Class of '19 (A Steps School AU)

15 - Tears

Sorry, this chapter's a bit depressing all the way through...

Faye's point of view
For once Lisa was on time leaving her house, but as she did I noticed something strange about her. She was normally joyous and excited, not so much for school as for spending time with her friends, but today she seemed sadder than normal. I didn't ask, she'd tell me what was up when she was ready (and if not I'd ask her later on), I just hugged her instead.
"It's okay Lise. It'll be fine." I said to her.
She sighed. "Not technically." She said, her breaths heavy as she pressed her face closer into my shirt. She didn't say anything else, just pulled away from me and wiped her hand across her face. "We should go get the bus." She told me.
I nodded. She knew I'd ask what was up later, when I was more sure something was, indeed, up, but I could already tell it wasn't a matter that we couldn't hug her and it would all be made better. It might just be she was scared about having an injection today (we had to have the silly one that all girls are meant to have). We hadn't been friends last April when we'd been given the first of the two, but even I'd found out after that she hated injections. I'd taken pity on her and I'd been one of the popular girls; if I hadn't of been she'd certainly have won herself a hug.

On the bus journey, she was uncharacteristically quiet the whole way. I was worried about her and I couldn't focus on my music. I took my earphone out and looked at her. "Okay Lise, what's wrong lovely?" I asked her.
She sighed and shook her head. "I'll tell you about it when we get to school, only because I know I'll need a hug when I do." Lisa replied, wiping her eyes.
I nodded. "That's okay." I slipped my arm round her for comfort and she flashed me a weak smile. I put my headphone back in and we stayed like that the rest of the way to school.

When we got to school Lisa and I headed over to where we normally sat and she looked at me. I looked at Lisa. She took a deep breath, slipped the strap of her bag over her head, ditched it on the table and sat herself down next to me. I set my bag down too and smiled at her.
"Whenever you're ready." I said to her.
She looked at me, took another deep breath. "You remember when we were little my grampie got ill and was in hospital?" She asked.
I nodded. "Oh no, he's not..." I said to her, remembering what I could of that time.
She nodded "Yeah. He's ill again. And he's never going to get better." She pressed herself up against me and I slipped my arms back round her.
"Awh Lisie. It's alright you've got us, and you've always got me to hug you."
She nodded and rubbed her face. "I'll be fine." She said. "Its just the shock I think." She added.
I nodded and carried on hugging her anyway.
Before I could think of any other way to try and cheer Lisa up, H arrived, Claire chasing him across the hard play, causing me to laugh and, even though she was still crying, Lisa couldn't help but giggle. "If you'd like to actually wait for me H!" She called, dodging round boys playing basketball.
"Oh shit sorry Clara." He replied, standing in the middle of a game.
"Fucking hilarious." Claire said as she joined him. She grabbed him by the strap of his bag and dragged him the rest of the way over to us.
"Welshcake are you okay?" H asked her as he saw she'd been crying.
She nodded and forced a smile. Claire just sat down next to her, and put her arm round Lisa's back. I smiled at her and H sat on the end of the bench dejected.

As Lee crossed the hard play he waved at me, then stopped when he saw Lisa had been crying.
"What's up with her? Wait is it injection day?" He asked.
Claire groaned and I felt her hand move as she shivered. "Oh don't mention that, I'm not in the mood to be stabbed with needles."
"It's fine." Lisa said to him, forcing a smile. "See I'm okay."
Lee glanced at me and we exchanged a look of knowing. He knew how hard it was to get Lisa to talk about her feelings, but he also knew better than to push it.
"Claire you never did tell us why you were in hospital before you came here." I said, finally processing what Claire had said.
She went pale at the thought. "Just some silly injuries that's all."
I bit my lip and concluded that Lisa wasn't the only person in the group trying to hide something.