Under The Mask

Chapter 7

Maths decided to drag on surprisingly slow. I’m a lot further ahead than all of the other people in here so I don’t understand why I’m even in here. And, a test on the first day? Not that it was hard but it seems mean of them to do that to me, and only me. The teacher’s excuse was ‘Everybody else did this last week so if you do it we’ll see where you’re at.’ Yeah, and that test was pretty easy to be honest, if the people in here can’t do that at this stage then I’d be worried.

The bell rings, I pack my bag quickly and walk out of the classroom only hoping that Harry and Louis are sat in the diner. If they aren’t I don’t know what I’ll do for the hour we have to eat dinner. Library seems tempting – it’ll be quiet and no idiots will be around. Down the corridor, head down, avoiding all the swinging bags and their owners as I make my way to the diner.

I look into the diner through the double glass doors and see Harry, mouth wide open with his head cocked back over the seat behind him and a loud roar of laughter leaving his humongous mouth. Thank god that he’s in there, I really don’t know what I would have done otherwise. I’m on-edge thinking about it now but a layer of relief splashes over my freely-wandering mind.

I push open the heavy door and sneak my way over, avoiding yet more people and swinging bags. As I approach the table I notice Louis’ bag and Harry’s head looking under the table, still laughing, still the owner of the roaring laughter. I peer under the table and notice Louis sitting under the table, his back to the wall glaring at Harry. “Hey Niall! Sit with us; Louis decided to sit under the table today.” Harry shouts to me even though I’m less than a couple of metres from him.

“Why’s Louis under the table?” I mutter as I sit down, peering under the table yet again where Louis gives me a cheeky smile and wave.

“Hiya Niall!” Louis almost shouts from under the table, his legs pulled close to his chest with his arms wrapped tightly round them. I cock my eyebrow at Harry who seems to get what I’m asking.

“He wanted to get out but I didn’t want to move. His fat ass got stuck so he went under the table to try and get out, where he clearly couldn’t get out.” Harry points down under the table but then winces in pain as Louis kicks him. Harry’s eyes gaze under the table and his mouth shouts, “That hurt!”

“Serves you right!” Louis adds.

I reach into my bag and take out a lunchbox, opening it up and placing a perfectly round cherry tomato into my mouth. Soft music is playing on the TV behind me where Harry’s eyes are fixed, every so often missing his mouth with the fork he has some of his salad resting. After a couple of minutes I become curious of what he is looking at so I glance at the TV before quickly returning to my food.

“I’m so happy that Glee won those awards, and I feel really bad for Lea still.” Harry starts as I look up from my food to him. He still has his eyes fixated on the TV but I just presume that he’s talking to me. “She must be feeling so bad and lost on the inside, I just want to hug her.” Doesn’t sound like the only person who is lost on the inside.

“He was great.” I simply reply. Harry’s eyes unpeel themselves from the TV and look into my own.

“He was more than great, he was a bloody brilliant actor, singer…” Harry pauses. “And dancer.” Harry giggles a little at the thought and after composing himself, he asks, “Gleek?”

“I’ve watched it from time to time, not very often but I like it.” Harry’s mouth drops.

“This weekend you’re coming over to mine and we’re watching as many episodes as we can without any sleep.” Harry announces, presuming that I will be there. Why has he taken such an interest to me? It’s not as if I’m as close to him as Louis is, and he hasn’t known me for long at all.