bravery.

Chapter 10

"One more year. One more year til we're out of this place." Groans Harry as he pulls up to the school. We quickly park and get out of the car. I throw my book bag over my shoulder and adjust my cannula as we start the walk up to the school. I look around at the sea of board seniors, terrified freshman, and everything inbetween. I remember how I felt when I first started highschool. It was absolutely horrifying. Harry knocks me out of my train of thought when he grabs my hands and interlocks our fingers. I smile over at him and he gives my hand a quick squeeze.

"They're cold." He smiles.

"Under-oxygenated." I grin and correct him, just like the first time he ever held my hand. He brings it up to his lips and kisses it quickly.

"I love your under-oxygenated hands."

"Well, I love your normally-oxygenated hands." I grin, and we continue our walk up to the school. When we enter, I see more of the same. High schoolers every where. Gag. Harry is greeted by a swarm of the most idolised kids in school, all of whom eye our intertwined fingers, but none of them mention it, and Harry doesn't let go, which makes me happy.

"Hey, Liam!" I call, as I see his familiar face across the hall. He looks towards me and smiles, then shuts his locker and finds his way towards me.

"Lou!" he grins as he approaches me. "How was your summer?"

"It was... Good and bad." I say and smile. I see Liam notice that Harry's right next to me and he looks slightly intimidated, as Harry was about as horrible to him as he was to me, if not worse, because he knows Liam isn't as breakable as I am. "You?" I ask as soon as I notice his eyes trail down to our hands. I would like to avoid questions, even though I know Liam wouldn't ask with Harry right beside me.

"It was- good." He says and smiles. "Have you seen Niall?"

I shake my head. "He's always late though."

"What's your first class, Lou?" I hear Harry's voice say as he turns his attention from the guy he was talking to to me. "Oh. Didn't realise you were talking to someone." He says, and stares dead into Liam's eyes.

"It's trig." I answer, ignoring his usual Harry-ness. He keeps his eyes on Liam's but nods.

"Mine too." He squeezes my hand before letting go, then finally tears his stare away from Liam.

"What is going on here?" Asks Liam quietly.

"Um- it's hard to explain."

"Why were you holding hands? And where's your beanie?"

"I lost it." I say and nod.

"I'm so sorry, Lou." He frowns.

"It's fine. I need to learn that- I still have the memory of my dad. Not just the hat." I force a smile.

"How did you lose it?"

"I woke up one morning and it was just gone. Harry and I looked everywhere for it but-"

"Harry and you?" he cuts me off.

"Um-"

"That brings us back to the first question, why were you holding hands, and when were you with him to search for it?"

"Well, as you know, mum died and I had no where to stay. So Harry's mum offered to take me in and um- now we're together."

"Together? You mean like-"

"Yes, that's what I mean."

"Oh." Says Liam, looking confused. The bell signalling that class starts in 5 minutes rings and everyone scurries in different directions.

"Let's go, Lou." Says Harry, grabbing my hand again. "If you'll excuse us, Liam."

"By Li." I smile as Harry drags me away. "You know, you scare the crap out of him, Harry."

"I know." He says. "I like it that way."

"Look, please be nice to my friends, Harry." I say, and he groans.

"What's the fun in that?"

"Come here." I pull him aside so we don't cause a traffic jam. "You haven't been on the receiving end of that. And I can't describe to you the way it makes you feel about yourself. It makes you feel worthless, like you don't have a purpose here. It makes you want to die. So to you, it may be just a good laugh, but not to them. Words hurt, Harry. And not everyone is as tough as you are. The words you and your friends said to me put me in a very dark place for a very long time, and Liam was there too. So be careful what you say, because you can cause someone to end their life a lot easier than you think you can."

"I- I made you want to kill yourself?" he says quietly.

"Just- be nice to people."

"Answer me, did I make you want to kill yourself?" he looks extremely concerned, even on the verge on tears.

"Yes." I whisper.

"Louis- I had no idea, if I had I would have stopped immediately, I'm so sorry, so so sorry, please forgive m-"

"Harry. Stop. Just promise me that you'll be nice to everyone from now on. Okay?"

"Okay. I promise. I love you so much. God, I don't deserve you. What did I do to deserve you?"

"You make me happy." I say softly. "You're so much more than you show on the outside, Harry. You're so sweet, you just have to let down your barrier."

"I wish it was that easy." He says, and wraps his arms around my waist, pulling me into a hug and I wrap my arms around his neck. The bell rings suddenly and we pull back. "Damn it, now we're late."