Harry paused as they entered the changing rooms, looking at his bag in shock. It's contents littered the floor below, covered in what looked like juice, the homework sheets had been ripped up, along with any other paper in there. The actual bag had been cut up or set on fire or both, and it lay in juice covered piles of material.
"No..." Harry muttered, "no no no no-" He slipped to the ground, "oh my god no-"
"It's just a bag. Stop making such a big deal of things."
"I'm gonna get killed. Shit shit shit." Harry was on the verge of tears now, his bag was ruined, he couldn't afford another, nor did he have enough time to complete the homework again. But worst of all, the money he had been payed this morning from last week was gone.
"Stop being such a baby."
"W-where's my uniform? No, oh my god no-"
"It's literally a bag and a uniform."
"My money's gone, my bag's broken, my uniform's gone and everything else is ripped up or damaged..."
"Okay? Just buy a new bag and uniform."
"I can't!" He cried.
"Woah, calm down. You're going to give yourself a heart attack." Louis frowned, this was the worst he'd ever seen Harry. Usually he just stayed quiet.
"I-I can't...I-I c-can't!"
"You can't what?"
"Any of it!"
"Look, it's just a bag and uniform. You can easily buy a new one, and who cares about homework. And with your money can't you just earn it back? I'm sure it wasn't much."
Harry took a deep breath, "I can't afford it. I can't fucking afford it. And I'll get a detention and then I'll have to miss work and...and my money, it was all of last week's wages."
Louis felt a wave of guilt wash over him. Zayn had taken it too far. "You work two jobs don't you? Surely that means you have more money."
"I work two jobs because I have no money!"
"Alright, calm down. Just explain to the teachers that your bag got ruined or something for your homework. There's not much I can do about the money, but explain to your uncle what happened. Surely he'll understand."
"No. He won't understand. He's going to fucking kill me." Harry panicked.
"Look, I'm sure I have an old bag you can have. I don't know about the uniform though. You're taller than me so you can't have my old one."
"It's so expensive." He sobbed, "I don't know what I'm going to do..."
"Do you want to come back to mine? We still need to finish that project...oh, it's been extended until next Friday."
"I can't oh my god-"
"Calm the fuck down! You're literally not breathing. And you're shaking loads bloody hell. Wait are you having a panic attack or something?"
Harry nodded, yanking at his hair as he gasped for air.
"Stop." Louis pulled his hand away, "just follow my breathing. Come on, in for 4, hold for 7, and out for 8."
He soon calmed down but he was still shaking. "I need to go home and tell him what's happened."
"Are you sure you don't want to come over?"
"I can't, I need to tell him." Harry stood up. There was nothing left of his bag to take.
"I'll drive you."
"Y-you can drive?"
"Got my license a couple of months ago. You're not well enough to walk back."
"My phone..." He spotted the cracked phone in the corner under the bench. There was no way that would work anymore, "o-oh my god..."
"Look, I'm going to take you home."
//
"H-here will be fine thanks." Harry said quietly, not wanting Louis to see the state of his house.
"Alright. Well, see you tomorrow."
"Yeah, bye."
He walked up to his door slowly, scratching at his scars until they reopened. He took a few seconds to muster up the courage before walking inside.
"What are you doing back so early?" John snarled.
"I-I n-need to talk to you."
"Well go on then."
"M-my money was stolen and my phone and bag are broken and I don't know where my uniform is-" He rushed out.
"What the fuck do you mean!? How much fucking money was that!?"
"£250..." He whispered.
"You lost fucking 250 quid, your fucking phone, bag and uniform!? You're so fucking worthless!"
"I-I'm sorry, I-I didn't m-mean to, I swear-"
"I don't care, all you ever do is make trouble. You need to learn that people like you shouldn't have any rights!" He slapped Harry, holding him up against the wall by his neck.
"C-can't b-breathe!" He choked out as tears streamed down his face.
"Good! That'll fucking teach you! I'll deal with you tomorrow." He pushed him to the floor, Harry's head knocking against the cabinet, causing him to immediately pass out.
//
"Zayn, what the fuck man!?" Louis hissed as he's pulled Zayn aside the next day.
"Pretty funny, don't ya think?" He smirked.
"No! It's not. He's got no bag or uniform or phone and you took all his fuckin' money! How much even was there?"
"Like £250. It's mental. He must be minted."
"You need to give it back."
"Can't."
"What do you mean, you can't?" Louis spat.
"I've spent it all."
"All of it? What the fuck on?"
"Weed, you can come over and have some later."
"Honestly Zayn. You need to find a way to give it back. He literally had a panic attack yesterday because of what you did."
"Well he needs to get over himself, it's not even like it was a good phone and he can buy another bag and uniform easily."
"No he can't!" Louis sighed loudly, "he can't afford it."
"Nah you're joking. He's not that poor. Did you listen when I said he had 250 quid in his bag?"
"That was his money from working last week. He works because he needs the money."
"Whatever, it's not like he can't just go to work this week. And I'll give his uniform back if it's that big of a deal."
"Yes, it is."
"Is he even in?"
"I don't know. I haven't seen him."
"What a fairy."
Louis rolled his eyes, walking to his first class.