BUTTERFLY EFFECT🦋 (L.S.) [finished]

CHAPTER 24

TW // ED, bulimia

'Good morning. Sit down.'

Oh no, something was wrong, Miss Maples always greeted the class smiling, some quote ready on his lips, cheerful energy filling the dark corners of the room.

'Hey guys, before we start, I have something to show you!'

What was Harry on to? He had been suspiciously smug all morning. Now, standing on the middle of the class, skirt brushing his thighs, long socks and fluffy jumper, Louis understood exactly why.

Harry took something out of a folder carefully, the class irrupting immediatly in ooohs and woows and aaaahs. Louis could feel his cheeks burn. It was the flyer for the play. His photo in the middle, eyes blue, lips red and white dress, the silky blue background with rose petals making his look electric in the picture. Dark carmin letters above his head Shakespeare in Gay.

Miss Maples took the flyer, breath heavy, glassy eyes.

'T...this is amazing b...boys.' Her voice was trembling and she seemed seconds away from crumbling completely.

'Miss Maples... what's wrong?' Liam carefully asked.

Tears running down her face, she took out a handkerchief, taking a minute to compose herself.

'The play has been banned from the Christmas Town Festival, the Parents School Association complained when they found out...'

'You're kidding.'

'This cannot be true.'

'Can they do that?'

'Unfortunately they can...' the teacher continued. 'They had enough votes, the Headmistress even couldn't do nothing about it. I'm so sorry kids, I know you worked so hard...'

'But why are they doing this, because it's gay, isn't it?' Louis said, almost screaming.

The room drowned in silence after that. Sad faces, shattered hearts around. After all the hard work, all the rewriting, the rehearsing, the decorates and costumes, the fighting people who said it was dumb, or gross or inappropiate in school. Now the people who were supposed to love their children the most, their own parents, crushed their hearts with no hesitation.

'It was something about the school not appropiate for doing political statements of any sort or some shit like that, motherfuckers.' Lottie gasped at Miss Maples' swear words.

'I fucking love her.' She whispered at Zayn.

Harry was still in the middle of the room, petrified, shaking like a leaf, breathing uneven and in chokes.

Louis' lungs felt like they had been filled with cement and had dropped at his feet with the weight, completely crushing his insides. He quietly stood up and walked to were Harry was, still frozen, hugged him tightly before leading him to his pillow on the ground. Neck wet with all the tears the curly boy had buried there.

***

It had been a hard morning. Sadness and anger brewing like a messed up cocktail and hitting him in waves. Harry was exhausted, looking into the ceiling of the locker room. He had only managed to take his shoes off and put his ballet clothes next to him when he heard a retching sound coming from the bathroom.

'Who's there?'

'H..Harry?'

'Niall? Is that you? Are you okay?'

'Harry... leave please.'

More retching came from the other side of the door.

'Niall! Open that door or I will fucking kick it down!'

After a quiet click, Harry saw the picture in front of him. A blond boy, completely wrecked, tears streaming down his face mixing with the puke when they reached the corners of his mouth.

'Dear god Niall... what the fuck happened?'

'Mathew made me come early today, worked on the duet coreography, and then started to make me learn something different... and said he needed me stronger, faster, better, lighter. Told me that if I really wanted to do this to stop trying and start doing it... and and I have been eating more lately... and I think he doesn't want me to do the duet with you anymore because I'm not good enough and I...I...'

Harry took the mess of the boy in his arms, rocking him gently, his sobs almost howls, like an injured wolf.

'Niall, listen to me. Mathew is giving you a solo, that's what he was making you rehearse for. He told me to do as good as you in class I might get one too.'

'R...really?'

'Yeah... really. He just wanted to motivate you, because there's gonna be scouts for the Christmas Festival, Royal Ballet School scouts.'

'You're kidding.'

'No... I overheard him telling my mom the other night, said he didn't want to tell us so we wouldn't be as nervous and completely lose our shit.'

'Fuck. I'm the dumbest idiot of idiots.'

'No you're not, you're just a sweet boy and an amazing dancer. Now let's get out of here, get you clean and get to class. We have some work to do.

Niall put the whole head under the sink, gargled some water, and spalettered some more into his face, slapping his cheeks.

'See, that's better.'

'Yeah, thank you Harry...'

'Ni...' he cut him off, 'has this happened before? Does this happen often?'

The blond boy couldn't possibly lie in the concerned and worried face Harry was making to him.

'N..not often, but, emm.. sometimes, when I'm overwhelmed, and like cannot control my life or...'

Harry trapped him into his arms.

'Shh, it's okay, but, you gotta talk to someone, alright? I've been doing some talking myself and it's been helping, I can get you his number if you want to.'

'I... I'll think about it, thanks.'

Niall looked up to the curly lad, lip bitten in worry, heart in his hand. Those green eyes were so magnetic fuck, he leaned in slightly, drawn to him, to his softness. Harry caught on quickly enough and wrapped him in a hug, kissing his golden locks.

'It's gonna be alright, you got a friend in me for anything, anything, I love you, mate.'

Niall didn't know that hearts could break and swell with love all at once, up until right now. He sighed, and let himself melt in Harry's hug.

__________

*hides quickly*

Love you all!
Love,
Leo x