Patterns of Blues

Chapter 6

Harry tapped his foot impatiently, stealing glances out the window every few seconds. Across the road was recess for the elementary students, and he was focused on trying to spot his favorite blond head muddled amongst them. The effort was pointless, as no faces could be distinguished from the distance, but he felt obliged to try. He narrowed his eyes in frustration at not being able to spot his brother.

"What are you doing?" Someone breathed from beside him, poking his arm once.

"Nothing, Lou," Harry replied almost snappily, irritated by the interruption. He glanced over and frowned as Louis' smile broadened,

"Doesn't look like nothing to me. Looks like you're trying to plot ways to kill a bunch of seven-year-olds."

"Shut up," Harry grumbled, looking back at their teacher, Mr. Swanson, who was preaching about boring Geography, oblivious to their hushed conversation.

"Hey, I'm just saying how I see it. I'll help you if you need to hide their bodies."

"Dude, I don't want anyone dead," he insisted, annoyance at his classmate growing by the second.

"Alright, alright, calm your tatas, man. I was only messing with you," Louis replied, holding his arms out, gesturing surrender. Harry rolled his eyes before continuing to look out the window, an odd feeling starting to twist around in his stomach. A quiet gasp sounded from next to him,

"Seriously, what are you looking at?"

"Louis, shut up."

"No, I wanna know what's gotten you so interested."

"It's nothing."

"Here we go again," Louis huffed before going quiet. Harry smiled internally, hopeful he would drop it, but was disappointed when he felt another poke at his arm,

"Louis, I mean it," he snapped a little too loudly, catching a couple of odd glances from his classmates and even old Mr. Swanson paused to look at the disruption before clearing his throat and continuing his lecture. He tried to focus on the lesson but sighed quietly when he saw a note being slipped to him from the corner of his eye. He unfolded it and frowned when he read just one word:

Sorry.

Harry glanced over at Louis, who was staring at their teacher, the most focused he's been on school in months, and flipped the paper around and wrote on the back:

It's not you. I'm just worried about my brother.

He slipped the paper back to him, and Louis immediately opened it, care for the lesson all but forgotten.

"Not Liam, right? He can take care of himself," he whispered, confusion apparent on his face. Harry smiled briefly before shaking his head,

"No, my baby brother, Niall."

"Oh." He stated quietly before an appalled expression took over his pointed complexion, "I didn't know you had a baby brother."

"Well, I do."

"I should have known that, being your best friend and all," Louis continued, somehow very bothered by this newfound fact. Oh, Louis, if only you knew what went on in my life, Harry thought sadly, but instead rolled his eyes,

"Who said you're my best friend?"

"Me."

There you have it folks, if Louis says it, it must be true.

"Well, I'm afraid that title's taken." Louis' eyes widened in surprise and glanced around the classroom,

"By whom?"