Love and Lies

Chapter 3 - My unfathomable mystery.

We sauntered down to maths, and took our seats. I sat in-between Bess and Katherine with the rest of the girls filling in the back row.  I’d just got my books out when I saw William being pushed through the door. He nearly tripped and all of his books fell across the floor. He picked them up and his eyes searched the room for a spare seat. I beckoned him over to a seat 2 spaces away from me.

‘Are you alright?’ I leant over and asked William. He replied with a shy nod, his eyes not quite meeting mine. Something wasn’t right.

‘No, seriously, what’s wrong?’ I asked him, my tone slightly stern but still concerned. He looked down at me and said ‘Some people have been spreading rumours about me and that kid over there keeps calling me stuff and pushing me … but, really its nothing, don’t worry’. I felt sorry for him. I knew how it felt to be one of the new kids, not from personal experience but from friends’ experiences. I was the one that consoled Gemma when she came into our class in year 8. I knew 11P, I was close to all of them and they weren’t the type to spread rumours. I just hope it didn’t get round to Alice; if it did, then he wouldn’t have a chance.

‘I know how you feel, don’t worry, don’t let them get to you. Stupid kids. You would have thought they would have grown up by now’ I said with a smile, which made him chuckle.

‘I’ll look out for you…..if you want’ I said timidly, and the smile on my lips was mirrored on his.

‘I’d like that …. Thanks’ He replied.  He put the rest of his books away, Miss Lawrence walked in and the lesson began.

 I spent the rest of Monday with him and the girls. He got on really well with them, and they warmly welcomed him. At lunch I found out he got the same bus as me. Everything went fine until the end of the day.  We came out of art and went down to the exit. I said all my goodbyes and I got so distracted I didn’t realise that William had left.

‘William, where are you?’ I walked down to the exit and outside though he was not there, then to the end of the lockers. I looked down the rows and there was William, sitting down slumped against them. I rushed over to him. ‘Oh my, are you alright?’ I said, my voice laden with concern and sympathy. I noticed the gash on his right cheek, a drop of blood trickling down his face. I didn’t need an answer, the tears in his eyes told me. I helped him up and wiped away the blood from the cut.  He enfolded himself in my arms. I whispered reassuring words into his ear as he quietly sobbed. He pulled away and from the distance I heard a low growl. I turned around and there stood a figure, undistinguishable. ‘I wouldn’t be friends with that loser.’ The voice said. I snapped round to look at William who looked so vulnerable yet malice shone through in his blue eyes, staring with intent at the figure. I turned around and the shadow had disappeared. 

I lead William quickly off to the toilets. As I washed his cut, I slowly took in everything that had happened. My mind was racing. Who was that? What were they talking about? And why was William so affected by it? Had they hit William? I couldn’t hold them in anymore.  

‘How did you get this?! Who did this?!’ I blurted out, not quite realizing I had for a moment. He just stared at me, with a sullen expression.

‘It doesn’t matter.’ He mumbled as he glanced down at his watch. ‘We need to get the bus, its coming now.’ He stood in front of the mirror for a second and I saw the sadness in his eyes form and then he walked off. I followed, not quite knowing what to say anymore. 

The bus was at the bus stop when we arrived and we jumped on. We took the seat a few rows back and he sat next to the window. For the whole of the journey home, my mind raced with questions I had yet to answer. The thoughts of Jonah were pushed to the back of my mind, my new friend’s situation now the only thing I could think of.  He just sat still staring out of the window with that same sullen expression on his face. As I came to my stop and walked off, I stared back at William and I came to an understanding. The same boy I had met only this morning who was so happy and innocent, somehow now seemed the complete opposite. William Harnop was an unfathomable mystery.

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