They come back in spring. - L.S

you're not in the wrong

After a painstaking two weeks of Louis teaching me how to play 2002, the day has finally come. We enter the classroom with boxes of party decorations. 'Oh, this is my sister's classroom!' Louis sets his box on a desk. Pulling out a bunch of streamers.

'I wonder whose birthday it is?'

'Jason, Jackson, Amanda, Eliza, Jane, Kevin, Jake and Lucy.' Maisie replies 

'Can a woman hold that many?' Jason whispers to me.

'They're from different mothers.' Maisie replies, standing up on a chair. I walk up behind her, holding my hands out behind her in case she falls as she pins up the banner.

'Wow daddy, get some.' Jason replies. We all look at him shocked before bursting out in laughter. Maisie bends down, holding my hand as the chair shakes as she laughs.

'Harry!' Louis shouts. We all look at him, surprised. 'I-I can't reach. Can you help me?' he reaches up on his tiptoes trying to tape the streamer on the corkboard. He turns back to look at me with desperate eyes. Maisie takes in a deep breath before straightening herself. She gives me a smile as Chloe comes in and takes my place.

I walk up to Louis, taking the streamer from him and pinning the streamer. 'You could have used a chair.' I put my hands on my hips, raising my eyebrow.

'Why would I do that when I have my knight in shining armour.' He winks at me before walking away. I look down and flip my hair down, trying to force the blush back.

'They're not related. These are the kids who have had their birthday in the past two months.' Chloe informs us as she hands Maisie the stapler. We all 'ah' then get back to work.

I help Louis pin up the streamers. It all goes pretty smoothly except at one point Louis got tired of having to get on and off the chair to move it so he asked me to move it with him still standing on it. He was about to fall face first but I caught him, then gave him a good scolding, telling him it was stupid and he should stop being so lazy. He apologized and continued to put the rest of them up without any further complaints.

'I think we did an alright job. Didn't we?' Maisie looks around with a big smile.

We all nod, Louis walking up next to Maisie, 'I would agree Mais.' He puts an arm around her shoulder. Our eyes meet and he quickly looks away, creating a swirling feeling in my stomach as I frown.

'The kids should be here soon. Let's set up.' Chloe says, pulling out her keyboard from the case. I walk up and hand Louis his guitar. He gives me a small smile and walks away without any further acknowledgement. The swirling intensifies.

The kids all rush in after another five minutes, Grace running up and hugging Louis. 'This is my big brother everyone. He's in sixth form!' she shouts out to her classmates. Louis laughs as he gives her a kiss on the cheek making all the younger kids stare at him in awe.

'Hi. I'm Jackson.' A little boy with brown hair walks up to Louis. It then clicks, it was Jackson I saw in the playground that day who hugged and ruined Grace's painting.

Louis kneels down in front of him, giving him a warm smile. 'Hello, are you the Jackson we're celebrating today?'

'Yup!' he stands on his tiptoes with a proud smile. 'Turned seven last week!' he beams.

'Go away Jackson. Get away from my brother.' Grace frowns, hugging Louis closer.

'Gracie, that's not how you talk to your friends.' Louis pulls her away giving her a half-serious frown.

'But Lou Lou, he's the one that ruined my painting.' I find the frown I didn't realize I had plastered on my face disappear at that. Lou Lou.