Phantasic Time-Bomb

“What do you mean Radio 1 dropped us until next December?!” Phil is screaming down the phone to Dan, while PJ and Chris watch from the couch –video game forgotten, “Yeah, yeah yeah. Just come home safe alright?...Ew. Dan, just stop. Please stop. Im done with you. Bye.”

“So…Radio 1 dropped you?” PJ asks slowly, he’s not sure what could set Phil off. The black haired boy sighs and nods

“Yeah. They managed to get a bunch of A List celebrities to agree to a show they’ve been pitching for years…And since we’re the newest show, out we go.” Phil sighs again and plops himself on the couch, and falls into PJ’s lap. The green-eyed boy laughs and begins to pet his friends hair, although his laughter soon dies as he feels wetness seeping through his pants, and Phil begins to sniffle.

“Aww, Phil! Don’t cry.” Chris frowns and moves in front of Phil, frowning deeper when Phil just slams his eyes shut and keeps letting the tears flow (somehow).

“T-this always hap-happens.” Phil hiccups and PJ and Chris lock eyes silently asking the other if they have any idea what he means.

“What do you mean, li?” PJ asks using the nickname he had made for Phil on the day they had met. Phil had shown up in a shirt with a lion, a lion sticker, and shoes with little lions drawn on them –PJ called him Li all day.

“I mean t-that whene-ever I’ve go-got something g-oo-ood goi-ing it gets tak-taken away fro-from m-me.” PJ’s heart shatters at the phrasing of ‘taken away from me’, knowing instantly what Phil is thinking about, and from the look on Chris’s face he does too.

“Philly…” And PJ is at a loss for words, and Chris is on his phone –hopefully texting Dan to hurry the hell up.

“Phil?!” The south-east English accent has never been more welcome than in that moment.

“I-in he-here.” Phil calls back, and Chris just wants to hug him until he can’t breathe –but he knows the best way to get Phil back to his old self is to let Dan do his thing.

Dan’s head pops in the door a moment later, and PJ notices his flushed cheeks (must have run up the stairs to get here). Dan’s face falls at the sight in front of him. His best friend curled up on the couch, crying to where his body shakes.

“Come ‘ere Phil-bear.” Dan says opening his arms and walking forward a bit, and Phil lifts his head slowly, and almost zombie-like he brings himself to sit up, then stand, and fall into Dan’s embrace.

“Shhh, you’re okay.” Dan and Phil slowly drop to the carpet.
~

“Hey!!” Alex screams and is smiling so widely that even Phil can’t stop himself from smiling into Dan’s side. PJ and Chris are sitting on the floor in front of the computer, while Dan and Phil sat (snuggled) on the couch. Dan’s grip on Phil’s bony arm tightens just for a moment before returning to his normal hold.

“EY EY EY! EXACTLY ONE MONTH!” Jacks bouncing in and out of frame but they can hear his screams all the same.

“We know.” Chris laughs, and PJ makes some smart remark how Jack should be his best friend seeing as they act the exact same –making them both shout ‘hey’ at the exact same time, only further proving PJ’s theory-.

“Imma go to bed. Night.” Phil says quietly, so quiet that Jack and Alex couldn’t hear him over the call.

“Good night, Li.” PJ says hoping to get a smile out of the boy. He gets a small faint one, and PJ takes it –at least it’s a smile, right?

“NIGHT!” Jack and Alex both yell, and then Phils gone.

“Whats wrong with him?” It wasn’t a rude nasty remark, it was Jack simply wanting to know what was wrong with his new friend. PJ, Chris and ‘Jalex’ all looked to Dan.

“I don’t know anymore. Something happened. I mean sometimes he’s my-our Phil, but then other times he’s this sad, shell of person. You don’t understand how much it hurts to see someone you love be so…terrified and you have no idea why or how to help them.” Dan drops his head into his hands, and he thinks he hears Alex mumbled something along the lines of ‘oh I do’. But he decides to let it slid, besides he too worried anyways.

“He gets so quiet, and he’s so scared of something. I mean the other night he climbed into my bed, crying. Claiming he had a nightmare…I just, ugh!” Dan tangles his hands in his brown hair, sighing.

“I’m going to go check on him, then I’m going to hit the hay.” Dan says before getting up and walking out the door.

“I guess we’re gonna go-” Chris starts but PJ stops him

“Is, um, Zack there? Can we –um- Skype again….alone?” PJ says, his voice getting weaker
with every word, but Chris, Alex and Jack all smile widely.

“YES HE IS!” Jack screams and a moment later the familiar face with a nose ring sits on the coffee table.

“Hi.” His voice quiet

“Hullo.” PJ smiles, and he’s so already wrapped up in listening to Zack’s latest story, he doesn’t even care Chris called the guest bed.

$(P&%$#(&%$#)&%$#*^*@%*^$#%?@(*^$#*%^$#%

“We were wondering if you, wanted to join our crew for the next tour?” This is the first time the 4 of them have ever hear Jack sound so nervous.

“I mean, PJ explained to Zack about you’re show –which is a shitty thing to do by the way!” Jack says trying to fix his mistake but the damage is done, Phil slightly deflates but keeps smiling.

“But we already asked Flyzik and he said that it would be okay! And…Please?” Jack is batting his eyes in the most ridicules way ever, and Alex is pouting. Time for sinceable PJ to step in.

“There wouldn’t be enough room.”

“Jack and I would share his bunk, Dan and Phil –if they wouldn’t mind- could have my old bunk. Chris could have Evan’s bunk since he’s not here for the next tour, and I doubt Zack would mind sharin’ a bunk with you Pee-jee.” Alex has clearly thought of everything.

“Sure why not. YOLO!” Chris screams and all of them laugh.

“Yeah why not.” Dan’s in

“Im a-okay with this plan.” Phil’s in

“Sure.” 4/4 good job Alex Gaskarth be proud of yourself. Be proud.