Lionesses- Harry Hampton

It's good to be back

It was the first day back at school. Harry walked up to the gates and Mr Hall was standing there.

"Hello Harry. Good to see you back," he said.

"Hi, sir. It's good to be back," Harry said, half truthfully. He was looking forward to seeing Sam and his other mates, but he was not looking forward to seeing Benji.

Harry slowly made his way to form and just as he was nearing the room, Sam came running behind him.

"Alright?" he asked.

"Yeah, not bad. You alright?" Harry answered.

"Yeah, yeah. All good. Not looking forward to double English though," Sam said.

"Me neither," Harry agreed, and the pair fell into silence.

"Erm, I'm sorry for kicking off the other week. I sort of just lost it. I do that sometimes. That's why I had to move here. I got kicked out of my last school because I just lost it one day. I don't really mean to it. It just happens I guess," Harry said.

"It's alright. What Benji said was way out of line. Why didn't you tell me that you got kicked out?" Sam asked.

"I was embarrassed to be honest. And scared you wouldn't want to be my mate if you knew."

"Harry, I want to be your mate no matter what. I am your mate no matter what," Sam told him. Harry smiled.

"Thanks. I'm your mate no matter what as well," Harry said as he pushed open the form room door.

"Good morning boys," Mr Burton said as he saw the pair enter.

"Morning sir," they chorused as they went and took their seats.

***

Harry was feeling bored so he did what any normal person would do and went to annoy his sister.

First, he just threw open her door and stood, saying nothing.

"Are you alright?" Hannah asked, staring up from her phone. He didn't answer.

"God you better not have come here to be annoying," she said. She could tell he was in an annoying mood.

Harry smiled at her and then moved to her bedside drawers and in one swift movement pushed everything off the top.

"Ah what the hell was that for?" Hannah asked as she jumped off her bed. Harry shrugged and ran back to the door.

"You're so annoying!" Hannah said as she threw a t shirt at him. He ducked and it flew over his head and down the stairs behind him.

"That was a bit stupid," Harry said to which Hannah turned and stuck her middle finger up. Harry gasped and fell back holding his chest in fake offence.

"Stop being a weirdo," Hannah told him, turning back to picking everything up off the floor.

"You stop being weirdo," Harry retorted.

"I'm not a weirdo, you are."

"No, I'm not. You're a weirdo."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Am not."

"Are too."

"Oh, just piss off, Harry," Hannah said. She rarely lost her temper with her brother, but he could be a pain in the arse sometimes.

"You piss off," Harry told her.

"It's literally my room," Hannah said, rolling her eyes at her brothers' stupidity.

"Is it?"

"What? Yes, it is. Just go away," Hannah sighed.

"Ow, what the fuck?" she added as Harry had launched himself onto her back. She pushed him off onto the floor.

"That was a bit mean," Harry said.

"I don't care," Hannah told him as she grabbed him by the ankles and dragged him out her room. Once he was in the corridor, she went back into her room and shut the door.

She felt a bit mean, but he had started it so really it was his fault. Harry didn't seem to mind though because an hour later he was back in her room asking to watch a movie.

***

Since coming back from half term, Harry had been getting it to more trouble at school. Nothing too serious, just a warning here and there. That was until he received his first detention and then nothing seemed to be stopping his bad behaviour.

"Seriously Harry? Another detention! What's going on?" Hannah asked.

"Nothing," Harry said, irritably. He was sat on the sofa with Hannah standing over him.

"It isn't nothing! You were doing fine and then you changed," she said. She was disappointed. He really had been doing so well, minus the Benji incident, so it was frustrating that he was just throwing it all away.

"Han, just leave it. It's not that deep," Harry groaned, raising his voice.

"I won't just leave it. You need to sort yourself out," Hannah said, also raising her voice.

"It's just a detention, Jesus."

"It's not just one though. I left it when you got one but then you got more and more. You've been given one every day this week. You need to sort yourself out or I won't let you go to the safari," Hannah told him.

"I don't care about the safari," Harry snapped. That was a lie. Harry cared very much about the safari, but he was feeling angry and wasn't thinking about what he was saying.

"I'll tell Keira that then, shall I?" Hannah said, fed up with his attitude.

"No," Harry moaned.

"Right then sort yourself out or you won't go," Hannah told him. She made sure to make eye contact with him, so he knew she was serious and then she stormed out the room.

***

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Harry shouted as he launched himself onto his sister. He probably should've let her sleep in, but he had to go to school, and he wanted to see her before he left.

"Thanks," Hannah said, sleepily. She rolled over and hugged him. He hugged back and the two of them just laid there.

"Is Mum coming today?" Harry asked.

"Yes," Hannah replied. They fell into a silence, both their thoughts going to the same thing, their dad.

"I miss Dad," Hannah said, quietly, tears rolling down her cheeks.

"Me too," Harry said, beginning to cry as well.

"Oh, look at us. Crying on your birthday. It's meant to be a happy thing," Harry said after a little while.

"Nothing wrong with a little cry," Hannah said, "Still it's my birthday and it's going to be fun." Hannah sat up and wiped the tears off her face.

"I mean you've got to enjoy them now you're old."

"I am not old! I'm twenty-one," Hannah said, poking Harry in the ribs.

"That's pretty old."

"Morning you two," Grandad said as his head appeared around the door.

"Happy Birthday, darling," he added, coming over and hugging Hannah.

"Thanks Grandad," Hannah said, hugging him back.

"Missing your dad?" Grandad asked when he saw that both his grandchildren had been crying. They both nodded.

"I'm sorry," he said, and he leant in for a hug with both of them.

"Not your fault," Harry told him.

"I know but you two are having to grow up without a dad. I feel sad for you," Grandad said.

***