Awkward Meetings for Awkward People

by PygmypuffNargles

When a mysterious new Girl finds her dream flat in London, too socially awkward to make friends, she has to rely on finding other people as equally awkward as her to be truly happy. But what happens when memories from her past creep up on her to reveal the truth about her new neighbors?

13. Chapter 13

A/N Okay I couldn't wait to write this chapter and I hate to leave you on a cliffhanger for too long! So here is the next chapter, i hope you really like it, because i loved writing it. Enjoy!

Please tell me what you think in the reviews, and fav/follow if you want to :)

Chapter 13

All Awaits

Crumpled on the table in front of me, in public, I see a different person. Hollow and degraded, Phil lightly sobs into the table, and it kills me to see him this way.

He's never been like this in a long time, and I'm feeling distressed at not certainly knowing how to react. I need to find out why he is like this and somehow, I will pick up the shattered pieces of Phil and put them back together again.

I look over at Maddy and see she shares a similar expression to the one on my face, but she is comforting Phil by stroking his arm and quietly asking him what's wrong.

I decide he can't tell us such a serious matter in public, right here, so say to him 'Do you want to go home? It might, might be a bit more comfortable in private?'

Finally a response, he nods back and pulls himself up, tucks up his hood, pushing all his hair forward over his face, and wipes his nose with his sleeve.

A million thoughts of possible situations filter into my head as we leave the money for lunch and leave the building, but this only scares me more.

The whole walk to the station and tube ride home involves us walking in silence with Phil keeping to himself, I see he is barely able to handle what thoughts must be running through his head until he would break down right in front of us. Hood pulled up and walking a few steps in front of us, he briskly walks but I can tell he is unfocused as he brushes by strangers down the street and bumps into a few.

Finally we reach our flat building and I can't take it anymore. I push open the door to our Flat and Phil walks in past me, I pat a comforting hand on his back.

Maddy follows in so I nod thankfully at her, whatever Phil is feeling right now will probably reflect back on me, so we will both need some moral support.

Phil kicks off his shoes and walks into the lounge without turning back, calmly sitting down on the smaller sofa. I perch down next to him with Maddy lingering behind me, and search his face for any traces of a story of what happened to him.

Instead there is no need to pose the question.

'Phil, tell us what happened?' Maddy puts forward.

He looks up at us, an emotionally exhausted look upon his face; he seems to have collected his thoughts together at last, and tries to string together a sentence of where to begin.

'Well you know, you know I went to meet someone?' Phil heaves as he talks, struggling, 'I met up in another place, with a girl called Kristie.'

Neither me or Maddy say anything, we just let him talk.

'She seemed nice, her profile was all okay and I was texting her that very morning, in the Eye but – but then when I met her, she wasn't exactly..' He sighs again, stuttering, his chin shaking as he breathes out. 'I, I sat down with her in this place, we talked and it was all going well but, there was a point when, I don't know what happened! The next thing I know she was talking so, so at me and I' He is talking faster now, I see tears prickle in his eyes, him holding them back.

Looking down at the floor he continues, 'She ended up saying things that I, argh!' I want to comfort him in some way, but I am rigid in just seeing my best friend this way. 'that, that I wasn't a man and that, I, I'm stupid and ugly in real life and that, that no one – would ever want to love me. Then she left.' He heaves out a large sob, pressing his hands into his face and leaning his arms on his knees.

I feel what Phil must have when he heard this, embarrassment, shock, dismay and utter repulse at how someone could say that. I am speechless and don't know how to respond.

'Oh Phil' Maddy breathes, probably feeling similar.

I edge closer to Phil and try to comfort him by wrapping an arm around him, rather uneasy in my own emotions. Maddy sits across from me, now leaning on the little table, 'It's nothing, just one girl, anyone would be lucky to have you-'

Phil half nods, but lifts his head up, 'BUT WHAT IF THEY DON'T? What if she was right... I'M 26 HERE! There's got to be a reason! I mean why would you just- just-'

I can finally find words to say 'No. No stop it Phil. She's the one who's stupid.-'

His next outburst takes me aback, 'WHAT IF NO ONE EVER WILL? NEVER.' He breaks down completely in front us, pulling his knees up to his chest and wrapping his arms around him, sobbing heavily into his knee creases.

