? Is that what the women had called her? Yes. The women, her killer had called her a Subject.

Like a lab rat? Does that mean I see 'Death' too like Chris?

It still scared me, terrified me, woke me up sweating, even thinking about actually being able to see somebody's death.

And not being able to stop it, because…because you can't.

Because your feet are glued to the floor, and you're not sure if your mind is playing tricks on you. It's agonising being able to see something so morbid and terrifying which nobody else can see. Because if you DID freak out, you'd be surely sent to the loony bin. Is that Redtail Boarding?

No. It can't be. I willingly walked in here! I stood in the reception on my own and signed in myself!

So many questions. But just this one damn question is bugging me.

Why was I really sent here?

"Right, Hello and welcome to my presentation, as you know my name is Phil Lester, I am sixteen years old and I'm going to talk about-"

"Nooo," I mumbled, sighing in exasperation. I rubbed my temples with a growl. "Why do I keep getting this wrong?" I muttered to myself, fiddling with my pen and scribbling lopsided doodles on the lined paper.

"Hey, Phil!' a familiar voice said, kicking my chair. "Nervous mate?"

Matty's voice shouted over the excited chatter of my english class cutting through my concentration, and I turned in my chair to face him. "Not really.." I shrugged. "I was up all night practising it." I held up a sheet of paper with my presentation on it. Part of our final grade for GCSE english was to present something to the class.

One of my friends, Matty Jason was as usual ignoring anything to do with actual work, instead having his earphones plugged in, his long-ish curly black hair hiding the wires which were very obvious dangling down his school t-shirt.

Matty rolled his eyes at me. "You're such a swot Phil!" he smirked and I shot him a look. "Well, maybe if you pay more attention to Miss Mathers instead of Lara Peter's.." I glanced at her across the class. She was the most popular girl in Year 10. And I had no chance with her. Though I guess it was fun to stare at her.

Matty leaned further over in his chair and I had to bite my lip to stop myself from reciting that stupid story all teachers tell their students about the kid who swung too far back on their chair and fell off, somehow dying morbidly.

Was it biting through their lip or breaking their neck?

I don't remember the details, but it's not exactly what a bunch of hormonal sixteen year olds want to hear on a hot July afternoon.

"Lara is so fit though!" Matty drawled in his northern accent. Well, it's Manchester. Everyone has a northern accent, but Matty was too northern. He said things like, "Kecks" meaning trousers.

I nodded in agreement. Yes, she was. But so was Benjamin Oakley sat three seats away. I hadn't told Matty or any of my other friends about my…confusing sexuality.

Yeah, I like girls. But I kinda like guys too? If Matty found out I was bisexual I would probably be labled "Gaylord" because my classmates were so judgemental.

"Ask her out mate!" Matty said excitedly. "It'll be well cool if you fucked her! you'll have lost your V to THAT!" he grinned at me and I cringed. Matty is also incredibly crude. Sometimes I think he's actually some kind of messed up reincarnation of Jay off 'The Inbetweeners.' he's the kind of guy who goes after the 'Fit' girls.

And then it's normally the girls boyfriends who beat him up.

"I'm alright," I muttered, poking Matty in the side. "But you should ask her?" I didn't know a lot of things, but what I did know was that Lara would rather go out with a dead parrot than my friend. It had spread round the school that he had tried to flirt with our year 7 drama teacher, Mrs Piper, who actually was quite attractive. But trying to chat up a girl nearly double his age was pretty weird, so most girls stayed clear of him.

"Ha!" Matty picked up his pencil and twiddled it between his thumb and finger thoughtfully. "As if she'll say yes!" he scoffed, but his green eyes were shining.

"Phil Lester!" Miss Mathers stood up from her desk and folded her arms across her chest. She was the kind of teacher who shouted at you for dropping your pen on the floor. Karen Mathers, my year ten english teacher was tall with brown hair pulled back into a strict bun wearing a white blouse and tight black skirt. I guess she was 'Fit' in Matty's terms, but she definitely didn't attract me.

"Yes Miss?" I span back round in my chair to face the teacher, a spark of nausea hitting me in the gut and setting off butterflies spreading around my stomach.

Those pesky little butterflies, always striking when I have to present something or when I like someone. My gut had been doing strange flips all day. Had I eaten something bad or was it nerves?

"We're going to start with you today, Mr. Lester," Miss Mathers eyed the other students with narrowed eyes. "Since you're the only one who looks ready." she smiled at my desk where my memory stick and presentation lay infront of me. "Oh come on miss! can't I go first?" Matty shouted and the class all laughed.

The teacher rolled her eyes and leant against her desk. "Matthew, as much as I'd love to hear your presentation about-?" she frowned. "What's it about again?"

I turned to see his smug smirk. "Weed, miss!" he said proudly. The class erupted into laughter again. Kids grinning at Matt because he was the class clown.

Miss Mathers sighed. "Matthew, what did I say about feasable subjects?" he shrugged. "It is a feasable subject! Weed should be legalised, miss!" he waved his presentation at her which was six lines of messy handwriting in the blue biro I had lent him.

