Chapter 7

*PHIL'S POINT OF VIEW*

"I think we should go in to town today"

"Really?" Dan said through a mouthful of cereal.

I nodded. "I want to show my boyfriend off to the whole wide world"

Dan winked and I giggled, covering my mouth.

"You look cute when you laugh like that" he complimented and I began to blush.

"Town then?"

"If you would like to then okay"

On confirmation I went off to my room to get properly dressed. Dan was already in his day clothes so he only had to wait for me. 20 minutes later I walked back in to the living room. Dan was now sat on the sofa biting his thumb and shaking his leg up and down like it didn't have a stop button. He was deep in thought and the look of concentration on his face was almost frightening.

"Ready?" I asked. Dan smiled and he followed me out the door.

When we reached the lift, Dan held out his hand. I grinned and held my own out to clasp his in mine. His hand was warm and soft to touch and nothing felt more right to me.

Town was busy today. Dan held my hand tight so we wouldn't get split apart in the crowd and we soon made it to Starbucks. I offered to buy our drinks whilst he went to get us a table. He agreed appreciatively and went to sit in the furthest corner away from other people.

*DAN'S POINT OF VIEW*

How could a trip to town be so mentally and physically exhausting? We hadn't been out long and already I felt deprived of energy.

I had to admit, I was really nervous today. For one, this had been the first time I had been out since…since the incident. Being in a crowd proved to be painful for me but I clung on to Phil knowing he would protect me. But secondly, it was the first time me and Phil had been out as a couple. What about if we bumped in to fans? What about if people laughed at us? Not everybody is accepting of homosexuality.

"Here" Phil said plopping down in the seat in front of me. "Thank you" I said as I took the cup of warm lovely coffee from his hands.

"This feels very surreal" Phil said out of the blue.

"What does?" I responded, confused.

"Us. You and me. We are a couple. It feels very real now"

I shrugged. "Certainly does. Not regretting it are you?"

He reached his hand forward and squeezed my arm. "Of course not. I'm the luckiest man in the world"

Before I could reply, a gang of noisy teenagers sat down at the table next to us. I specifically chose the table in the corner because nobody else was around and we could have some privacy. Obviously it was not the case any longer.

There were four boys and two girls. The boys were laughing loudly and shoving each other's arms in a play fight. The girls were doing their hair in the reflection of their iPhones evidently trying to impress their male friends.

It seemed like their laughing just got louder and louder and louder. Suddenly my heart started beating fast and I held my hand over my heart.

"What's wrong?" Phil asked out of concern. "You look like you've seen a ghost"

The laughing became a lot more intense. I clamped my hands over my ears trying to block it out but nothing could stop that constant mocking, jeering, in my ears.

"Oh god" I complained.

"What?"

"Fuck. Phil. I need to leave"

I stood up abruptly still holding my hands over my ears. Without waiting for Phil I rushed to the exit and left Starbucks. I began running and I knew I could not stop until I reached the safety of my home.

*PHIL'S POINT OF VIEW*

"DAN! SLOW DOWN!"

I was chasing Dan down the road. I could only assume he was going to our apartment but I couldn't be sure.

What was he running from?

"DAAAAN! PLEASE!" I shouted, ignoring the stares glaring at me all around.

We reached the park and to my relief Dan stopped. He bent down and leaned his arms on the park bench hyperventilating; his entire body shaking like mad.

I reached his side and stopped to pant, completely out of breath.

"What..is…wrong…with…you?" I managed to say.

Dan collapsed on to the bench. "They were mocking me!" he exclaimed before bursting in to tears.

"Who was mocking you?" I asked, sitting beside him.

"EVERYONE" he shouted and broke out in to sobs. "I can't deal with this Phil"

I put my arms around his trembling body and pulled him to my chest. I held him tighter than I had ever held him.

And as he cried and repeatedly wailed that he couldn't cope I thought about how he clung to my hand so tightly earlier.

It wasn't out of love.

It was because he was terrified.