'Phil! Listen to me! You're a great guy, I would know, I can't let my best friend be treated like this by a complete stranger' I manage,

'Who are you going to believe? Someone who barely knows you and is judging you, not knowing what a wonderful person you are – or your two, close, friends who know you really are an amazing person'

Maddy couldn't speak a better truth.

It makes Phil look up, a look of recognition on his face, of some reversal to these emotions inside of him.

His bright blue eyes clear from the haze, and I finally think we got through to him.

'You, you think so?' coherent words. Finally.

'Yes' A simple answer for an obvious question.

With no warning Phil then turns to me and hugs me, and I feel that he needs it. What best friend wouldn't hug them in a time like this? I would do the same to him.

I hug back, the man hug type, when he pulls away there is no awkward coughs like in the movies, he genuinely needs this proof that people treasure him and love him, if we can love him as a friend this much, anyone could easily strongly love him in a relationship.

Shortly after he says 'thanks, I just, you know when you get bogged down in thoughts and I just, I've felt this before and now with everything I just had this fear and'

'I know Phil, we've all felt it sometime in our lives' Maddy speaks what runs in my own thought track.

'I nod in agreement, and I get up, patting Phil on the knee as I walk past, saying, 'Anyone want like a coffee or anything? I know I'm drained' To try and perk the atmosphere up a bit,

'yeah, thanks Dan' Phil smiles an thankful look at me, and I'm glad, and I hope that he never has to feel this way again.

I leave the room, Maddy and Phil alone in there, probably housing more comforting thoughts to make him feel better. After making the coffees I go back in and Maddy is sitting next to Phil on the sofa now, I hand them their drinks and perch back on the table.

'Hey Dan, we had an idea, it seems somebody here needs cheering up, and it being that you're filming today, we thought that we should do something extra this afternoon, I mean it's barely 1pm and there's still time' Maddy explains,

'Yeah that sounds like a really good idea – where do you want to go now?'

'I heard the London Zoo was having a Late Night Exhibit all week, sound good? That way we'll get most of the day out of it' Phil seems more as himself now, recommending the usual fun antics we do.

'Oh awesome I've always wanted to go there!'

'Me too, it's set!' I respond to Maddy and Phil,

'Let's go we should really get going to have enough time!'

We follow Phil's words and get up, grabbing our coats and pulling on our shoes, we take the now infamous elevator and reach the lobby bit again, going outside.

'Right, Phil, one question, where the hell is it?!' I ask the obvious question, we really need to know now.

'Uummm, yeah good point okay hold on-' I see him pull out his phone, he flicks on the screen, and is met by multiple texts from this Kristie person, he quickly slides his finger left of them all to delete them. I'm glad he is going to get over this. 'right, okay it says we gotta take the tube to Camden Town, then it's a short walk'

'Let's go!' I exclaim, happy that Phil is together again. We walk quickly back down the tube station, and hop on the correct train after bustling through all the mix of people again.

As the train rocks on the tracks, I catch Maddy looking at me from the corner of my eye,

'You know you have these little dimples,' she points at my face, 'Just there'

I can feel myself blushing inside, but joke it off and say 'yeah funny thing my face does that' I smile widely at her, then she give a cute little giggle at me, making my insides flutter.

We finally reach Camden, and we look to Phil for directions, he turns us in the right direction and we continue to walk that direction, shoving my hands in my pockets, Maddy and Phil walk together in front of me, making small talk, or having a conversation about something else Maddy and Phil like.

I quickly talk to the camera, remembering we are actually supposed to film today, and explain what's going on – again.

