she makes me strong (larry stylinson)

part 1 of 4

it was 8am on a monday morning and the teenage population of england was not feeling the early wake up call and get to school energy.

herrie had had a late night staying up 'til 2am doing very important business - figuring out the logistics of her new game for playstation.

she had assignments and revision to complete, but of course she prioritised her preference and continued 'herrie's iconic streak of procrastination'.

"no mum i'm not doing my work at 11 fucking o'clock!" she bellowed down the stairs to her drunken mother in the kitchen the night before.

she grabbed her bags and threw them over her shoulder as she ran down the stairs turning all the lights off. she hurriedly snatched a piece of buttered toast from the kitchen side forcing the plate to wobble off and smash.

"herrie edwards get back here right now!" her mother screeched.

but she proceeded to dash out the front door and onto the drive where her ride was waiting.

"hey herrie, what's up with annaline?" the girl behind the wheel spoke while raising her eyebrows at the angry looking woman at the door to which herrie had just ran out of.

"nothing out of the ordinary." herrie replied, rolling her eyes and jumping into the seat next to the blonde-haired pretty girl.

"so," herrie began, "what've you been up to this weekend?"

the car's wheels began to roll.

"not much, i went to see my dad and took our millie out for a couple of walks. other than that not a lot. i guess you've just been sat in your bed bashing out hours upon hours of that stupid new game."

"heeey!" herrie exclaimed as she slapped the arm of the girl beside her, "you can't say anything layla when all you do is watch anime all day!"

"you know you love it really, you just don't want to admit it." layla replied, sticking her tongue out and zig-zagging the car across the road.

"watch where you're going dick!" herrie screamed before they both started laughing and collapsed sideways onto one another.

they arrived at college after calling for a mcdonald's breakfast on the way and enthusiastically dancing to spice girls 'if you wanna be my lover'.

herrie had always hated education and the concept of learning. but layla being her best friend was solely enough to attend every weekday. she made her laugh, smile, giggle, chuckle, snort; she never thought of a single problem when she was with her. they always had too much of a good time to anyway.

"see you in music then!" herrie told layla as they headed their separate ways for tutor group.

herrie didn't have a musical bone in her body. but every monday at 8:30am she skipped her 1 to 1 mentoring to go and listen to layla.

layla practised guitar when she felt like it at home - whenever her older siblings weren't shouting at her - but always did on a monday. not just for her, but for herrie.

herrie adored layla; she was the sister she never had. she was the person filling in all her gaps. the person who'd she tell her problems to. the person she'd cry to when she was sad. the person who'd actually listen to her instead of screaming drunken cries like her parent.

it was an escape for both for them.

in college, no one cares what you're doing as long as you're not hurting anyone. so bringing a little bit of weed helped tone college down for them a little. just a little.