Miss Mathers cleared her throat. "Matthew, that's a C2. Get out of my classroom." she pointed at the door and Matthew got up still grinning. "Good luck mate," he patted me on my back and I rolled his eyes at him. A "C2" means that Matty has already been giving a "C1" which is a verbal warning, and now he was on call. Which means he is in shit again. He's going to get put on report again. Third time this year.

"Matthew, I won't tell you again!" the teacher pratically screached.

"I'm going! I was wishing Phil good luck, GOD!" Matthew muttered a curse under his breath and grabbed his bag and presentation, then strolled down the row of desks and out of the classroom, slamming the door behind him.

Once Matty was gone, the teacher focused on me again. "Phil? are you ready to start?" she asked.

"Um..yep." I picked up my presentation and stood up on wobbly legs, the butterflies were overwhelming now. I made my way to the front of class and turned to face the twenty students all staring at me. I was a reasonably popular guy so I wasn't really bothered about the others laughing at me. It was just the principle of standing there for nearly three minutes and talking non-stop which was daunting.

I held my paper in shaky hands and opened my mouth, remembering to take deep breaths. "Hello, my name is Phil Lester, I am sixteen years old and I'm going to talk to you about the possibility of life on other planets."

~~~~~
"Hey mate, are you coming out tonight? Tristin and Connor are having a party since their parents are out." Matty came to sit by me at lunch. He was on report again. Which he was proud of for some strange reason. I looked up from my lunch of oreo's and a rustler burger which I had packed myself since mum was never at home and shrugged. "Probably not.." I muttered. "My mum wants me to go and see her at work."

Matty bit into his burger from the canteen. "Really?" he said through a mouthfull of mushy burger. "Where does your mum even work?"

I snorted. "All I know is that it's a hospital." I muttered, with an edge to my tone. Yeah, the hospital she had abandoned me for since I was a freaking baby.

"Have you ever been in?" Matty asked, dipping a chip in the dollop of ketchup he had squeezed all over his plate.

I frowned, cocking my head. "No I actually haven't?" I sighed. It was pretty weird that I haven't ever set foot in my mother's work.

"Just come to the party then?" Matty leaned back in his chair. "Your mum's never home anyway, so just make an excuse?"

I considered that. I could say I have loads of homework I guess?

I looked around the canteen packed with red and blue clad kids. The school uniform is a blue blazer with a red stripy tie. I don't bother with a blazer since it's mid July. Instead I wear a white shirt with my year 10 tie loose around my collar customised with stickers.

Tristin Mcvey and Connor Thorpe were sitting with Lara Peter's and her friends Emily Johnson. They were laughing about something and Tristin had his arm around Emily's shoulder. She in turn kept playing with his brown locks and giggling flirtatiously. Well there's the new couple everyone's going to be talking about in class next.

Tristin and Connor were the most popular guys in our year. Of course they were. They were, in my opinion, pretty hot. There was Tristin with his curly brown hair and chestnut coloured eyes. Not that I've been looking at them.

Nope. I have definitely not been staring at him long enough to learn the colour of his eyes.

Tristin was the kind of guy who was top in everything and somehow still managed to look cool. He wore football jersey's like some kind of american jock wannabe with tight jeans and converse. He wasn't a dick like some guys, he was alright, but pretty intimidating to kids who weren't popular or not good looking girls. Or guys? no stop it Phil, he's not gay. God dammit!

Connor had dirty blonde short hair he usually spiked up with hair gel. He was less stuck up than Tristin, more of a nice guy. Plus he was more casual with his clothes. Connor was more likely to wear a t-shirt covered in lizards and shorts in the Summer. In colder seasons he normally wore woolly jumpers and jeans. He wasn't as smart as Tristin and was prone to asking ridiculous questions. Like once he asked our history teacher who Hitler's last name was. I worry about his GCSE results next year.

"Phil?" Matty waved a hand infront of my face. "Mate?"

I blinked and drew my gaze from Connor and Tristin back to my best friend. "Hmm, yeah?"

"You alright, mate? you've gone kinda pale?" Matty looked worried. Well, as worried as Matty Jason could look. I snapped myself out of the daze and shrugged. "I dunno, I've got a bit of headache that's all." I rubbed my temples and winced when a dull pain throbbed across my forehead.

"Go to the nurse?" Matty stood up and grabbed his bag, his eyes looking straight past me. I followed his gaze to find Lara Peter's walking out with Tristin and Connor. "Hey, Tris!" he yelled over. Tristin turned and waved. "Matty! Still coming to the party?"

"Yep!" Matty ran over to him and I caught Lara Peter's rolling her eyes at Matty, her friend Emily giggling. "In a bit Phil!" Matty shouted over his shoulder to me.

"M'kay." I mumbled, turning back round, avoiding Tristin's gaze. What if he saw me staring at him?

The bell rang to my relief and the canteen quickly emptied of kids, everyone finishing their food and grabbing their bags. I stood up and rushed out, fishing in my pocket for my iPod. My head is banging and I can't be doing with the yells and squeals of excited year sevens running down the hallway, their gigantic rucksacks bouncing on their backs.

I found my phone at the bottom of my bag and screwed my earphones in, letting Mumford and Son's sooth my headache and made my way, taking my time, to my next lesson which was Maths.

I can't be bothered with maths. Can't I just go to the nurse?

The corridors were empty now, as everyone were in classes. I made my way down them, swaying slightly to my iPod and wondering if Tristin Mcvey was actually gay.

He can't be, he has Lara! I groaned inwardly and cursed my stupid teenage hormones. Why can't I be normal and be attracted to girls? I sighed and started to jog up E Block stairs to the maths department. I'm already five minutes late, but Mr Jason doesn't really care. He just sits there and stares at his laptop, letting the class do what they want. If I want a decent maths grade, I might have to ask to switch classes-