Shutting off the camera and breathing in the fresh air from this rare walk outside, I look up to see cascading trees peer over a wall over the top of us, so we're walking in a tree dome-tunnel. The green flickers all around as a warm breeze blows past, catching in Maddy's hair, blowing it all around elegantly into a swirl of blond and brown highlights.

I catch myself entranced, sometimes people are more beautiful when they look away, but I'm pretty sure no one quite knows why.

PHIL'S POV

Me and Maddy walk side by side, leading the path to London Zoo, as I tell her, 'What do you want to see most?'

'Oh I don't know, I like little monkeys you know? Like Marmosets and stuff' Maddy replies,

'See! Oh! I actually know what they are! Yeah there was this blog I found with a load of weird animals on, and there was one with a racoon thing which was a dog cat and it was so cool!' I feel I may have scared her a little, but instead she says,

'Ahh you mean the Tanuki!'

'That's it!' I laugh at her knowledge; she seems to make me smile all the time.

'Yeah I know way too much about animals, you know growing up with constant animal documentaries on the TV, couldn't get enough of them'

'This will sounds weird, tell me to stop if I get too strange, but me too' slightly weirded out by the common interest, what next ensues is an excited conversation about all weird animals and discussing my favourite animals too, obviously Lions and Red Pandas.

Finally we reach the entrance to the London Zoo, the sign impressive as the huge marble name towers over us, the ticket office just through the gates.

We pay to enter, and all file in past mingling people around the place. We are met by a huge expanse of land, filled with animals behind fences and shops everywhere; you wouldn't expect this to even exist so close to a confined and busy city.

I break away from Maddy, and she rejoins in conversation with Dan behind me, I end up getting distracted by almost anything that is fluffy and moves.

We wander around, I record some footage for the video of weird or adorable animals, and we crack a few jokes now and again, and generally have an awesome day. At about 3pm we watch the feeding of the llamas and camels just for Dan, which I must say he loves from the expression on his face! Later in the day we catch a bite to eat in the rainforest cafe set up near the small monkeys Maddy was talking about, just after to go and awe and the cuteness which is the bundles of fluff jumping all around the enclosure.

After a little bit more of wondering around the amazing zoo, I turn to Dan and Maddy and say 'Hey guys, I feel like a milkshake, I spotted a stand over there' and point in that general direction.

'Well Phil you do look very Milkshake-y, if you feel like that' Dan laughs at me, or at his coy joke, 'But either way, I don't really fancy one, Maddy, you?'

I turn to Maddy, 'Nah I'm alright Phil, why don't we meet you on this hill bench thing up here?' I look to where she gestures and shrug,

'Sure thing, never a bad time for a milkshake for me!' I turn around, smiling at them as they head off in the opposite direction to me up the grassy hill, and I walk to the highly decorated stand a few feet away.

Walking by myself, I let the sun beat down on my face, the British weather finally starting to actually feel like summer, I smile as my face submerges in the rays, no doubt already burning me. I greet the guy on the other side of the stand, and look at the shakes available, scanning the list, I pick out what looks to be my new favourite, 'Just Oreo and chocolate please, thanks' I say as I hand him the money.

Why do we always say just and thanks when ordering? It's so British! After sloshing the shake into a special lion cup (yes I asked) I turn around, sucking the straw and fiddling it in between my teeth.

Adjusting the straps of my backpack, I look up, I'm near the lemur enclosure now, and I spot a ring tailed lemur perching on a log, but what I am more captivated by is the girl sitting in front of the bars, on a bench, drawing on her lap.

I walk a little closer, seemingly captivated by the way she concentrates as her hand moves over the paper, sketching delicately the curves of the lemurs face and features, her Ombre hair, just below shoulder length flopping over her neck and the front of her face, tucked behind her ear it peaks through the dark brown strands.

I never believed Dan, when he said how he really loves Maddy, not even knowing her for a few weeks, how someone could fall so quickly, and so hard. I don't know whether it's just the juxtaposition of feeling so worthless this morning, that I feel that nothing else matters in the world now I have seen such a beautiful person as the one who sits on the bench in front of me. Now I feel love at first sight is true, however cliché.

