Let Me Burn With You.

Chapter 3

It was the glow of the early afternoon leaking through the corners of his eyelids that finally roused Harry from his bed. He leisurely stretched his limbs and gave a drowsy yawn before brushing off the duvet, his skin prickling at the cold morning air. He rolled his shoulders idly. A quick glance at the other twin bed in the room told Harry that Louis must have already gone to eat breakfast in the institution’s dining hall.

Harry shrugged on a old jumper as well as a pair of worn jeans. He ran a hand through his curls before popping off to the loo to carry out his usual daily ritual.

He didn’t usually take much time in the mornings, because he was never too concerned about what the other patients thought of him. He didn’t really have any friends too judge him so it didn’t really matter anyway. He had liked his past roommates Zayn, Niall, and Liam enough, but he never really saw them around. Anne had been nice too, but she hadn’t been around either. Maybe they had already been treated and had been allowed to return home, but most likely it was just because they were all from different wards.

The institution’s dining hall was its usual quiet self. The majority of the patients sat silently at the breakfast tables, enjoying what the early birds had left of the breakfast buffet. A few people shuffled about with blue breakfast trays in their hands, shakily serving themselves helpings of eggs and hash browns. Nurses milled around through the patients, coaxing them to take the pills prescribed to them by their doctors.

Harry drifted over to the food and eagerly helped himself to some breakfast. Gripping his tray, he made his way over to an empty table that was meant to seat four people. A chess board and the accompanying game pieces had been laid out in the center of the table. It was common to see traditional games of chess or checkers being played in the dining hall. They were left lying around by the institution's staff to encourage some interaction between the patients, but mostly they were just left around until someone became bored enough to start up a game. The game that had been left unfinished by whomever had occupied the table before, was obviously close to its end. Harry could easily imagine the few moves that had to be made in order to capture the king and win the game.

“Harry?” Harry glanced up to find Louis standing across from him. “Mind if I join you?”

Harry motioned towards the seat across from him. “Sure.”

Louis plopped down in the chair, and he set his lighter on the table.

“What are you doing up so early?” asked Harry.

“Hmm?”

“You just don’t strike me as the early bird type.”

“I’m not really. I guess it was just a one time thing.” His smile was warm as it slid across his face. “Do you play chess?” Louis asked as he lifted a pond from the board with his petite hands and rolled it gently in his fingers.

Harry grumbled a reply around a mouthful of hashbrowns “Mmhm.”

“Oh, sorry. You’re eating.”

Harry swallowed. “No its fine. I’m almost done anyways. Have you had anything to eat yet?”

“Yup. I had breakfast earlier this morning.” Louis began clearing away the chessboard and then he started putting the pieces into their appropriate places for another game. “Do you wanna play?” He asked as the last piece was set in its space.

“Okay.” said Harry. Then, smirking mischievously, he reached out and turned the board around so that the white side faced him and the black side faced Louis. “I’ll move first.”

“You know that just because you chose white and you move first, it doesn’t mean you have an advantage.” Louis pointed out.

“Yes it does.” said Harry, still grinning, as he made his first move, setting the pawn on the board decisively.