After about 15 seconds Harriet pulled away. Dan had a boyfriend! She liked Phil! It just wasn't right!

"What the fuck, dude?" Is all she could get out of her mouth, and she ran to Phil's room. She didn't cry. In fact, she spoke calmly.

"I'm sorry for being a dick to you, even in ways you may never know. Please wake up. I love you… as a friend. I'm sorry. I don't know! Just don't die on me Philly... live to see how many people care. Please!"

Phil just breathed, as usual. A single tear rolled down Harriet's cheek, but she didn't feel as sorry as she should have.

"These are for you." She continued, as she grabbed the cards her daughter had written for him. After she put them on her table, she sat staring at the array of cards on Phil's table. Around 20 colourful, hand drawn ones from Jessica, some simple shop bought ones and 3 letters written in shaky yet neat handwriting. Each letter looked very personal, and was signed "Love from Bear". Harriet smiled. She knew too well who bear was. She longed to look closer at one of them, but she knew it would be rude.

"Those cards from Jessica are very pretty." Spoke a soft, wavery voice from behind her.

"Those cards from Bear look very personal." Whispered Harriet.

"You don't know Phil as well as you think." Dan sighed, as he sat down on the bottom of Phil's bed.

"What?" Harriet was offended.

"He just draws people in. He treats everyone as if they are his best friend. And that's his problem. People get let down because he is too nice."

Harriet wished she could be offended or gobsmacked but she really did understand. Phil probably knew his problem, and was frightened of what would happen once she realised she was just a friend. Not the ultra-best friend forever she pictured herself as. Was that why Phil had kissed her? To make it out like she was quite important? Or did he really like her? But all this thinking brought her back to what Dan had done.

"Daniel James Howell!" She said, loudly.

"Harriet… quiet… What do you want?" Dan murmured.

She simply just got up and slapped him. Even though Dan had a boyfriend, it was completely the wrong place, and he did it a few metres away from his best friend in a coma.

"I see…" Dan sighed.

Harriet nodded. "Yes. Now goodby-" Dan grabbed her arm and pulled her back.

"Harriet… sorry. I shouldn't have done that. I'm confused. Really confused. Me and Jackjack keep fighting cause he never said anything good about Phil and then he did all the time and never even said I love you to me and you and me are like really good friends and…" Dan had to stop to catch his breath.

"Dan. He does love you." Harriet sighed.

"So why did he said he fucking hates me?" Dan whimpered.

Harriet couldn't begin to understand what was happening. She just didn't know what to say. She just leaned down to the tiny little boy sitting on the bed and hugged him.

Her voice came out dry and wobbly but she thought he could just understand her. "It's just nerves Dan, nerves and stress."

Harriet couldn't wait to go and interrogate Jackson. What excuses did he have for being half responsible for the change of an awkward yet handsome, responsible young man into a weak young boy?