365 Letters To You || Larry Stylinson

|Chap. 2|

💫|HARRY'S POV|💫

January 5, 2:43 p.m.

"Your total is three-fifty, love." I tell the child, the big cheesecake being sat beside me. He places the money in my hand and I slide the cake in front of him with a smile as he gives me a polite thank you. I watch as he walks out of the bakery and a sigh falls from my lips.

I've worked as this bakery for about two years now. It wasn't exactly a dream job, but I liked it here. It was much better than being at school, or at home. At home, my parents are horrifying with their heavy drinking and always caused a fight. At school you only get teased more because of the bruises on your face and the way your parents are. Kids can be so cruel. Being here at this bakery makes everything seem so normal. Here, everyone is smiling, everyone is polite, and no one is dangerously intoxicated. Here, I feel like people care about me. Like Barbara. Barbara was the owner of this bakery, the nicest elderly woman a person could ever meet. She was aware of certain things that were occurring at home. She knew of my mum's drug addiction. Though she offered to take things into her own hands legally, I refused. She already has her son living with her, who is about the same age as Jack, I don't want to burden her. Instead, every weekend, she bakes me special cookies herself, just for me to have at home and never fails to comfort me and open her home to me time and time again. Barbara is the sweetest woman and I am more than grateful to have her in my life.

The bell attached to the door dings, signaling someone has walked in. I look up and see a guy I met months before. His black jacket is unzipped with his white tee showing and his jeans rolled up, revealing his ankles. He flashes a smile when he sees me, walking over to the counter where I'm stood. I give him a smile as well. He always brightens my day and he doesn't even have to try.

"I'll be out of here in about fifteen minutes." I tell him. My shift was almost over, a younger aid will take my place soon for Barbara. The guy, Louis, leans against the counter and looks at me, a smile still clear on his face.

"Do you have all of your things? I have my mum's car that she let me borrow." He says. Louis had found out about my situation at home as well, without my telling him. He walked into my house during one of my parents brawls and found me trying to break it up. I hadn't noticed Louis was there until he was by my side after Jack knocked me to the floor. Since then he had been begging me to leave the house, offering his home to me as well. I rejected until he got his mother involved. Apparently she had no tolerance for domestic violence after she went through it herself. She gave me the guest room in the house, telling me to stay until I graduate school and head to college, promising to take care of the legal necessities. I am grateful for her as well.

"Oh yeah, they're in the back. It's not much, just a few boxes." I tell him. He nods and look towards the back.

"Am I allowed to go back there?" He asked me. I take a look at Barbara who walks through the door. She looks up when she sees Louis standing there.

"Hi, love. Are you Harry's friend?" She asked, pushing her reading glasses up the bridge of her nose. I watch as Louis gives her a wide smile.

"Yes, I'm here to pick up his things if that's okay? Is it okay if I run to the back to grab his boxes?" He says. Being the kind woman that Barbara is, she says yes and Louis gives a small thanks as he runs to the back room. She turns to me with a smile.

"Such a nice boy." She sets the book in her hands down on the counter and rests her elbow on it.

"I'm really proud of you for getting up enough courage to leave that place and going to live with someone as thoughtful and caring as Louis. I know his mother is going to take great care of you. It's a big step to something different, but it's about time that you find something for you to make you happy." She says to me.