"S'cuse me!" someone- a girl, squeaked as she ran into me making me nearly topple downstairs. "Hey!" I shouted. "Watch where you're going!" I don't normally snap at people but the brewing pain in my head had worsened and I could barely put one foot infront of the other.

"Sorry!" The girl shouted over her shoulder. She must be a first year, she only looks about twelve. The girl slammed her hand over her mouth and her shoes squeaked on the floor when she suddenly bent over and threw up all over the corridor. I grimaced and felt my stomach flip again. "Are you okay?" I yelled down the stairs, a twinge of guilt hitting me in the gut for yelling at her for slamming into me. "Hey, do you need help?"

"No! I'm fine, leave me alone!" the girl groaned. She was sobbing into her hands and her cheeks were bright red in embarassment. I sighed and jogged back down, walking over to her warily. "Sorry I yelled at you," I offered her my hand. "I've just got a headache."

She groaned and took it, letting me help her to her feet. The girl was small with red hair in a pony tail and freckles. "Thanks," she smiled weakly at me. Then she eyed the puddle of vomit and frowned. "I didn't mean to do it.." she mumbled. "My boyfriend made me do it!" she insisted.

"What?" I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. "Wait, what did he make you do?" I asked her softly.

She looked down at the floor and shuffled her feet. "Tod…he was doing it behind the sports hall with his friends.." she murmured. Then she lifted her head and looked at me. "I- I didn't want to look uncool infront of his friends and now-" she stifled a sob and swiped her eyes. "Now everythings spinning and I can't go to class like this!" she whimpered. I frowned at her. Yes, she was right. Her eyes were dialated as hell. "Just..go to the nurse and explain the situation to her, she'll understand." I said.

Part of me was screaming, "YOU'RE TWELVE, WHY ARE YOU SMOKING CANNABIS?!" but the gentle part of me, the one in control, smiled reassuringly. "It was just a mistake-" I frowned. "What's your name?"

"Maisy," the girl sniffed. She wiped her nose with her blazer sleeve and took a deep breath taking a step forward and stumbled. I steadied her before she tipped over. "Are you sure you're okay?" I asked. "I can take you to the nurses office?"

Maisy shook her head. "No, I'm okay. Thanks." With a small smile she turned away from me and waddled off down the corridor, her sniffs echoing all the way untill I could no longer hear them.

When Maisy had gone I started to go back upstairs, but a sudden yell startled me. It came from above me and I looked up and my stomach jumped into my throat.

There was a guy balanced dangerously ontop of the railings on the top floor. The white railings were flimsy and anyone could fall through them. But this guy? he was standing purposely on them.

I couldn't see him properly but I could make out a different blazer on him, with the same school crest on mine. It was bright red and his tie was black and white, underneath his collar. The guy looked about my age with brown hair and that's all I could make out. "I'LL DO IT!" he screamed, lunging forward, his hands still gripping the railings for balance.

It took me a few seconds for me to comprehend what he was going to do. "N-no- wait!" I yelled up. "Don't do it, I'll- I'll get help!"

"Help!" I yelled. "He's- he's going to jump!" Shaking like mad, I didn't dare move unless he did jump. I'm the only one who can coax him into not jumping.

"HELP!" I screamed. "Please! he- he's going to jump!"

The boy didn't seem to notice me or care. He kept screaming threats and his voice sliced through my ears. "I can't do it anymore!" he cried. Then he started to sob, his grip on the railing slowly slipping.

"No!" I tried to scream, but my mouth couldn't form the words.

"Mr Lester?" I turned to see my PE teacher staring at me. "Young man! what on earth are you doing?" Mr Young squinted at me, his frown deepening when I pointed upwards. "He's going to jump sir! s-stop him!" I stuttered.

"I'm sorry, what?" Mr Young looked at me as if I was insane. What's he doing? the boys going to jump! Why doesn't he care?!

"The-the b-boy!" I tried to say, but when I looked up and saw the boys grip on the railings slip and his body slump forward, a scream erupted from my lips and I stumbled backwards unable to tear my eyes away as the boy dropped at least sixty feet.

"No-n-no!" I screamed at Mr Young as he stared at me- ME! He was bothered what I was doing when a student has just jumped off the top floor balcony?!

"Stop staring at me! The- the boy has j-j-j-!" I grabbed him suddenly and shook him before I knew what I was doing. "You basterd! You- c-could have caught him!" I screached, unable to speak properly. All I could do was scream. "Phil Lester!" Mr Young ragged me off him and grabbed me, wrapping his arms round my waist. "Phil! Hey- Calm down!"

"Hello? I have a hysterical student!' he yelled into his walkie talkie. "Lester." he said calmly. "Yes, I need an ambulance please!" Mr Young kept hold of me while I screamed and struggled. "The- the boy!" I stammered desperately. I managed to twist out of my PE teachers grip and stumbled towards the staircase. "I n-n-need to see him!" I cried, running downstairs to the bottom level. "Phil!" Mr Young ran after me. "Mr Lester! Stop!" I took the stairs two at a time, leaping down them.

I made it down to the last floor and scanned the ground, still sobbing. There was no body. Where was it?! It must have landed here! I fell to my knees and started to search for him. He must be here. I saw him fall!

"Phil." Mr Young appeared with back up. There were teachers and some students all standing a few meters away from me warily.

"The boy!" I said clearly, managing to speak. I faced them. My history teacher, Mr Young and the school nurse. Maisy was there too. Staring at me, her expression a mix of terror and confusion.

"The- the boy!' I choked. "He- he must have landed here!" I gabbled desperately.

"Phil." The school nurse stepped forwards slowly. "Phil, love. Calm down. There is no boy."

What?! what's she talking about?

