The Story of a Female Boy Named Louis (Larry Stylinson AU)

Chapter 4

Louis thought this year was going to be different.

He thought it was going to be better for him, since people are supposed to mature as they age.

But he was wrong.

Last night he had some free time after working on homework, so Louis did his nails, which he hadn't done in a while.

When he went to school this morning he felt giddy because they had turned out really nice: neat, smooth, and a rich turquoise, contrasting with his navy blue striped top.

Louis had felt prettier than usual, but that didn't last long.

He usually walks home with his friend Liam. He lives a couple of houses down and he's really protective of Louis, which is something he needs.

Louis doesn't know what he'd do without him.

But today, Liam had to stay after school to make up a test. So he walked alone.

He was shuffling down the sidewalk with the sleeves of his large, forest green jacket covering enough of his hands so Louis' glossy, manicured nails were the only thing that peeked out, when he heard distant snickers behind him.

He assumed it wasn't about him, and even if it was, Louis had learned to ignore the mocking laughs, the hushed whispers, the raised eyebrows.

But when one of them called his name, he turned around, completely out of instinct. Because if Louis had known what was coming he'd have probably ran.

It wasn't Thomas Clark with his dumb hair and snarky comments, but thinking back Louis probably wished it was.

They were actually in year 12 and even though that's only a year older, he can promise you some of those guys were definitely held back a few times.

So in reality, it was a group of beefy, thick headed twenty year olds against a small, delicate seventeen year old pacifist.

They had started lamely, like the people at school, throwing around ignorant comments about gender and sexuality. Louis tried just swiftly walking away from them, but the oldest roughly grabbed his shoulder, which is now sporting a sicklish purple bruise, and said to look at him when he spoke to him.

He would usually strike back with some witty line, which Louis had accumulated quite a lot of after years of verbal abuse, but those guys had been way too intimidating.

They dragged Louis into a tight spaced alley next to the florist shop he had been walking by and started by holding him back, trying to scratch off the nail polish on his fingers, claiming they were helping him become a boy again. When Louis shoved them off and said he was a boy, one of them punched him in the gut and said no boys acted the way he did.

After that it was insult after insult, blow after blow. Louis was hurting all over and he could taste a little blood. The tallest one of the group, with a large dragon tattoo that started at the shoulder and ended at the wrist, approached him and said menacingly, "Well, alright, if you're gonna act like a girl, I'm gonna treat you like one, you little bitch."

He sent Louis an ominous smile that sent a chill down his spine before slamming him against the wall and ripping off his nice jacket. At this point he had screamed for help, causing him to smack Louis in the face, when the older boy began to grope his ass and nose at his neck.

Louis doesn't like to think of what would've happened if the old florist hadn't trudged out at that moment to take out his garbage then hollered at them to leave before he called the police, causing them to hurriedly disperse.

He shakily picked up his jacket from the ground and wrapped it around his shoulders. Louis looked at his hands to find the polish ruined, fingers littered with angry, red marks from the scratches.

The florist asked him something along the lines of, "Are you okay, son?"

Louis nodded and bit his lip after muttering a 'thank you', trying to hold back tears. He took a shaky breath and started his way home.

When he got there, the house was frigid and bare, his dad still at work. Everything was aching.

Louis laid down on his bed and sobbed into his pillow.