Tolerate It || l.s ✓

Chapter 3

Harry was sat against the wall of his bathroom. He had done it again.

His wrists were bloodied, and his mind was numb. He thought that maybe this time it would serve as a distraction from the anxiety that swamped his body, but as per usual, it only made it worse. Despite the heat that pulsed through him, his teeth were chattering and his entire body was shaking.

It was almost laughable, the situation he was in. He had to act like he was fine all day long, teaching class after class, and then as soon as he returned home he would become a shaking, sobbing mess.

After a while Harry managed to collect himself. He hauled himself up off the floor, gently rinsing his wrists off and wincing as he did so. Slowly he trudged to his bedroom, lowering himself into his bed and tugging the duvet up to his chin.

He shouldn't be going to sleep yet. He really shouldn't. He had work to mark, and he had lessons to plan. Fuck, maybe he should quit. He didn't want to be that shitty, useless teacher who everybody hated. God, he'd been teaching 5 months and he'd already started to let his classes down. Despite the fear he felt at becoming that awful teacher, he couldn't bring himself to do anything about it, and so he slept.

//

"Well, fancy seeing you here."

Harry looked up from where the stack of paper that sat upon the coffee table. He pushed his glasses which rested upon the bridge of his nose up onto his head. It was rare that he wore glasses, he didn't really need them, but sometimes (especially this early in the morning) they helped to ease any impending headaches.

"Hello." Harry couldn't help but to look a little startled. He hadn't expected to have any human contact for at least another 2 hours, yet Louis Tomlinson was stood in front of him.

"Sorry, did I frighten you?" Louis laughed lightly.

"No, no. I just didn't expect to see anyone at this ungodly hour. Um, did you want to sit down?"

"Would you mind?"

"Course not." Harry gestured to the chair opposite and Louis took a seat.

"So what are you doing up at the crack of dawn?" Louis raised his eyebrows at the paper stack.

"Marking. I should've done it last night, but you know..."

"Yeah mate, life just gets in the way. I know what you mean."

"Yeah...what are you doing you up and about?"

"Dunno mate if I'm being honest with you. It's like I had some fucking epiphany in the middle of the night. I woke up this morning and thought it was a lovely, sunny morning so I decided to get out. I don't know what came over me." He looked out of the window at the pouring rain. "It's really not as sunny as I had imagined before I opened the curtains."

Harry tried to hold back his smile, but failed. "It's really not the sunniest."

"No." Louis agreed, huffing out a chuckle as he watched the rainfall.

Silence fell between them for a minute before Louis turned back to Harry. "Who do you talk to at work? Like in our breaks?"

"Oh, uh, nobody really." Harry replied awkwardly. "I'm not really one for lunchtime chatter."

"I'm not sure I believe that."

"Yeah, no. Me neither." He admitted, "it's what I'm telling myself."

Louis shot him a sympathetic look, "come chat with us."

"It's alright. Thank you though."

"We don't bite, I swear."

Harry shook his head, "honestly, it's okay. I'm not sure I'd cope all that well in a big group. Not really my thing."

"If you feel comfortable enough please do join us."

"I will, thank you." Harry smiled softly, "I really do appreciate it." He took his glasses off of his head, running a hand through his hair as he placed them back on his face, pushing them up on the bridge of his nose.

"Do you want another drink? I'm getting one so I can order for you."

"Oh, yes please, if that's alright."

"Course, what's your order?"

"I'll just have a black coffee please."

"Oh god, really?" Louis raised his eyebrow.

"Yes?"

"God, why?"

"I like it." Harry responded.

"Okay...black coffee it is."

"Are you judging me for it?" He looked to Louis, pouting slightly without realising.

"No, no. Of course not. Just never met anyone who actually enjoyed that rubbish."

Harry opened his mouth to reply, but shut it again as he shook his head.

Louis smiled, standing up and walking to the counter. Harry continued with marking, sighing as he realised he still had half of the stack to mark.

He was soon rejoined by Louis who placed Harry's mug on the table, nudging it towards him.

Harry thanked him, picking it up and taking a sip. Louis sat, scrolling through his phone, and Harry scanning through the papers- a comfortable silence settling around them.

And then Harry's phone began to ring. His heart dropped as he saw that it was his mum, but fuck it. It was too early for this shit and he had company. He declined the call, and another one immediately came through.

Frustrated, Harry grabbed the phone. He answered it, turning away from Louis and hissing a small "fuck off!" before turning his phone onto aeroplane mode.

Louis watched with a concerned expression. "Everything alright?"

"Yeah, it's fine." He murmured, taking his pen lid between his teeth as he began to scribble his comments furiously on the paper.

"Hey, what's wrong?" Louis frowned, resting his elbows on his knees and propping his head up.

"Nothing. Sorry." Harry kept his eyes on the paper.

Louis left it at that, not wanting to push him. Especially since they'd hardly talked. Harry seemed to appreciate that, turning to him and offering a small though obviously forced smile that didn't quite meet his eyes.

guess who's birthday it is tomorrowwww I'll be 17 and a dancing queen