"I- I saw h-h-him!" I dropped to my knees again and began to search but a familar yell made me jump to my feet. All the teachers, staring at me as if they hadn't heard it. "I'LL DO IT!" the same voice screamed and I looked up again to see…him. The boy with the brown hair and wild eyes.

He was in exactly the same position. Standing on the railings with his fingers wrapped around them, his feet close to the edge…

"I can't do it anymore!" he cried, his grip loosening. Then he started to sob. His sobs haunted me. I couldn't speak. All I could do was stare at the boy while the school nurse walked over calmly and injected something into my arm. What is that? it feels weird.

"The-the- NO!" another screach escaped my lips when once again, the boy just…slumped forwards, lifeless. As if he was already dead.

I felt the nurse lie me down but could only concentrate on the boys body dropping sixty feet, and once again I was helpless to save him. "He-he's-" I tried to speak, but my mouth felt like it was stuffed with cotton wool.

Where's the boy gone? I try to blink but my eyes feel heavy and a feeling of ice is prickling over my skin. "I'LL DO IT!" I forced my eyes open to see the boy- how can this be happening again?!

He was on the top floor once again. Balanced on the railings.

How can that be….no, don't think Phil. Just..sleep. Yes, that's what I should do. I should just…sleep.

I can't open my eyes, but I can still hear the voices of my teachers. Murmurs of gathering students.

"Phil Lester? he's gone mad! he attacked Mr Young yelling about a boy…" someone said quietly.

"Freak." another one spat, disgusted. "What was he screaming about? a boy?"

Then a new voice. One with authority and a soft tone. "Phil? I'm going to make you feel better okay? you're going to feel a little prick and then just relax, okay?"

"Noooo," I mumbled thickly. My lips felt ten sizes too fat and my voice sounded slurred. "The boy- please..the boy!" I tried to get up with the last of my strength but strong hands held me down firmly.

"Phil, honey. Litsen to me. There was no boy, okay? you were just imagining him." the voice said.

I wasn't! he was real, I saw him!

Suddenly something was stuck into my arm. A needle. It felt alien and sharp slicing into my skin and I let out a whimper, letting my head fall back into someones arms. Then a strange feeling overwhelmed me and I had to fight to stay concious. Didn't the school nurse already inject me?

The murmurs and voices all mixed into one tinny white noise and then- nothing. Everything was silent. I was left, clinging onto conciousness, stray thoughts keeping my awake. What were my parents going to think? Matty and Tristin and Connor? Why won't anyone believe me about the boy?

He was real. I saw him fall. I saw him fall twice! the boy was real.

So why were people acting like he wasn't?

That last thought stayed on my mind as slowly but surely my brain began to shut down and sleep. And then before I knew it there was nothing.

~~
I woke up screaming.

I don't know what I was screaming. Muddled nonsense. Tears were streaming down my face and my throat felt thick. I was clutching my duvet and had to sit there taking deep breaths to stop myself from hyperventilating.

After calming myself down, I got my bearings and looked around mine and Dan's room. It was dark except from the torch Dan was shining across the room. I glanced at the clock on my bedside. 4:35am, it read. I groaned and collapsed back into my bed, staring at the ceiling and trying to catch my breath. I remember.

I remember why I was sent here. How the hell had I forgot?!

I remember waking up in hospital with my mother beside me. I'd been doped up on god knows what drugs so I had no idea what was going on. But I had remembered what mum had said.

"We're sending you to a special school for a bit." she had said calmly, stroking my forehead. "It'll be alright love. Just untill you're better. There are kids like you."

There are kids like you. Her words echoed in my mind and I recalled Dan's words. "I thought you didn't belong here because you're normal..turns out you're as fucked up in the head as everyone else!"

The boy. Who had jumped off the top floor. Was he real? Like was the drowning girl in the bathroom real? or the american guy in the basement. Are they just all part of my fucked up head?

What about the lies. The fake reasons why I was sent here. Did I make them up myself or were they planted in my mind?

I snuggled back down, burying myself in the comfort of my duvet.

Then Dan sighed. "Phil?" he asked quietly. I sat up in bed and looked at him. "What?" I muttered, wiping my eyes.

"Uh.." Dan was lying on his side in his bed with a book. His eyes were on me, riddled with worry. I raised my eyebrows. Dan? Worried?

"Are you-?" he hesitated, then rolled his eyes at me. "Had a nightmare Phil Lester?" he teased nastily. Then he scoffed and eyed his book, turning the page. "I thought little kids had nightmares"

I didn't answer. Instead choosing to bury under the duvet again so I could stifle my sobs from him.

I wonder where he went. Did he really meet a girl?

Why do I care? I scoffed and buried my head in the soft pillows cradling my head. After a while Dan swiched his torch off and his matress squeaked when he got properly into bed. We both lay in silence untill I couldn't take it anymore. "Dan?" I asked quietly, still keeping my eyes shut.

I wasn't expecting a reply, but after a few seconds, he mumbled and yawned. "What, Phil Lester?"

"What is Redtail Boarding school?" I paused. "What is it really?"

He groaned in reply. "It's a place for psycho teenagers." he mumbled, then yawned again.

"And you fit in perfectly." he said quietly, an edge to his sleepy tone.

Then he fell asleep, and I found myself fall into a slumber, calmed by Dan's paced breathing combined with mine.

~~
"Two sausage rolls to take out?"

I blinked and frowned, my eyebrows dipping together. "Huh?"

I was standing in Greggs, at the front of a long queue on a warm Sunday morning. I shouldn't be up this early, but Penny was eager for Dan to take me on a tour around London. Supervised of course. We are 'Psyhos' after all. Miss Jackson was sitting in the car down the road. I'm hoping to talk to her later about what happened. How had they made me forget in the first place? plus, why did they lie to me telling me it was a boarding house when really it was some kind of young person rehab?