I build up the courage to take a few steps forward, trying to be casual as I realise I have probably been staring at her, with a freezing milkshake sticking to my hand, this is such a good image, Phil.

Edging closer to the cage, and her, I preoccupy myself with the lemurs, leaping about the cage and rattling the bars, they make me chuckle, I'm near the bench now, and go to stand just beside the end of it, careful how I act to not seem creepy, I'm not usually this nervous around anyone.

Just as I feel comfortable to sit down, I turn around to see the bench, but suddenly there's a great clatter behind me which makes me jump and let out that little stupid surprised sound I always make, me jumping makes the milkshake slop out of the cup halfway onto my hand and I turn around quickly to see two huge eyes staring at me closely through the bars, almost mocking me at my escapade.

I look down at myself, covered my hand in brown liquid I look past my left hand, and finally see the girl almost peeing herself in laughter, her laugh is so musical and her eyes crease at the corners, her round face framed by her long hair.

Once she has noticed me I feel myself blush, but I smile back, and sense that the key to this girl is probably laughter, which I seem to be good at right now.

Wiping the shake on my hand on myself to clean me off, I place the cup on the bench beside where I stand, and see her looking at it, 'You alright there?'

'Yeah thanks' my response is almost automatic before I realise she's talking to me, Me! 'Uhh yeah thanks'

'You already said that!' Hearing her voice just adds to the curiosity of this girl building up inside me, but suddenly I feel rather stupid again.

'Yeah oh dear I do that a lot I guess,' Flicking the hair out my eyes by moving my head I move the cup and sit down on the bench, this is progress.

'So, you like lions right?' I'm taken aback by the question, am I really that easy to read?!

'What?'

'Your cup, you know, lions..' She draws out the word and point playfully at the cup, tucking her pencil behind her ear.

'Oh right yeah of course, yeah I do, a lot' I feel me making a fool of myself.

'I noticed you especially asked for it over there..' wait, she was watching me? 'And you know you seem to have a limited vocab of those words'

'Ahh yeah sorry, dam it! I don't usually, I mean, hey I noticed you like drawing? That's really good!' Changing the subject I gesture at her, honestly amazed at the sketch of the lemur, the eyes captivated perfectly.

'Oh it's not, really it isn't!' Her denial makes me want to compliment her even more.

'Hey no look it is! I can see the mischief in his eyes, making me spill my lion cup!' Okay I'm really not in this flirting lark.

Instead of being weirded out she laughs along with my chuckle, and says 'I'm Freyja by the way, nice to meet you'

'Hey! And I'm Phil, you too!' Hey, a name's good, and Freyja, what a pretty and unusual name. 'I guess you like lemurs though right?' edging on the conversation,

'You got me, they like my favourite animal!'

'Well you obviously already know mine!'

She laughs with me again, our voices seem to entwine as one, filling the evening red sky, 'Well I really should be going, but it was nice talking to you – do you want my number? I would love to meet sometime'

Her forward attitude surprises me a little, but I am more than grateful, I would never be able to pose such a question, 'Wow yeah sure, here' I hand her my IPhone for her to enter my number.

As I pass her the phone she jokily raises her eyebrow at me, 'Lemongrab huh?' She knows him! How is this going so well?!

'Yeah how'd you know? I bet you already know me inside out from our first conversation!'

'It seems to be that way!' I only just notice the sparkle in her eye, behind her glasses she turn to look slightly up at me, and the light bounces around the rim so I can see her light blue, almost grey eyes, a swirl of colour. 'Here you go' She passes back my phone, 'I'll text you sometime, okay? I really have to be going now though'

'Yeah sure' I chuckle as she packs away her things, and slides her bag over her shoulder, slipping past me and the fence, smiling at me behind her as she walks away, back up the hill.

