44 DAYS [Harry Styles]

4

I made my way to Literature Studies with Adrienne. I held her left wrist in my hand and led our way through the crowded hallways. She would never make it to her class at all if I left her by herself. She is fragile and too polite and would get crushed with the ignorant kids of Gilbert Place.

In my first year, in my first class, the teacher was taking attendance. Mr. Reed had to say Adrienne's name 15 times before she came bursting through the door, her books and papers slipping through her hands.

“I got caught in between everyone, they're all so tall!” she squealed.

The entire class laughed at her, besides myself. I felt sorry for her, she was very unlike all the other girls I had seen. She didn't plaster on her make-up, she didn't wear her skirt 10 inches above her knee.

“Hello! I am Adrienne! What is your name?” she introduced herself as she took a seat beside me.

“Bridget. Bridget Brotherton. Nice to meet you.” From that moment on we were inseparable.

Adrienne and I finally reached the classroom and made our way towards two empty seats, that had to be right at the front of the class.

Half an hour into class and I looked to my left to see Adrienne sitting up straight in her seat, her back completely straight. Five minutes into the class and I was already slouching with my eyes drooping, I don't know how she did it. I let my mind wander off to the events of this morning.

I wonder if Harry needs a friend. I mean, he did seem to hit it off with Troy this morning, but they are in different year levels, Harry is bound to need a friend in his own year. Right, right!?

I kind of found it interesting that Troy had the social skills to make a friend in the first hour at a new school. I have been at Gilbert Place for five years and only find myself conversing on a day-to-day basis with Adrienne, and only Adrienne.

I am a single loser with one friend and a cool soon-to-be-step-brother.

*

Adrienne and I sat underneath one of the blossoming trees in the school grounds. I was finding amusement in drawing pictures on my cute little black school shoes with White-Out while Adrienne worked from her Maths Studies textbooks, covering a unit she hadn't even started.

“I like to work ahead so I can answer questions that the teacher asks correctly.” she said when I asked why she was working ahead of her class.

I am not in Adrienne's Maths Studies class, in fact I study Numeracy, the lowest level of maths. The only class I have with Adrienne is Literacy Studies, the highest English subject available. And since Adrienne studies the highest level in everything, well-

“Hey look, it's Troy.” Adrienne pointed to a table that Troy and Harry... Harry.

I immediately stood up and started walking towards the table.

“Where are you going!?” Adrienne said whilst she grabbed her stuff and followed me.

I slid onto the bench next to Troy, opposite Harry.“Hello newbies! How was your first class? Tell me everything! What teachers do you have? Ooh, is this your schedule, let me see!” I snatched the piece of paper Harry held in his hand and quickly scanned it.

History, no. Art, no. Gym, yes! Numeracy, yes!

“Thank you.” Harry smirked evilly as he took back the schedule from my hands.

“Bridget, would you mind. We are having an important conversation, so if you'd mind.” Troy said while shooing me off.

I stared at him and then at Harry.

“I will be seeing you in Numeracy then Harry, so long!” I got up off my seat and ran, forgetting that Adrienne was still awkwardly standing at the table.

*

“I am sooo excited for this, it's going to be the best semester ever!” Adrienne squealed.

Somehow Adrienne persuaded me into joining the debating team with her. I felt so strange as I'd never participated in any kind of co-curricular activities, ever. I had no idea how debating ran but Adrienne insisted that it is almost like therapy.

“You, Bridget, have a lot of anger that needs to be let out, in the safest way possible. Debating is the perfect way to do it!” So I agreed, I said I would do it.

Of course, the meetings took place after school every Tuesday, which was so wrong and completely detrimental.

We entered the room and I noticed a red head sitting in a seat at the far corner. It couldn't be, could it?