It all made sense. I was sent here because I saw things which weren't there. Dan was here because he set his parents house on fire and PJ was here after stabbing somene in the eye.

Mental patients. That's what we are.

"Two sausage rolls to take out?" the lady held out two brown paper bags and I took them with a polite thanks and handed one to Dan, who was standing as far away from me as possible, his eyes glued to his phone. Dan was in a t-shirt and jeans, his backpack slung over his shoulders. I wore my MUSE top and skinny's.

"That's one sixty, love." the women held her hand out.

"Um, okay..hang on." I scooped a handfull of change out of my pocket and handed her it.

"Cheers!" she said cheerfully tipping the money into the cash register. "Anything else?" I shook my head in reply and walked out, Dan following me, already demolishing his sausage roll.

We walked out of Greggs onto the busy London highstreet and I turned to Dan. "You can go and do whatever you want," I shrugged. "I'm just gonna go and sit on that bench and think." I pointed to a wooden bench surrounded by pidgeons. He didn't say anything.

"Right, okay.." I walked over to the bench and sat down, unwrapping my sausage roll and thinking about having to speak to my mum tomorrow. To my surprise, Dan joined me and sat there in silence.

I can't think when he's sat there, probably trying to annoy me.

"Dan?" I didn't look at him, instead deciding to stare at the bright blue, cloudless sky. "Um, I said you can go if you want?"

"Mphhh," he mumbled through a mouthfull of sausage roll. He had pastry flakes all over his face and I had to resist the temptation to reach over and swipe them off.

Dan didn't budge and I gave up trying to get rid of him. When he finished eating, he screwed up the greasy brown paper bag and chucked it in the bin next to him.

We sat in a peacefull silence, watching the world go by infront of us. Dan pulled his legs up onto the bench and crossed them, leaning back letting his fringe fall in his face. I snuck a glance at him the second he looked over at me and we both looked away quickly.

"So-?" I broke the awkward silence between us and his gaze went from the old man handing out Fab's and 99's to a crowd of children, to me. "What?" he grunted. "God, Phil Lester. Spit it out!" he rolled his eyes smirking.

Why does he have to be such a dick?! I gritted my teeth and turned away from him. "Never mind.." I muttered, irritated.

"No, you were going to say something?" his tone softened and he sighed. "Just tell me.." he muttered. "I'm listening, Phil."

I took a breath and fiddled with clasped hands in my lap. "Is it true you burnt your parents house down?' I suddenly asked. Like word vomit. Oh god. This is our conversation last night all over again.

I saw him stiffen and he brushed his fringe out of his eyes. "How did you know that?" he asked tonelessly. Oh, so it was true then.

Before I could answer he chuckled darkly and looked up at me, his brown eyes piercing and angry. His glare looked so sinister I had to look away. "No, wait!" he laughed, straightening up with a giggle. It was as happy as he was going to get. I shivered when he let out another loud laugh, a few passers by glancing at him.

"They told you didn't they?" he smacked his forehead, giggling again. "Bethan and Charlie? Finn Jack and Caspar?" he grinned, his dimples on show and I couldn't help noticing how much he resembled Tristin minus the curly hair.

"Well, yeah? they did tell me." I found my voice and to my dismay I was stammering again. "I- I didn't believe them at first, but- then- then y-you bu-burnt me."

He stared at me for a few seconds before giggling again. "I didn't burn you, you imagined it."

Like I imagined the boy commiting suicide and the girl drowning in the bath?

"No I didn't." I mumbled. "You burnt me!" I said, my voice becoming slightly more confident.

He poked me in my temple, still giggling. "We're all messed up Phil" he said quietly. "Just embrace your inner psycho!"

Dan was really starting to irritate me. I stood up, grabbing my bag. "I'm going into-" I scanned the shops around the plaza, spotting one of my favourite. "That book shop." I set off walking across the busy path and smiled when I set foot in the book shop. A familiar warm and comforting feeling hit me as I made my way across sections of books labled by colourfull signs. Adult fiction, none fiction, Biography, Graphic novels, Horror- ah! Teen fiction.

The geek part of me is screaming happily that there is a Waterstones here. Well of course there is, it's London! Can I blame ridiculous thoughts on my insanity? Am I even sane?

The Teen section was as comfy and calming as the one back in Rossendale. There were four bookshelves with every book genre I could think of. The New York Best Selling ones were on the top shelf. Books like The 'Twilight' series and Harry Potter, the Divergent series, Mortal Instruments. Books by Stephanie Meyer. You name it. It was there.

"So you like books, huh?"

I turned, startled, to find Dan stood behind me with that stupid smirk on his face with those raised eyebrows. He had followed me again? What was wrong with this guy? Don't answer that Phil.

"Yeah," I folded my arms and tried to glare at him, but the sun was in my eyes so I just looked like I was squinting at him. "So what if I am?" I muttered.

Dan shook his head with a chuckle. "Nothing, actually." he smiled at me and I frowned. A genuine smile? Then he walked past me and over to the fantasy section, skimming over the books with his index finger. To my surprise he pulled out the Game Of Thrones book 3 and sat down cross legged with it in his lap and began to skim through it, a thoughtfull look on his face.

I wasn't surprised he was a reader, since I had seen him reading last night- well 3am this morning. It's just, Dan doesn't look like the kind of guy who reads. He glares at everyone, me the most. How can somone as…dark and soulless as Dan Howell actually like books?

Okay, so I'm steriotyping readers as geeks with glasses with no friends, but I see Dan as the kind of guy who kicks puppies and laughs or worships satan underneath a photo of Mila Kunis.

Maybe I really am insane…

