Care for me (L. S.)

17

Tuesday the 22nd of September | Harry

It was the day after the police had come to the school and somehow every single person already forgot about it. Harry overheard two girls from year 10 loudly whisper what Thomas and Finley had been up to during PE class. He could swear it somehow involved a water balloon and a tennis racket.

Also, Louis wasn't in trouble. At least that's what Nory said when she kidnapped him on the stairs yesterday.

~

"Harry?"

A hoarse voice called for him and he turned around on the step.

"Can we talk?" she asked, her eyes glittering with discomfort.

As soon as he agreed, she dragged him down the stairs, through other year 12s, who were looking at them curiously, all the way to the now empty cafeteria.

"Um." She looked quite hesitant, maybe a little insecure even. Her fingers were tugging at her index finger, like they were trying to rip it off.

"So the headteacher just talked to me. Louis' not in any trouble. He just got a warning from the police." It seemed like she wanted to elaborate, but she continued, first clearing her throat. "So he was allowed to go home for the day but he apparently wanted to stay."

"Could you like maybe-" she sighed and brushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

Aha. He was starting to understand where this was going.

"Could you look out for him? He's just- People are staring and he's..." she looked him in the eyes, like she wanted to see if they were trustworthy, "he's more sensitive than you think."

Harry highly doubted that. "Of course. You didn't need to ask."

Nory let out a breath of relief. "Thank you," she smiled at him like he was the only one who understood, even though he was pretty sure he didn't understand a thing. "You're a really good friend." He wasn't sure if she meant he was a good friend to her or to her boyfriend. God this situation was so messy.

Eleanor slung her bag over her shoulder and was about to leave.

"So he isn't in any trouble? What does that even mean?"

She frowned for a second like she didn't get what he was saying.

"I don't know," she answered, and he could tell she was speaking the truth. "I just know what the head mistress told me: that he got a warning and he has to write a formal apology to the school and Marco's parents," she shrugged. "Honestly I thought he might get arrested for beating up a minor but apparently the police have a different protocol." He didn't understand any of it, and he wasn't sure he ever would. "I have to go to class," she said, and with a gentle tap on his shoulder, she disappeared faster than a wind-up toy car.

~

His eyes stared at a page in his chemistry book.

Next period they had an important test and he couldn't afford another bad grade, so studying at the cafeteria it was.

Harry was really glad he had some time alone to revise before the test. Liam often had a doctor's appointment during lunch break, Niall was out there somewhere probably being all lovey dovey with his girlfriend and Louis and Zayn went out to smoke together.

Stoichiometry really wasn't easy was it? Harry forgot why he chose to study science sometimes: he wasn't even any good at it. What he really wanted to do was study fashion and become a designer and then start his own clothing line.