Chances - 1D KidFic

Mother's Day

"Okay class, our assignment for today is for Mother's Day," the teacher says.

A couple students groan. Zayn's head pops up and he glances nervously at the teacher.

"As we all know, that's on Sunday, and I'm sure your mums are all excited for it. I just think it would be nice for you to have something to give them."

Zayn shifts uncomfortably in his seat. 

The teacher starts passing out some lined paper and card stock paper. 

"I want you to write down all the reasons you love your mum, and that can be in any style you want, a list or a few paragraphs or a poem or an essay. It's up to you. Then I want you to make a card for her. Design it however you like. Maybe put things that she likes on it. For example, my mum loves flowers, so I would decorate mine with flowers. You have the rest of class to work on it and you'll be presenting them in class tomorrow. I'll be walking around. Feel free to ask for help."

Zayn looks down at his blank papers. He looks around at his classmates pulling out their art supplies to work on their cards. 

"What are you gonna put on yours, Zayn?" the girl next to him, Izzy, asks. 

He looks to her, then back down at his desk. "I... I don't know." 

"Well you're really good at drawing, so whatever you put your mum is going to love it. I think I'm going to..." she continues to animatedly tell him her ideas, but Zayn isn't paying attention. He looks around again at everybody excitedly working on this project for their mums and a tear creeps out of his eye. He quickly wipes his eyes and raises his hand as the teacher comes closer. 

"Yes, Zayn."

"Can I go to the loo?"

She looks a little concerned, but decides not to ask while other students are watching. "Yes, take the pass."

Zayn gets up and practically runs out of the room. He locks himself in one of the bathroom stalls and calls Louis.

Louis is in the middle of teaching his beginner piano students a new song when a phone goes off.

"Whose phone is ringing while I'm teaching? You all know the rules," he says.

The class looks around at each other. "I think it's yours, Mr. Tomlinson," one of the students speaks up. 

Louis looks to his desk and sees his phone lighting up. "Okay, you got me on that one." After seeing who it is, he makes a beeline for the door, "I have to take this, keep practicing, Adam is in charge." Groans come from other students who aren't Adam, but Louis doesn't care. "Hello? Zayn?" All that comes through are sniffles and heavy breathing. "Zayn, what's wrong, honey? Are you crying? What happened?" He can hear Zayn trying to speak, but he's too worked up. "Shhh... I need you to calm down so you can talk to me. Shh... It's okay. Do you need me to come? I'm only in the arts building. I can be right there."

"No," Zayn says, though Louis isn't convinced. 

Louis finds one of the choir teachers on break and covers up the phone. "Can you cover my class for me, I have an emergency with my son." The other teacher agrees and Louis heads over to the building for the lower school. "Where are you, darling? Are you in class still?"

"Bathroom. By the stairs."

"Okay, be right there." Louis turns toward the stairs and stops outside the boy's bathroom. "I'm here, but I need you to come out to me. I'm a teacher. I'm not allowed in there." 

A few moments later the door opens and Zayn comes out, face all blotchy and tear stained.

"Oh honey, what happened?" Louis asks as he envelops Zayn in a hug. Zayn just starts crying harder. Louis rubs his back and shushes him. "You're okay. I'm here. I'm here. I've got you." Zayn starts to calm down and Louis takes the opportunity to ask him again. "Can you tell me what happened that's got you all upset?"