I decided to leave him to his book and go and check out the graphic novels in the other section. He looks pretty peacefull so I guess it's a death-wish to disturb him.

~
I was torn out of one of many Spider Man comics to a yell. Which, surprise suprise, came from Dan. I quickly shoved the book back on the shelf and made my way back to the seen section where I had left him.

I found him. He was stood, frozen with a lump of black in his hands. I sniffed and caught the whiff of burning. Dan was staring into space, looking terrified. "Why did you burn it?!" he demanded to thin air. I felt a rush of Deja Vu remembering him in the forest.

"I LIKED THAT BOOK!" he suddenly screamed, throwing the lump, which I recognised as the badly burnt Game of Thrones novel he had been reading, at thin air. There was nothing there.

"Dan…" I glanced at the staff working at the till. Somehow they hadn't noticed. I grabbed his arm quickly. "Dan, w-we need to go."

"No!" he pulled away and once again an agonising pain ran down my arm and I let out a squeak, letting go of him. "Shit!" I cried.

"N-no…I didn't mean to-" he stared at me with wide eyes. "Phil, I don't know what's wrong with me!" he hissed desperately.

My arm was stinging and the skin had blistered bright red like last time. "It's- It's fine." I whispered, unable to talk properly. How had he managed to burn that book to cinders? Did he strike a match?!

How the hell did he burn me?! I started shaking violently and started making my way out of the shop. I didn't look back to see if be was following me. I didn't care.

"Phil!" Miss Jackson ran over to me looking worried, her hair flying everywhere. She was still wearing her tracksuit. "What happened? Where's Dan?"

She seemed pretty wary about Dan. Course she is, he's a psycho!

"Here." a voice came from behind me. "I'm- uh..I'm here." Dan's voice was shaking and he had his arms folded tightly across his chest. Is he hiding something?

Matches? A lighter?

"Dan." Miss Jackson frowned at him. "What have you done?"

"Nothing." he mumbled, looking down. Miss Jackson must have done this before because she reached forward and uncrossed his arms. "No! I- I didn't mean to I swear!" he adopted the voice of a child and tried to pull away.

"Oh, Daniel. What have you done?" she murmured.

I stared at Dan's arms, trying to stop myself from crying out, and bit into my bottom lip, tasting blood automatically.

Dan's arms were red raw, blistered and burnt. He had burnt himself. He had given himself first degree burns with nothing but his own hands. How is that possible?

~
Miss Jackson drove us back to the boarding house keeping a close eye on Dan sitting in the front seat. I sat at the back, nibbling my lip and staring as busy London traffic flew past and then became the familiar leafy pathway leading up to Redtail Boarding house surrounded by drooping trees. I glimpsed the forest which I had been forced to adventure into that first night in and shivered.

Dan was silent the whole way back and kept sneaking looks at me through the rear-view mirror.

When we reached 'Home,' Dan stormed straight upstairs to his room with Miss Jackson following him. "Daniel! Get back here now!"

Following Dan wouldn't be a good idea, so I joined Caspar and Bethan in the lounge. "Phil!' Bethan greeted me, sweeping a cushion out of the way so I could sit down. "Hey mate!" Caspar looked up from his PSP and smiled at me. I in turn sat down, still shaky and greeted them quietly. The lounge resembled my own living room with two sofas, a flat screen TV and a furry rug which lay on bright red carpet.

Bethan and Caspar were watching Peep Show. A programme Tristin was always talking about in form. All I got from the show watching it now, was two guys yelling at each other and having in-depth conversations with themselves in their minds. Oh and occasionally had awkward sex with girls.

Bethan was curled up with a fluffy cushion pressed to chest and had tied her hair into ribbons again. She laughed occasionally at the TV and rewinded back to the funny bit. Caspar sat with his PSP in his lap, every so often pausing in gameplay- and looking at the TV.

I wonder why Caspar's here? Dan didn't mention him being a psycho. I glanced at him and tried to imagine him freaking out and screaming at thin air, but it was hard when he looked so innocent?

But he has to be here for something.

"Jez is attractive.." Bethan muttered, breaking me out of my thoughts. Her eyes glued to the TV screen. She glanced at me. "Don't you think?" she shoved me playfully. I shrugged. "I dunno, I don't really watch it.." to be honest I was more worried about my possible arsonist roommate.

"Jeremy is played by Robert Web," Caspar dropped his PSP onto his lap with a sigh. The sound effects coming from his game made it obvious he had died- again. "Of course he's attractive, Bethan!"

"Wow Caspar, you're really showing your straight side." Bethan giggled and twazzed a cushion at him. He grinned and chucked one back. "Funny!"

While they bashed each-other with cushions I considered grabbing the TV remote and switching over to Cartoon Network for the 'kids' (teen) show, Adventure Time. I watched it every day after school- when I was alone of course. If my friends found out I watched a kids programme I would never hear the end of it. Though why would they care now? Matty will never speak to me again, knowing his best friend went mental and had to be sedated and hospitalized.

I shook away the thought. "Hey, can I watch TV?" Bethan and Caspar were pratically straddling each-other. Bethan tossed me the remote. "Yeah sure, knock yourself out!"

"Thanks." I fiddled with the TV remote, thankfully it was easy to work, and scrolled to the kids channels. 'Adventure time' was there in white letters. On right now. I clicked OK on the remote and the screen flicked onto the the familar crazy background which displayed Jake the dog and Finn the human. Despite being heavily weighed down with questions and my own sanity, I still couldn't keep the smile off my face. It was in a way- comforting.

"What's this?" Bethan crawled off of Caspar after admitting defeat while he shrieked a triumphant battle cry. "VICTORY!" he grinned. "Oh, it's that thing my little cousin watches!" Bethan exclaimed, out of breath while fixing her hair.

