reading between the lines

14

Louis' POV

I really feel for Matty, he's just a 15 year old lad with a whole world of problems, that's why I bailed him out of getting suspended. I told the principle that Matty had been having a tough time at home and that it was no surprise he was acting up, I'm a well respected teacher so the principle had no reason not to believe me. So now me and Harry are keeping Matty in our classroom for the remainder of the week and probably some of next week.

I feel really really sorry for Matty, his friends and girlfriend have suddenly started acting wierd with him and I know it can't be because he snapped last night so something must have happened and I'm pretty sure even Matty doesn't know what it is yet. I'm sat at a desk in a whole other world when Harry walks up to me and shakes my shoulders playfully.
"Earth to Lou" he teases before sitting next to me "what are you thinking about" he questions.
"Matty" I say quietly so Matty doesn't hear as I look over in his direction to check he's doing his work which he is.
"But it's fine" I say quickly so I don't have to get into a conversation about Matty right here and right now because if Matty heard he would never trust me again and I'm not prepared to risk that. "Let's get ready for the year 9's"
Harry's response is simply "okay" as he gets to his feet and begins to set up a PowerPoint on the board.

As I'm walking over to join Harry at the computer my phone vibrates in my pocket and I pull it out to check it "oh what does Niall want now" I sigh, expecting a stupid message to appear in front of me as I tap on the unread message notification. I look at my phone and burst into a fit of laughter, causing both Harry and Matty to look in my direction with a sense of perplexion covering their faces.
"Sorry" I say whilst still laughing as Harry takes my phone and smirks a little.

"Hey, don't leave me out, what's so funny" Matty complains from the other side of the room. I walk over to him and show him a picture of Liam and Zayn asleep together, tangled up in the depth of Liam's duvet. "Nialls calling them ziam" I inform Matty "he thinks they're gonna be just as cute as me and Harry but obviously" I don't get chance to finish my sentence as Matty cuts me off "so are they officially like, together, like boyfriends, like... Gay?" Matty questions.
"Niall says no but it's only a matter of time" I say, feeling a little guilty about laughing so much at my best mate and who he chooses to sleep with.
"Okay,I thought he was straight but I guess not, can I go on my break now please" Matty asks and I look at Harry then back at Matty
"Yeh you can, but don't go near AJ, please"
Matty huffs and goes off to break and I just hope he keeps his head down, he can't get in anymore trouble.

Harry's busy teaching the year 9's and Matty is 5 minutes late and still not back from break so I decide to go and find him. I walk out of the classroom and gently close the door behind me, I hear a soft gentle voice singing from a distant practice room and the sound of a guitar strumming but it's too quiet for me to work out the song so I head down the corridor and as I begin to listen more closely it sounds a lot like Matty but I didn't know he could sing, not like this. I mean yeh I knew he had a guitar and played it from time to time but I've never properly heard him play and I have definitely not heard him sing. He's incredible. I stand in the door way and listen until he finishes, hanging onto the last note for at least 10 seconds before turning round and noticing me, cutting the 10 second note to an abrupt end.
"Louis you scared me bro" he chokes out after a few seconds of silence, clearly trying to block out the fact that I'd seen and heard him singing, as if it was a bad thing.
"Matty your voice is incredible" I say honestly.
"Breaks over, let's go" he says as he squeezes through the gap between me and the door frame and makes him way back to the classroom and goes back to his seat, he sits down and gets straight in with his work and I follow, sitting in spinny teacher chair and slowly spinning in it. Top tip, if you spin slowly then it's subtle so nobody notices and it's also very relaxing. I get my phone out and text Liam 'bro your little cousin is an insane singer, why didn't you tell me'
Liam's replies within seconds 'i didn't know, he never sings, well he used to when he was younger, I guess he was alright until aged 7 but then he started to be really bad at singing, I guess he's got his talent back, how did you know he could sing?'
'i heard him at break time' I text back before putting my phone in my desk draw and looking over at Matty, you don't just lose the ability to sing and then regain it do you?
.
.
.
.
.
.
It's lunch time and me Matty and Harry are sat round a table in the classroom eating and chatting, well me and Harry are, Matty is just sort of sat there playing with his food and tearing his sandwich into smaller and smaller pieces whilst not eating a single bit of it.
"Matty" I say softly and he looks up at me "are you alright?, You aren't eating much"
"I'm fine, just not hungry" he says as he goes and puts his cheap school sandwich packaging in the bin along with the sandwich.
"Matty your always hungry bro" I barely finish my last word before Matty replies "well I'm not today, I'm going the loo" he says as he rushes off to the toilet.

"He'll be fine Lou, he's just a moody hormonal teenage lad" Harry says, putting an arm round me as if he knows exactly what I'm thinking and he knows just how to make it better. I look at him and my smile is brighter just by seeing his face "I love you" I say fondly as I cup his face in my hands and rest my forehead against his.
"I love you too Lou" he whispers before I kiss his lips softly for a few seconds before focusing my attention back to my half eaten lunch.