reading between the lines

3

Mattys POV

I guess I never really realized how nice Louis is, I always saw him as the loud, cocky one who just thought he could make everyone laugh but he's actually really nice and I guess gentle in a way. He has many layers, like an onion, wow Louis is an onion. I smirk to myself at the thought of Louis becoming this common vegetables.
"Something funny Matthew?" I hear louis' voice from behind me, he knows I hate being called Matthew and takes full advantage of it.
"Yeh there is actually, I just pictured you as an onion Lewis" he hates being called Lewis, so guess what, two can play at that game. If he's gonna call me Matthew then I'm gonna call him Lewis.
"Sorry, what? You're picturing me as an onion?" Louis looked at me and his face was covered with a puzzled confusion, clearly expecting an explanation.
"Well I was, I'm not now" I smile innocently at him "right come on teacher, I need help with some lyrics" I say, emphasizing on the teacher part because let's be honest, he does not act like a teacher, he's more like one of the teachers. But nevertheless he comes over and sits next to me, we stay sat there for the remainder of the lesson and by the end we've crafted a good half a song and now my ideas are flooding. I know he's a musician and stuff but jeez he is good with lyrics, he has a way with words that I don't think anyone can ever beat... Well maybe me if he helps my to get to his level, we'll see.

The rest of the day goes by pretty slowly but finally it's the end of the day and I say goodbye to my few friends, put my earphones in and my music on and start my walk home. I decide to take the long way home today and walk through the forest, I absolutely adore the forest, me Amy and Alfie have a treehouse there. I guess it's Sophie's too, she's Alfie's girlfriend and they're madly in love, but I guess I haven't spoken to either of them much at all today since I've fell out with Alfie. Oh this is too much, why did I start thinking about Alfie again, I'm not ready to go home and get nagged at by Liam so I decide to go and camp in the treehouse for an hour or so. It's nothing special but we built it ourselves so we are quite proud of it, it's our own space to have fun and some alone time if we need it.
I walk over to the tree and place my.fokt upon the first step of the ladder, midnight memories blasting through my earphones, all of a sudden I feel two firm hands grab my shoulders and pull me down onto the floor. I look up and guess who...AJ!
He stares at me with torment in his eyes, I've learnt by now that it's easier to stay silent and let him get whatever torture he has planned over and done with. His smile is nothing but evil, he drags me up and holds me against the tree trunk causing a shriveling pain to shoot down my spine causing me to cry out a little.
"Oi, shut up!" He whisper-shouts down my ear placing his entire left forearm against my chest and his right hand over my mouth. I started to feel as tho I couldn't breathe and he must have seen me panicking cos he just sniggered, watched me for a short while then threw me down on the floor, causing me to cut my cheek on a stone on the woodland surface. He strolled off laughing to himself like he's just made the best joke in the world and I was left of the floor until I found the strength to get up and pick up my bag which had fallen on the floor at some point throughout the whole ordeal. I slowly walked home, made my way inside and straight up to my room. I washed my face so the cut on my cheek wasn't as obvious as if was before and then sat on my bed with my door closed. I sat in silence. Still and silent. Alone. I thought about AJ and what he's does to me and tears started to stream down my cheeks. second by second, tear by tear, the memories of AJ took over my brain. I can't just let this happen can I? I have to fight back. Harder than he'll ever expect. My thoughts where in mid flow of what I would do to AJ when I heard the front door open and a familiar voice, followed by Liam bellowing my name up the stairs. I made my way down into the living room and I couldn't help but plaster a big grin all over face "hi Amy, what you doing here"
"I've come to look for father Christmas, I thought he might be hiding here somewhere" her sarcasm resulted in a stern glance from me and she smiled "I've come to see you, obviously, why did Mr Stockton take you out of English?"
I smiled quite a bit at the fact she'd come just to see me, even it was to get gossip, but gossip is Amy's middle name. And Mr Stockton is our head of year, me and him have had more encounters than a pig and a mud bath. His office is virtually my second home by now. He took me out of English earlier cos teachers had been complaining that I wasn't focused, stupid teachers, they haven't got a clue what I have to deal with, they don't know about AJ, they don't know I've felt out with Alfie and... And they don't know about...other... Stuff. But anyway, Amy doesn't really need to know that does she, I don't like telling people personal stuff so I stand for a minute and after failing to think of an excuse I meet her gaze "it was nothing, just a chat, y'know cos he's my best mate and all"
"Oh Matty don't flatter yourself, Mr Stockton is not your best friend" Amy smiles in a teasing way as she finds a seat on the sofa, insinuating I sit next to her, to which I decline and make my way to the kitchen. Amy waits for a minute but then I guess she got bored cos she follows me and sits lightly on the worktop of the kitchen island.
"Matty" she says my name with curiosity so I look at her while unscrewing the lid of the lemonade bottle allowing her to continue
"What happened to you cheek?"
"Nothing" I lie "drink?"
"Yeh please" she quietens down to let me pour two drinks and I sit next to her, even tho it is strictly forbidden by Harry to sit on the worktop of the Island because it's 'unhygienic' apparently, I don't care tho, I get told off enough anyways.
"Oh Matty please tell me what happened, it looks sore" Amy says as she gently traces her finger across the cut on my cheek causing my to look at  her. As her eyes meet mine I look away in panic and decide my feet and suddenly very interesting as I try to come up with a master excuse for my cut cheek...but I can't.
"Fine, I get it, you don't trust me, I got the message loud and clear Matty" Amy says as she gets to her feet and puts her glass down.
"No Amy don't go, please, you know I don't tell anyone anything, you'd laugh at me if I told you what happened" I say, suddenly coming up with a sustainable excuse.
"Go on then, I could do with a good laugh" Amy looks at me with a smirk, I start to question why I'm even friends with her. But then I smile and that explains it all, she makes me smile whenever I see her, few people can do that.
"Fine, I walked through the forest on the way home and walked into a tree branch" my excuse earns a small giggle from Amy as she drinks her lemonade and rejoins me on the worktop. We stay sat there for just under an hour after that before Amy has to go and I make my way back into the living room and sit on the sofa next to Louis. Let's not mention the maths homework I haven't done 😜