Untitled [l.s.] - ON HOLD

four

The Thursday After The Suspension

"Hey, Harry! Wait up!" I hear a girlish voice behind me, and I slow down. I turn around to see a girl, maybe in my year.

"Hey. I just wanted to say, what you did to stand up for yourself last week was amazing. Matt won't be back for awhile because of you, and I just wanted to thank you. So many people here were miserable because of him. You changed that, thank you." the girl says, her smile too wide.

"Um, okay. Do I know you...?" I ask, and she laughs.

"No. But I'm Katie, Matt's girlfriend," she smiles apologetically as I curse myself mentally. "but, I sit two rows away from you, I think, in history. Your writing skills are just. Amazing," she laughs again, it's a girly laugh, and I smile at her.

"Thank you. And, you're welcome," I say, and she smiles yet again.

"I'll talk to you later, okay?" she waves and kisses my cheek before walking away.

I shrug and continue walking to English,my last class of the day.

***

"Afternoon, babies!" Mrs. Pierce greets us and smiles at me directly for the fourth consecutive day. I smile back as usual, and she continues teaching the Jonathan Edwards excerpt. Almost as if the fight never happened.

I didn't miss much while suspended. That, or either my teachers felt sorry for me or something and didn't give me all of my work. I made it all up on Tuesday anyway, turned it in yesterday. I guess I'm content right now.

The bell rings after what seems like ninety-two years, and I pack up as I head to the bus. Louis drives home in his own car, but I haven't asked him why yet.

I keep my head down as I step onto the bus, finding an empty seat. I sit my backpack in my lap, taking my phone and plugging in my earbuds. I loosen my uniform tie, putting the earbuds in the designated ear. I turn my music on, and Temptation immediately drowns me. I sink into my seat a little, closing my eyes as the music takes me to places I don't want to leave from. I listen closer to what's behind the lyrics. Is he hurting because he wants this girl he's singing about, but she won't have him? I need to get tickets for one of his concerts.

Other kids start piling up, and as always, no one risks sitting beside me. I never minded, that is, until some guy sits next to me with a hood on. I try not to pay attention, going back to my small world of Zayn Malik.

"Temptation, temptation, I can see it in your eyes,

Temptation, temptation,

Don't worry, baby,

'Cos tonight, you're mine,

If you only knew,

That I want you..."

The bus pulls off onto the road, and I unlock my phone to Google. I search zayn malik tour dates and I click on the first link that belongs to his website. I scroll until I get to the UK dates, finding that he'll only be in London. In two weeks. He's in Spain right now, apparently, but his show there is tomorrow. I click on Get Tickets beside the London dates, trying to find seats for the standing pit. Wow, 54 euros for one person, without parking fees. Okay, so if I can get someone else to go with me, it could happen. Maybe.

"I wonder what's on your mind,

You've got me so hypnotized,

Would you stay or would you go,

If I was to let you know,

You've tangled me up in the web of temptation,

Temptation, temptation,