Scars [Book 1]✅

Ten

Harry ended up going to school the next day, because his mother thought that leaving him home while his sister is back at school, and his parents were at work, wouldn't be a good idea. Anne was absolutely terrified of what her son was doing to himself, and wanted so badly to send him to a therapist, and have him talk about his feeling like he should be doing. But she just couldn't bring herself to make him do something that would make him more depressed. It would only make it worse.

As Harry walked through the halls, he spotted a teacher gazing at him from a distance and walked a bit faster. He knew that that they were worrying about him. That they had witnessed or been told about what Zayn did to him that one day. And he didn't like that. He didn't want them to know what had happened or what ever happens. He never trusted the teachers. Or anyone else besides his sister, his mother, and Liam.

"Hey," he flinched, being called by a perky brunette. Even with the sweet smile she wore, he still trembled in fear. "You dropped your notebook," she said, handing it over to him. He took it carefully, slightly nodding to her before walking off.

He turned the corner, a sigh escaping as he leaned back against the wall. It was time for his Maths class, a class he loved so much yet despised more than ever. He was amazing with equations and such, and loved doing anything maths related. But he never liked going to the class, because at his old school it had been where Marcus and his group of assholes would always pick on him in the smallest ways. He had technically been at this new school for a week and a half now, even though he was only physically in school for four days, and had only been in Maths class once.

He toughed it out though, and made his way into the class, head down and back hunched. He found a seat towards the back, quickly sitting down. He didn't pay much attention to the class, he just did his work silently, doodling in the notebook that he had clutched in his hands.

"You're late," said the teacher, startling Harry as he looked up from his work, seeing the teacher sighing at the student that had walked into class. It was Louis.

Harry gulped, as Louis looked over the room, spotting Harry and smiling. He walked over, taking the empty seat next to him and set his things down. "I didn't know you were in this class. I thought you were a Junior," he whispered to him.

"W-Well, I-I was uhm m-moved up," he muttered.

"I know. I remember you telling me. You're the age of a sophomore that got moved up a grade to a Junior," Harry nodded, "but this is a senior class," he told Harry with an amused smile, sounding confused.

Harry just shrugged, "M-Maths is my b-best subj-ject," he said quietly.

"Cool," Louis nodded, looking down at his own work. The class flew by after that, for Louis that is. But Harry couldn't stop thinking about how he was probably going to get beat up right after Maths class, just like always. Like it was a routine. Which to Harry, it was.

The bell rung, making Harry flinch at the sharp sound. He stood up, silently gathering his things. And saw Louis waiting for him. He was grateful, yet fearful of something bad happening.

They walked out of the class, and Harry almost instantly saw Sam, the other kid who beat him up with Zayn. As if on instinct, he whimpered, and shrunk into Louis' side, grabbing his arm tightly as his breathing became uneven with fright.

"What's wrong?" Louis asked.

"S-Sam," he murmured. Louis looked up, seeing the tall muscular boy walking in their direction, glaring at them. "I-I have, n-no, I-I c-can't, o-"

"Hey hey, it's fine. I'm not gonna let him hurt you, okay?" he assured Harry, interrupting his mumbling and grabbing hold of Harry's trembling hand. Harry looked up at him, swallowing and nodded slightly, squeezing Louis' hand a bit tighter. He liked the feeling of Louis' smaller hand holding his larger one tightly, in between them at their sides.

"Fag," Sam growled as he passed them, going to nudge Harry's shoulder, though Louis pulled him to his side, wrapping his arm around him. And he could feel tears well up in his eyes at the two words.

Ugly fag

You're just a damn queer, Harry

No one wants a queer near them

No one loves you

Press your cuts open

Harry screwed his eyes shut, going to reach for his wrist under his sleeve, and he cursed at himself when he felt the bandage in the way. But he had to listen to what they wanted, and he tried to unwrap the bandage a bit.

Louis noticed what Harry was trying to do. And he saw the tears in his eyes. So he quickly grabbed Harry's hands, holding them tightly in his. "Hey, don't do that. Don't take that off. Don't hurt yourself. And don't listen to what he or anyone else says. They're all wrong. They just want to make people miserable instead of themselves. You don't deserve to feel miserable, okay?" he raised his eyebrows, and let go of Harry's hand to wipe away a stray tear before letting his arm fall to his side.

Harry didn't like that. He liked Louis' small hand holding his, and wanted it to hold his again. He didn't want his hand to feel empty like it usually was, because once he felt what it felt like to have his hand held, he wanted it more. "Hey," he muttered mostly to himself, looking down, and reaching for the older boy's hand. Louis smiled at this, and attached his hand to Harrys, giving it a squeeze.

"You like holding my hand don't you, Harry?" Louis smirked, letting an airy laugh out.

Harry blushed madly, looking down at the floor as they started walking, "W-We have g-gym," Harry said quietly, "I-I usually j-just stay in the lib-brary f-for gym but y-you can g-go," Harry told him embarrassedly, stopping before the gymnasium and dropping Louis' hand so he could go in.

Louis nodded. That's why he had never seen him in gym class. He never thought of it, but now he realized it. "I'll go with you," Louis smiled, and headed down the opposite way, towards the library. Harry just stood there, dumbfounded, and didn't realize he was admiring Louis until the older boy stopped and turned around. He sighed and dramatically stomped over to Harry, taking his hand and pulling him down the hall. "Come on, Harry."