The Saint's Lips

Chapter Three

Mr. Higgins wraps up his hour long class after having been true to his promise. The smart mouthed Harry, as well as the rest of the class, got one of the heaviest lessons I feel we might get all year. I'm thankful that we're mainly focusing on the situations revolving around the World Wars, because those are by far, my favourite historic topics, but we didn't need to write four pages in one hour. Not to mention the fact that we already have enough homework to sink a ship. First day of school kicks off, and there's no time to adapt from summer.

"I don't know about you, but if all year is going to be like that class, I'm seriously considering dropping it." Liam turns to me as he hikes his backpack further up on his shoulder.

The thing that draws me to Liam is the fact that he never pities me. Out of everyone in this school, even within our close circle of friends, Liam is the only one to treat me like I really am not the one having to deal with my father's terminal disease.

"I wish, but we both know we can't drop the class. What do you have next?" I ask him as we make our way through the crowded halls.

"Biology, but I'm not looking forward to that either. I have Mr. Wayatt." We both cringe at the name, due to the teacher's harsh reputation. He always gives the most homework, and never takes any excuses for late assignments. There is basically no other way except working your hardest in order to sit in his classes.

"What have you got?" Liam asks after we're finished the mutual horror of his next teacher.

"English AP. I have Miss Briston this year, she's amazing." I smile and he eyes me with envy over our difference in classes.

"You lucky bastard. I think Niall's in that clas too." He tells me and I nod in agreement.

"Yeah so is Katherine, we checked our schedules this morning. Anyway, I have to get to my locker. See you at lunch, yeah?" He nods and we both wave at each other before turning through opposite hallways.

I quickly rush to change my books at my locker, then turn to climb the stairs. English is on the fourth floor so I make my way up two flights before finally reaching the classroom. Luckily, Niall and I are walking in at almost the same time so I see him coming from the other end of the hallway.

"Ava!" He yells and I rush to greet him, squeezing him tightly into a hug.

"What did you do to your hair?" I ask him, and eye the blonde that he's become. He definitely had spikey brown hair last year, I don't know where this blonde came from.

"My cousin dared me to do it, don't ask." He waves his hand at mine when I try to touch it.

"Nice, I guess we get to call you blondie now." I tease him and he shakes his head at me.

"Very funny. Seriously though how was your summer?" Niall's voice becomes serious, just as Louis' did this morning when asking how I was.

"It was boring, but good." I tell him simply, and he nods at my response. The smile still hasn't returned to his face and I attempt to change the subject as quickly as possible.

"Did you read the book for the summer?" I ask him as we begin to finally make our way into the class.

We sit next to each other by the window, this time closer to the front of the classroom. He nods to indicate his answer to my question and gives a small whine.

"Pride and Prejudice is a little too boring for my taste though." He shrugs and scrunches his pale nose in dismay.

"I don't know, I kind of liked it. It's better than Wuthering Heights for me anyway." I tell him and he laughs in complete agreement. Last year Niall and I bonded over absolutely detesting that book whilst reading it, then finding it to be "not so bad" after the reading was done.