Teacher's Pet

Teacher's Pet: Chapter Eight

Harry wasn’t in class the next morning, again, but this time Louis was pretty sure he had an idea why. Louis himself hadn’t gotten much sleep after picking Harry up in the middle of the night, and it’d taken every last bit of his willpower not to call in sick.  

“Movie Day,” Louis stated, turning off the lights in the room, and a collective sigh of relief passed through the class. “Projects due next week. Any questions?” he glanced towards Liam’s seat instinctively, waiting for whatever question he was sure the boy would have, but Mr. Payne didn’t even glance up from the phone he was poorly concealing beneath his desk. 

Letting it go, Louis hit play on the movie and then fell heavily into the chair behind his desk, picking up a red pen and glancing through the stack of journals that had piled up over the past few days.  

Nothing of interest, no new arrests, only a couple of new breakups, all five Emilys had wanted to be princesses as children, Niall made the football team, Greg didn’t want to work his father’s business, Eric didn’t want to go to University, Liam’s older sister wad newly engaged, and Harry- 

Louis stopped on Harry’s latest entry, only three words written on the first line. 

I’m definitely gay 

 

Louis hesitated, tapping his red pen against the paper, debating on responding. What was the point of Harry leaving that message for him? It was definitely for him, it’d been established numerous times that Louis read the journals. 

Sp why would Harry remind him? 

With a sigh Louis scribbled on the page, “Good for you?-Mr. Tomlinson”  

His first class of the day ended shortly after reading Harry’s journal, and Louis slowly got up out of his chair, to stop the documentary of The Stanford Project, and turn on the lights. The kids began to file out in groups, Niall and Liam taking up the rear. 

Louis held his breath as they stopped right in front of him, Liam’s arms crossed and Niall looking awkwardly around.  

“You got Harry yesterday?” Liam asked, a bit sharply and Louis nodded, crossing his own arms. If this was going to be a show of power, than ‘Mr. Tomlinson’ needed to have the most.  

“I did,” Louis replied simply, and instead of the confrontation Louis had expected, Liam’s shoulders sagged with relief.  

“Oh thank the fucking Lord,” Liam muttered, closing his eyes and looking up the ceiling. Niall patted his back, grinning.

Louis’ brow raised in confusion. 

“Was he alright?” Niall pushed on, accent thick and words rushed, and Louis nodded quickly, attempting to qualm any anxiety the boys clearly had. “Liam and I woke up to a text, he needed a ride, and it was so snowy last night-and he wasn’t here-so we just, I mean, we didn’t-“ 

Louis smiled resting a hand on Niall’s shoulder, “He’s fine,” he assured before turning to Liam, who always seemed to be the most ‘in-the-know’, “Do you know why he was so far out of town?”