Broken

Chapter 20

Louis

For the rest of the lesson I fight every urge I have to do something stupid that I know will get me into trouble. I force myself to concentrate even if it's only for minutes at a time. I know I need to sort my shit out but it's all so much easier said than done.

"Harry?" I call out as I lean to tap him on the shoulder. "Do you want to do something later?"

"I'd love too" he grins.

"Our spot?"

Harry can't hide his smile as he answers. "We have a spot?"

"Yeah. The place you took me with the sunset and shit"

Harry's attempt at whispering is shockingly awful. I have to keep gesturing with my hands for him to be quieter which results in him completely miming some words and me then having to the gesture for him to be louder.

"Okay". The biggest smile spreads across his face. "We'll go to our spot".

"Mr Styles!" Mrs Ray loudly knocks on Harry's desk snapping his attention, and everyone else's away. "Seeing as you're so keen to share your thoughts in my lesson, you can answer my next question. Throughout the book what is the importance of foreshadowing and provide me with at least one example?".

Harry shifts uncomfortably in his chair. "Uhm can you ask the question again please?".

Mrs Ray repeats the question.

"Uhm...there are many examples of foreshadowing throughout the um book. Such as...t-the...um Lennie accidentally killing the mouse and then the puppy...and eventually killing a person. It prompts the reader to uhm...consider how accidental Lennie's actions really are?".

Mrs Ray seems pleased with Harry's improvised answer and returns back to the board talking about something that flies entirely over my head. I can't help but feel guilty for Harry being put on the spot like that in front of everyone.

The bell screeches and we all stand up to leave, shoving past one another as we eagerly head to lunch.

"Why don't you eat lunch with me today?" I ask Harry as we walk through the corridors.

"I usually sit with Jay" Harry replies nervously for some reason.

"Okay well I'm sure he'll be just fine without you for one day. You can get to know the boys properly then". I start walking until Harry lightly pulls me back by my shoulder.

"What about Zayn?"

"He's still excluded for a couple more days. Relax". I turn to walk away again.

"Wait!". Harry runs his hands though his hair. "They know I'm deaf right?".

"Yes Harry. It's fine, trust me okay? It'll be fine".

I don't understand why he tries to keep it a secret so much. It's not like it's something to be ashamed of. I mean it becomes pretty obvious after spending a bit of time with him, but it's like he tries to hide it for as long as possible and only tells people when its inevitable that they're going to realise.

Niall and Liam exchange confused and surprised glances as Harry and I sit down at the table, Harry opposite Niall and Liam across from me.

"Niall, Liam, this is Harry"

"We know who Harry is, Louis" Liam laughs.

"Well now you finally know each other officially" I reply.

Harry politely smiles back at the boys.

After an awkward silence the boys continue with their conversation about the annual school dance. We never go. It's always raved about by everyone in our year as actually being pretty decent for a school related thing, but it's still really not for me. There's no alcohol, shitty music and teachers; why the hell would anyone even want to go to one of those things by choice?

"No no no Liam. Listen to me. Do you know how many of the girls go to this dance? Practically 95% of them...including all the hot ones. Do you know what this means?" Niall explains dramatically flapping his hands around as he excitedly does so. "It means boys...that we finally have our chance!"

We all laugh and I throw a chip at Niall's head. He's the lovable idiot in the group really.

"I'm up for it" Liam says.

"Guys were seriously not planning on doing this? I swear it's like a proper formal event with suits and shit?"

Out of the corner of my eye I notice Harry's head quickly darting from side to side as we all talk, desperately trying to keep up with who's talking and then what that persons saying. I discretely place my hand on his thigh hoping that it might help him to relax a little more and show him that I understand how hard it must be for him.

"Well yeah you have to wear a suit and the girls all wear dresses. Guys I honestly don't know why we've slagged this off so much! Some of the boys were telling me that there's usually a massive party after and everyone goes to one of the rich kids houses" Niall pauses for air. "We'll just drink loads before?".

Liam agrees and Niall continues explaining his many reasons for why we should of gone last year. I drift in and out of the conversation picking at my food and nodding in all of the right places. Harry even joins in laughing at Niall's jokes throughout the conversation.

"Come on Louis, it's our last chance to go this thing. You know we'll make it good in our own way?" Liam asks.

"I'll think about it"

"Okay well I'm taking that as a yes. Now all we need is dates"

"Dates?!". I almost choke on my chip as I gulp it down. "No one said anything about dates".

"Well yeah it's kind of the thing you do at formal dances" Niall answers cockily trying to make a joke.

"Oh come on Tommo it's not like you're going to have any problems trying to get a date for the night". Liam turns to Harry. "This boy has been with more girls that he can even count! He wouldn't even have to ask. The second it's out that the Louis Tomlinson is coming, the girls will swarm over like a stampede I'm telling you!"

Harry's face shifts into a thin forced smile, Liam's stupid words obviously having hurt him. I knew he just had to open his big fat gobby mouth. The bell rings so we all quickly say our goodbyes to each other with Niall telling Harry that he should come to the school dance and bring a date.

How the hell am I going to get out of this one? I need a date, and so does Harry.