Boys Divisional School of Manners

Chapter 70

Harry

Waking up to the smell of bacon is truly one of life's pleasures. Except when you live with Louis and worry for the state of the kitchen every time the stove is turned on.

Knowing he's only trying to make my sister feel welcomed, I decide to get out of bed (begrudgingly) and join him downstairs.

Except, halfway down the stairs I realize he's not alone. I hear both his laugh and Gemma's laugh and my first thought is how long have they both been up?

"Morning!" Louis chirps from where he's sat at the kitchen island, tea cup in hand. Gemma seems to be cooking up a breakfast storm as she always does, as I look over the table adorned with pancakes, eggs, fruit, and now the final touch of bacon.

"Didn't I tell you it would be the bacon?" Gemma says to Louis and they share a quiet chuckle at my expense.

I roll my eyes and grab a pancake from the plate, taking a bite of it instead of thinking of a retort to her.

"Louis was telling me about your guys' plans to visit his family over the Christmas break. Which I thought is lovely. Are you going to visit mum?" She asks, almost with a hesitance to bring it up.

"We just did. And in case you forgot, did not exactly go well." I mumble, avoiding eye contact at all costs.

Not going well was an understatement. Crashing in a flaming inferno is more like it. Louis getting punched, all the memories of being back, my asshole friends... Dee. Ugh. Some things you can never get back.

I want to stay as far away from my hometown as possible. That's not who I am anymore.

"Well maybe Anne and Robin could come over here." Louis suggests softly, and without even looking to him I can tell his eyes are examining me apprehensively.

I shrug, "I guess. Gemma's already here."

I don't really want to think about a family get together. It was bad enough to spend two days at Louis', now to think we're going to host my family? Ugh.

"Well no sense getting in a huff now." Gemma calls out my mood, "We don't even know if they're free."

I roll my eyes, "I'm not in a mood Gemz. I'm tired. There's a difference."

I join Louis to sit at the kitchen island bar, immediately going to grab a banana from the fruit bin. Louis' arm rests on the back of my chair and I take a deep breath to remind myself not to let the little things get to me.

"I did have a fruit salad already made." Gemma notes, making me groan.

"Should we eat then? You ready?" I ask and I know my tone is not pleasant.

In a few moments everyone has helped shuffled everything to the table and taken their seats. Gemma sitting across from me, with Louis at the head of the table.

Credits to my sister, the food looks delicious. And for once I didn't have to cook it for it to be so.

"So." I start, not really patient enough to wait much longer, "Should we talk about why you're here?"

Gemma's chewing stops and it looks like all of a sudden the food in her mouth became repulsive. Forcing herself to swallow her bite, she finally picks up her head with a plastered smile.

"I just needed some space." She tries to send me looks of empathy, as if I should know what she means. But we have not been on the same life paths.

"Well we can only extend this gratitude for so long, unless there's a good enough reason."

"Harry!" Louis quips, "That's not true. You're welcome as long as you need." He says gently, placing a hand on top of Gemma's before giving me a look close to a glare, "I'm sure we all know what it's like to feel out of place. Wouldn't it have been nice for you to have a place to go?"

I hold Louis's gaze, challenging him in his ideas. But when he doesn't falter, and in fact only raises an eyebrow at my stance, I back down with a sigh.

"Fine."

The rest of breakfast continues with a lull and I feel like I'm mainly an eavesdropper in their conversation. They talk about how similar they are in age, and how school has been going for them. Of course Gemma speaks modestly about excelling in her studies, and Louis manages to play his part of a Uni student.

They turn out to share a love for winter. Which bugs me that Gemma found that out about Louis within hours of speaking with him.

It hasn't snowed quite yet here. Anything that has, hasn't stuck to the ground officially. With the new knowledge of Louis' love for snow and hot chocolate, I make a mental note to not be so grumpy when we do go out in that weather.

I'm more of a summer person. Sue me.

After cleaning up breakfast, Liam and Niall come over to drop off Louis' birthday presents and our Christmas presents. There was an awkward shuffle of "Don't open these yet." When they noticed Gemma was here.

Niall only laughed of course, telling Gemma how much we look alike, and that it was nice to meet her.

"I thought you weren't close with your family?" Niall questions as we take the presents upstairs.

I shrug, "I'm not. She called me in a panic last night. She hasn't told us why though."

Niall nods, helping me settle the presents in front of the window in our room.

He takes a deep breath as if it were hard work and puts his hands on his hips, "So you really are settled into this room then?"

"No." I state quickly, then when I realize it's Niall I breakdown, "I mean, maybe... things are better."

"Good. Have you guys fucked yet?"

"Niall!" I hush him and look to see if anyone was out in the hallway.

"I wanted to for his birthday," I tell him honestly, "But now that my sister is here I'm not sure."

Niall nods, his lips moving side to side in deep thought. "You could just not give a fuck?"

For a moment I wait for his laugh, to tell me he was in fact joking. But when it doesn't come, I roll my eyes, "C'mon... our first time needing to be quiet because my sister is here?"

"You could get a hotel, and say it was already planned to be a guys thing. That would give you an excuse, and a hotel room." He suggests with a raised brow and suggestive look.

That is a good idea.

"I'll look into it. I'm low on money."

It's not exactly the best feeling to be low on money and be wanting to go all out for someone's birthday. I've always made do, but I've never had anyone I've wanted to impress like Louis.

"Ask Louis for some. Explain the idea. Don't tell him anything about sex of course, just say you want the night alone." Niall offers.

"I'll think about it."

"Okay. Either way though, we're all still having drinks tomorrow?"

I give his shoulder a light push, "The fucking Irish. Of course we are. Except no weird shit, my sister is going to be here."

"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. I'm going to tell Louis you called it weird shit. You know the number one rule is no judging." Niall tuts with a cross of his arms and a playful look on his face.

"And I'm going to tell your Daddy, you swore." I argue back.

He only laughs out loud, "If Louis heard you say that word, he'd faint."

Niall leaves the room, still in a fit of laughter and I'm left standing there with the thoughts of what word exactly. Daddy? For Louis? I don't think so.

oOoOo

A double update? After years without? Oh my gosh it's like I missed this.

All your love on the last chapter, really made me so happy! I missed you guys!

PS next chapter will be longer, I just thought two short ones would be okay if they were in the same night (;