1
Dan never really liked attention.
He wasn't really the type to go around making big deals out of little things. He preferred knowing all the details of his life and only him and maybe a few people close to him knowing, He's an extremely private person, which didn't help people in thinking he was strange.
But Dan didn't really mind as long as they weren't bothering him about it. His life was his life, if people want to meddle in it they won't be able to. It's their time, and their problem. Not his. They'll regret being like that eventually anyway.
+
Phil, on the other hand, did love attention from certain people. Maybe not strangers or slightly menacing people, but people that were trustworthy. He liked sharing parts of his life with others, telling stories, entertaining. It's not like he was exactly thirsty for attention, either. He just wanted to be carefree and loved. Support and care.
Phil was okay without having it; but there was this indescribable need for him to connect and meet others. To see and feel and know the world. As if he weren't trapped in his own small one.
At the time, Dan was never really "known" at his school. He wasn't very popular or anything like that. He really should be, though, considering the things he does and has had happen to him. But no, instead was some boy named Phil Lester, who, in Dan's opinion, wasn't even that funny.
But still, Dan couldn't help his jealousy.
He was jealous about how perfect Phil seemed to everyone. How he looked so untouchable and happy, effortlessly beautiful, smart, kind...
Maybe it wasn't just that Dan was jealous. But he'd never let anyone -- especially not Phil -- know that. So, Dan continued with his life. It may not be very exciting or dramatic. But that's how Dan likes it.
So each day, he pulls on his black converse and matching jeans, pulls on one of the shirts lying on his floor and heads out for another black and white day.
+
Dan walks into his classroom, taking higher classes for the first three of the day, hoping that PJ is there for once. He never really shows up on time until after Dan is exhausted and bored of the same old day. Seeing the clock turn past 8:05 shuts down any hope he had on PJ walking in.
Before Dan can start to pull out his books, Phil pops up.
Phil. A name that burns with envy and a kind of delight in his head. The amount of feelings he had for Phil were overwhelming.
Unfortunately, the only seat left that doesn't have the consequences of being bothered relentlessly by people who should've graduated years ago is PJ's, the one next to Dan's. Phil hurries and walks up to Dan and gives a charming smile. "Do you mind if I sit here?". Dan stutters out a "Sure." and tries not to look at Phil, knowing he'll act like a complete idiot if he tries to say something.
Looking around the room for something, anything else to rest his eyes on besides what's next to him, he sees the teacher left. "Oh, god..." Dan mutters, knowing that the entire class will go insane without her. "So," Phil turns to a suddenly flustered Dan. "What's your name?" Dan looked around the room and chuckled nervously, trying to avoid this situation before he either lashed out or awkwardly professed his love to Phil. Realizing there was no way to get out of this, he sighed and said "Dan. You?" "Phil. So, Dan--" Phil's attention diverts to the teacher yelling at some girls about to fight.
Phil pretends he was working the whole time and Dan follows suit, hoping Mrs. Incen didn't notice the two trying to start a conversation. Dan shifts around uncomfortably, knowing that's not happening again. He sighs again and looks down at the sheet on his desk. "Oh well."
+
After two more classes with the majestic Phil Lester, Dan is drained. Too much work and not enough play. But, it's lunchtime, which means time for recharging and food and maybe trying to figure out where PJ is. Dan pulls out his phone and starts texting.
"where are you?!"
Dan looks around anxiously, waiting for a reply. All he sees is "Read at 12:27pm" pop up. "Ugh...are you kidding me?" Dan mutters and walks into the hallway, away from others. "No other choice but to spam until he freaking replies..." Dan got through about three messages of spam before he sees Phil walking down the hallway, talking to one of his friends. Dan watches them walk by from above his phone before hearing Phil say "Hey, Dan." which makes him blush almost immediately.
"What a jerk..." Dan mumbles under his breath before continuing the spam. A message pops up. Finally.
"At the dentist, ttyl"
"Really?" Dan rolls his eyes and shuts off his phone, walking into the cafeteria again. Humming a random song, he starts to sit where he and PJ usually do, but someone shouts from across the room. "Hey, Dan!" Dan freezes in his steps and looks up to see who called him, when it's no other than: Phil Lester. "Ummm..." "Come sit here!" Dan quietly looks around and sees no one is staring, like he thought. He sighs in relief and starts to walk over.
"Hey..." "Dan, this is Chris." Phil points to the boy he was talking to earlier. "And Louise, and Zoe." He points to two pretty girls, one blonde with pink on the tips of her hair, and the other a brunette with ombre hair. "Hii." they all say, almost in unision. "Hey." Dan says. After talking about random TV shows and global warming, it's time for class. Dan's slightly relieved but a little upset to see his new friends go.
After that, the next few classes of the day were a complete blur. He spent the whole time thinking about Phil and how they finally talked, but the back of his mind was screaming that that's probably the only time Dan is going to get to hang out with Phil for the rest of his boring life. Dan's once beaming smile falters, and he looks up to see everyone in the class is about to leave. "Crap." He grabs his things, shoves them in his backpack and hurries after them.
Once Dan gets home he gets a text from PJ.
"No cavities :D"
"nice"
"So how was your day?"
"i sat with phil at lunch"
PJ starts to type, then stops, then starts again. Dan can barely stop himself from giving him all the details.
"Phil as in Phil Lester? As in your crush"
"yep"
After discussing the day's events, Dan signs off and sleeps, wishing that wasn't the last time he gets to actually talk to Phil instead of sulking for the rest of his life.