"My friend watches this!" Caspar sat up staring at the TV, looking genuinely interested. "I don't get it, what's it about?"

"A dog and guy who eat loads of sweets?" Bethan shrugged. "That's what it looks like.."

"Maybe the sweets are drugged?" Caspar laughed. "That's what makes them high and THAT explains why the programme's so weird!"

"It's a kids programme, you twirp!" Bethan shoved him again.

Caspar rolled his eyes. "You take everything so seriously. I was kidding!"

Bethan grinned and reached out to hit him playfully and he dodged the hit laughing. But then she lost her smile and her eyes darkened. Her hand was still gripping Caspar's shoulder.

I watched, seeing the same blank expression appear on Bethan's, which had been on Dan's back in Town. Blankly staring at nothing.

"Ow! you don't have to grip me-" Caspar swallowed his words and frowned when he noticed Bethan's expression. "Hey, beth?" he stood up and waved his hand infront of her face, clicking his fingers. She was still sat, staring into thin air, her lips twisted into a grimace. "Shit.." Caspar mumbled. I snapped out of it and frowned. "Why, what's wrong?"

"Here we go again.." he muttered, running a hand through his hair. "She's catatonic." he explained, eyeing me. "S'alright, it happens sometimes. She'll be alright in a minute." he reassured softly.

"It happen's sometimes." Caspar's voice repeated in my head.

"Shouldn't we get a teacher?" I stood up, again my legs were wobbly and I had to grit my teeth to stand properly. Caspar shook his head. "Nah, just leave it mate."

I was about to protest when a strangled scream made me jump, reminding me of the girl I had seen being drowned in the bath.

Bethan. I stared as she jumped up, eyes wide and terrified, her mouth agape. "Dan!" she squeaked, grabbing Caspar and shaking him. "Where is he?!"

A cold shiver ran down my spine and I suddenly felt like I was going to throw up. He was in his room- right?

"Hey, calm down!' Caspar grabbed her face gently. "Bethan. Bethan! Look at me! Everything's okay, just calm down okay?"

She was shaking violently, her cheeks ashen. Stumbling and stuttering over her sentences. "N- no!" she screamed. "Dan! They're- they're going to-" she swallowed and swiped at her damp cheeks. "They- he- there were-" she clutched Caspar and he drew circles on her back with his finger calmly. "Bethan…who's they?"

She reminded me of myself back at school.

"They're going to…him!" she said through sobs. "Where is he?!" she wailed, wrenching herself away from Caspar and running out of the lounge. Her footsteps pounding on the stairs as she thundered up them still sobbing.

Caspar ran after her. "Bethan! Calm down! Bethan, he's fine!"

I had no choice but to follow him. I ran upstairs, a million thoughts running through my head. Bethan's screams. What was she saying? Dan was what?

She was acting as if his life was on the line. I remembered the burns on his arms and a rush of fear mixed with adrenaline pushed me up the last staircase.

I ran into mine and Dan's room to find Bethan sobbing and yelling gibberish at Dan, who was sat on his bed with his laptop on his knee looking really confused.

I could have laughed in relief.

Relief?! No, Phil! Why do you care?!

Caspar was stood next to Bethan, also yelling at Dan. Though instead of gibberish, he was apologising. "Sorry Dan, she's freaking out again." while Bethan screamed, "I saw it! They're- they're going to-"

Dan cocked his head frowning. "First of all, you didn't knock, second-" he eyed both of them. "What the FUCK are you talking about?!"

"Bethan's having one of her annual freak out's." Caspar explained. "Like the one with Anthony?" he rolled his ueyes.

"What's going on?" a familar voice said from the doorway. I turned to see Miss Jackson stood there.

The second Bethan caught Miss Jackson's eye, she stumbled backwards and started hyperventilating. "No! L-leave me alone!" she pointed to Dan, who stil looked confused. "Leave him alone!" she shrieked. Miss Jackson stepped forward calmly. "Bethan, I can assure you I have no intention of hurting Mr Howell."

"No!" Bethan stamped her foot, still crying, and at the same moment something splattered all over the walls. Hairgel. Dripping off the walls and the closet we shared. Bethan shrunk back into the corner. "I- I didn't- there was no hairgel on the-" Miss Jackson was making her way to Bethan, slipping something from her pocket. A syringe. "Give her some space." the teacher knelt next to the quivering girl and slid the needle into her arm. "I said get out!" Miss Jackson hissed sternly.

I scampered out of the room, followed by Dan. Caspar stayed glued to the spot. "What's going to happen to her?" he demanded.

"We're going to send her home. Give her time to rest." The teacher answered flatly. "She's very ill, Caspar."

"So am I!" he hissed. I stayed on the corridor awkwardly while Dan pressed his ear to the door even when it was open. "She didn't mean to get hair gel everywhere!" his voice was turning into a sob.

"Caspar. I'll make sure to let Penny allow you to call her when she's feeling better. Untill then, can you please leave the room?"

"Fine!" he left the room, storming out, shoving past me and Dan before breaking into a jog down the corridor and then downstairs, making sure to slam every door he went through violently behind him.

So there was a different side to Caspar.

While Dan went back into our room and moaned about hair gel all over the wall's, before sitting back on his bed with his laptop like nothing had happened, I sat on my own bed and tried not to piece things together in my head.

All these little things I had learnt. Like the strange drink. Only me, Dan and Bethan avoided it. I was seeing girls drowning, Dan was burning things (Which I still don't undertand the physics of) and Bethan was freaking out about Dan being in mortal danger.

Only an idiot would pass that off as a coincidence. What if it was? what if I'm being really paranoid?

What about school? I start tomorrow and I'm not even sure if it even exists. What if it was some kind of cover up? to keep me learning the truth, which that I'm stuck in a school for psycho kids.

Stop it Phil. Stop over-thinking things. You're sick. I told myself.

If I was so 'Sick' why had nobody mentioned it? why was there a cover-up in the first place?

