Scars [Book 1]✅

Three

Louis ran across the hall, dashing to the boy who now curled himself up in a fetal position against the row of lockers. He hadn't seen the cuts, just the punching and hitting.

"Hey, are you alright?" he asked the boy, kneeling down in front of him. Harry didn't look up, for fear that he would be judged for crying or get beat up again.

Louis reached out to place a hand on Harry's shoulder, but Harry flinched, "P-Please, don't hurt m-me!" he cried.

Louis sighed, furrowing his eyebrows, "Look, I saw what they did, I'm sorry. I'm not going to hurt you, though. I promise," he paused, "do you want to sit with me and my friends at lunch then? I'll make sure those boys don't beat you up again," he offered, and that made Harry look up questioningly.

"I-I'm not g-good at making f-friends," he muttered, wiping his tear stained face.

Louis smiled, "That's alright, I'll take the lead," he stuck out his hand, "Hi, I'm Louis," Harry looked at his hand, and slowly shook it nervously. "And you are?" the boy now known as Louis asked.

"Harry," he told the boy.

Louis smiled, grabbing Harry's hand tighter and pulling him up to his feet, "Do you want to join us at lunch then?" Louis offered. Harry looked past him, avoiding making eye contact.

To be honest, Harry wanted to take up the offer, he wanted a couple friends to hang out with. But he just couldn't. He couldn't bear the thought of having to be the center of attention as the new kid and having to talk and socialize with these people he didn't know.

"I-I have to go t-to the o-office," Harry quickly lied, scurrying off the other way. And once Louis wasn't there anymore, Harry turned back and scurried to the library.

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Meanwhile, Louis was in the cafeteria with the other students, "Where's Niall and Ed?" he asked his friend, Josh, who was sitting with his arm around his girlfriend.

"Lunch detention, mouthing off again. As for Ed, I have no idea," he shrugged, like it was a normal thing, which it was, for the feisty Irish boy.

Louis groaned, and wandered away from the cafeteria. Although Josh was one of his best friends he didn't feel like hanging around the couple, as they were in what he called the "honeymoon phase" of their relationship. So he headed down the hall, to the library.