A/N: Oh hey! Now, I originally planned this to be a one shot but then I realized I think this is a bit too long as a one shot so I decided to make this a short Phanfic (And by short, I mean like 5-6 chapters. Is that short?) and I started writing this fic in case if I didn't have the ability to write my other Phanfic (called Nothing's Stopping Us, you can check that out!) this would help me to get in the zone of writing Phanfics :))

Now, I hope enjoy this short sweet Phanfic! :3

What is love?

"Have you ever been in love? If so, who with?"

"I'd say three times. Maybe once can't count as real love. Then the next one was, but it wasn't happy love. Then the third time is the best time ever. Real true requited love is the best feeling in the world."

- Dan Howell (2009/2010)

CHAPTER 1

It was Friday.

I dragged my feet across the floor in the school corridors; it was just another boring day. I pushed my way through the mass of students in the hall and finally made it to my English class. I sat at my seat next to the window and started to daydream as usual.

English was boring, at least in my opinion. But I got pretty good grades at it so it wasn't really a problem; I just found it boring, probably not as boring as history though. And English was probably my least hated subject out of everything, mostly because after English it was time to go home.

I decided to look out the window, so many students were running randomly around the garden, being silly with their friends by playing tag and such, even though class was about to start in like three minutes. And for some reason, it made me feel sad inside.

Not because I was worried about the students being late for their class, and not because they were practically destroying the plants in the garden (in which case, I should feel bad about that) but the fact that I see them laughing and smiling around each other and the fact that they're having so much fun with their friends.

Friends. To be honest, I never really had any close friends. Sure I have a few friends that I hang around with, but it seemed as though they never really liked me that much. I felt like I was always the third wheel. Even though they call me as their friend and even though I hung out with them, deep deep down inside, I was still pretty much lonely. And that was all I have ever been. A loner.

My thoughts were interrupted when someone in front of the room loudly clapped their hands together to get everyone's attention to the front. My head turned to the front of the room and saw Mr. Flare, continuously clapping his hands together until everyone had finally shut up, but something else caught my attention.

Mr. Flare wasn't the only one standing in front of the classroom, another tall figure stood next to him, looking down and nervously playing with the hem of his shirt. He seemed… intriguing.

"Alright, settle down now." Mr. Flare said as he finally stopped clapping.

Everyone in the room had finally managed to shut up and returned to their seats.

"Okay." Mr. Flare started, "As you can see, we have a new student in class. Would you like to introduce yourself, son? And maybe say a few things about you?"

The new student's face shot upwards, his face turning red. "Umm… I'm Phil Lester and I just moved from Lancashire…" he looked at Mr. Flare and shrugged, probably implying that he had nothing else to say. Mr. Flare quickly understood and nodded.

"Alright then. Are there any empty seats here that Phil can occupy?" he asked, scanning the room for empty seats.

"There's one right here!" A girl shouted, she sounded like she was somewhere at the back. I turned around to see Carrie, the girl who sat two desks behind me, merrily pointing at the empty desk in front of her, or in other words, pointing at the unoccupied desk right behind me.

"Ah." Mr. Flare snapped his finger and gestured Phil to sit down at the desk, "There you go, now go ahead and sit down, we're about to begin."

Phil nodded and he made his way to his desk, hearing a few giggles from the girls and a few scoffs from the boys. I turned around to him as he sat down at his desk. He quickly hung his head low, low enough that his fringe covered his entire face, preventing everyone from seeing his face. I knew that staring was a bit rude but I couldn't help it, I would always stare at the new students, just taking all their little features in, remembering what they look like (and I have to admit, that was a bit creepy). But this time, I wasn't able to.

"Okay, now let's get started…" Mr. Flare enthusiastically said as he wrote a few things on the board.

I turned my attention back at the front of the room and sighed, knowing that the following hour would a pretty boring one.

"Alright class! Before I dismiss everyone, there's something that I want you guys to do…" Mr. Flare announced as he erased everything on the board and wrote the words 'Project in English' on it. "As you can see from what I just wrote, here's your project in English…"

The students in the classroom all groaned in frustration, including me.

"Now, now, this is a very important project." Mr. Flare continued, "The principal personally told me to tell you guys this project of his."

He then proceeded to write the words '1,000 word essay' on the board. "Alright, now each student will be pairing up into two and I will assign a topic on each pair that they will work together on, and they will be writing a 1,000 word essay on the said topic. Got it?"

The students grunted as a response. "Okay. Now, pair up into two!"