~~~~
I let out a sigh of relief escape my lips as warm water sprayed into my face from the shower nozzle and I stood, relishing in the warmth for a few seconds. Then I blindly reached for the blueberry scented shampoo and squeezed it all of my hair, lathering it all over my hair. This is the one place where I can relax and not think up crazy theories and let paranoia control my thoughts. I can just stand here and listen to the calming sound of the shower.

The shower itself wasn't anything special. It was a simple, modern shower. No fancy tweaks like ours at home. I scrubbed my body with the sponge and let the warm water rinse off left over bubbles.

"Hey there, little necro." a girl murmured in my ear and I let out a shriek, nearly falling over. I blindly grabbed a towel and wiped my face and blinked away condensation, trying to see through the steam. "Hello?!"

"Helloooo?" there it was again. I turned, shaking, to see a girl standing outside the shower. She had long curly blonde hair and was wearing a long white shirt covered in dark red stains. I swallowed and prayed it wasn't what I think it was.

"Hey." she smiled sweetly. There was something familiar about her but my brain was too busy screaming at me that she was a hallucination I couldn't think straight. I stared at her, unable to speak. She's not real. She's just a figment of my imagination.

"I'm Elizabeth." she smiled sadly. "But you can call me Lizzie."

I'm tempted to continue now :D It's a stupid place to stop it haha and idk I'm proud of this chapter for some reason…

Like/reblog for more! :)

Dedicated to Livithezebra, acaeria and shattered5423 AKA Kenzie! :) (And everyone who's reading!) ^_^ have a ~~~~:P

Also, this phanfic is based off of one of my favourite book trilogy's ^_^