MADDY'S POV

As Phil walks off behind us, we climb the shallow hill, and approach the tall oak tree with a bench beside it, carved into a wolf head. We get to the top of the hill as Dan puffs heavily, 'Ever get any exercise? Oh wait, that's right, you don't!'

'hey shut up, not my fault I'm a lazy bugger' he jokes in reply as we sit, him puffing still,

'yeah but you see, it kinda is!'

'Okay fine it is' He concedes to me and chuckles lightly, I notice we are both sat quite close to each other now.

The light of the tree above once again merges it's colourful light with the bright green grass which surrounds us, morphing into a big green dome that encases only me and Dan; which right now is the only thing I feel that matters.

It must be near enough 7pm now, as I see the sun shining an orange haze over the zoo below in the distance, casting the shadow of the tree further down our faces. The silhouette of the fences and giraffes in the distance looks so peaceful, almost as we are sitting right in Africa, but the only difference is that I cast my eyes down to see a busy tour group of young children gawping at the lemurs below, and next to them, what looks like Phil hanging around the enclosure.

Looking beside me, I sense Dan watching me, but that prickly feeling you get from the instinct is replaced by the fluttery feeling in my insides again, and I feel my head get hot. I turn my head so I can see him better, but when I move my head around, I misjudge how far he is away from me and realise that now out faces are within inches of each other.

I breath in sharply at the surprise, and noticed Dan's eyes widen slightly at my quick movement, but then I can feel his warm breath on my nose, my mouth, and I have this urge to just, lean up and kiss him. Right here and now.

I know how I feel, but I'm adamant he feels we are only friends, and only ever will be, these thoughts run through my head all too fast, but are quickly eradicated as Dan tilts his head down, closer to me, and brings his face up so our lips touch and he presses his mouth onto mine.

The sensation is by such a surprise, but more of a pleasant happening, I don't know what to do with myself, I'm completely limp, I close my eyes, that's what you do isn't it? And all I am thinking is 'He's kissing me he's kissing me he's actually kissing me'

And that's all he's doing. Kissing me. And I want nothing more. I find the ability to move and put my hand onto my legs to push myself up to his height more, and kiss him back.

What seems like a lifetime was only realistically about 3 seconds, but who am I to judge, for me it could have been an eternity.

When he pulls away, I open my eyes, to be met by the most beautiful deep brown, lost in heaven eyes, up close now, and I couldn't have a nicer view. His feel of the kiss lingers on my lips, the sensation of his small tooth scrape still engraved on the left of my lip,

Just as I come back to reality he pulls back further and quietly says 'I'm sorry I'

Instead, I don't know what to say, he has taken my breath away, but manage 'Don't be, no it's, it's'

He reassures himself and turns to me. 'Look, Maddy, I have to tell you this now, now or never right? Well, I, I think,' he hesitates. 'That I love you'

His words hang in the air for a few seconds, this is all happening so fast, the shock of the kiss and now this-

'I've never felt this before'

I reply,'Honestly, I never thought I could feel this way, and, and I think, this feeling is mutual' I turn to him, look him in the eyes and give him a big smile, really, I am so happy I could cry.

I love Dan Howell.

'Well, that's' He breathes out, 'that was nice'

I laugh at him again, this time he joins me, 'yes, nice, indeed'

'Was this unexpected?' I pose the question,

'For me, yes – and I'm guessing for you even more so' He has me right there.

I lift my hand off my legs where it was laying, and find Dan's hand resting on the bench in the almost darkness, and trace my fingers down his hand creases until our hands entwine as one.

He does not hesitate or move away, instead he squeezes mine back, and we stay this way for a little while in silence.

'So, the reason we're here, what do you want for that graphics art again?' My question hangs in the conversation before we burst out laughing again, 'And i presume this isn't in the video' Dan continues, chuckling, and our giggles fill the night air.

A/N And there you have it! I've been told there may have been some feels induced in this Chapter, so sorry for those! Next Chapter up soon!

Please tell me what you think in the reviews, and fav/follow if you want to :)