Everyone in the room proceeded to pair up with their friends. And as for me, I just kind of sat there, knowing that no one would want to pair up with me and I would wind up doing the project all by myself again, which I didn't really mind, I got used to it. Sometimes, I thought it would be easier to work on your own.

As everyone else started pairing up with each other, I decided to look out the window and wait until everybody is paired up. But in the corner of my eye, I could see Mr. Flare approaching me from his desk. "Dan?"

I turned my attention to him; he was standing in front of my desk with a sincere look on his face. "Yeah?"

"I seem to notice that every time I give out a project, you always work alone." he stated, "Why is that? You can't pair up with anybody?"

I shrugged and admitted, "Yeah, I guess…"

"Well, if that's the case…" Mr. Flare continued, "I hope you won't mind if I pair you up with Phil, would you?"

I raised an eyebrow at him, giving him the 'You're not serious, are you?' look, and he registered the look quite fast. "C'mon Dan, he's new and I want him to properly participate in this project. You can help him out, right? C'mon…"

I sighed and rolled my eyes in defeat, "Fine…"

Mr. Flare grinned at my response, "Great!" he happily shouted. He then turned his attention to the person sitting behind me. "Phil?"

I also turned my attention to him. Phil snapped his head up from his notebook as he finished off his notes. And by there, I was able to see his face, just a bit since half of his face was still covered by his raven black fringe. His face was as pale, I didn't know if it was naturally pale or he was just loosing his color because we were making him tense. His lips were pink and plump, probably because he was biting it and his eyes were as blue as the ocean. His pale skin contrasted perfectly against his jet black hair, I'd be lying if I say I didn't find him attractive.

"Yes..?" he asked in a small voice.

"You'll be paired up with Dan, is that okay?" Mr. Flare asked, gesturing at me.

Phil turned to me and I gave him a small wave, then he turned back to Mr. Flare. "O-Okay…"

"Don't worry, Phil." Mr. Flare reassuringly said and then he suddenly patted my back, "This one won't bite. Right, Dan?"

I looked at him and gave him a thumbs up. Mr. Flare grinned and nodded at me.

"See?" he told Phil. Once he noticed that everyone in the classroom got into pairs, he left us and went to his desk, awkward silence substituting his previous presence. Phil continued to write down notes on his notebook and I readjusted my sitting position, setting my eyes back into the window next to me.

"Alright! It seemed that all of you found your partners, yeah?" Mr. Flare started, "Now, here are the topics that I'll be assigning to each pairs…"

Mr. Flare carried on telling the other pairs what their topic was, but I didn't really pay any attention, I was just waiting for my name to be called, but there were a few interesting topics I over heard Mr. Flare assigning to some of the pairs. There was one topic that I thought was probably the hardest one, and it was 'What is the meaning of life?', so I kind of felt bad to whoever got that topic.

"And lastly, Dan and Phil…" I quickly turned my attention to Mr. Flare at the front, "Your topic would be the question 'What is love?' got it?"

What is love? I don't know about Phil, but I think that seemed like a really hard topic to write about.

I just nodded at Mr. Flare in response.

"Alright, everyone remember to write a 1,000 word essay with your partner on the given topic." Mr. Flare continued, "Dead line's Wednesday, and this is where the interesting bit comes in…"

Mr. Flare sat down on his desk table, "Next Friday, a program will be held in the school's auditorium, and the principal personally told me to pair up my class in two and each will be given a certain topic, which I just did. Now, once you guys sent me your finished essays, I'll be narrowing the best ones down to three and the pairs who wrote those three essays will be reciting it on the stage in the school's auditorium, in front of thousands of people."

Several people in the class started to gasp at the sudden concept. "And of those three essays that will be recited in front of the whole school, the principal will pick the one he thought was the best and the pair who made the certain essay will have their picture taken, framed and hung in the school's Hall of Fame, and their names will be written down in school history."

I raised both of my eyebrows in surprise. For just an essay, you would forever leave your mark on the school's history? That was a pretty good deal, to be honest. But I didn't really think I cared about it that much.

"Now I hope that motivates you guys to make your essay the best essay you've ever written in your entire life, alright?" Mr. Flare enthusiastically said. And shortly after that, the bell began to ring. "Okay, class dismissed!"

Everyone in the room started to pack up and leave the classroom. I opened my notebook and wrote my topic name in it. I wrote the words 'What is love' on top of a page. I turned around and saw Phil doing the same.

This will be interesting…