Oh To Be a Bird at Sea

two

Louis is indifferent about school, he always has been. He never wants to get up in the morning and make his way into the building, but once he's there he doesn't feel like packing everything back up and booking it out of there.

He doesn't mind the atmosphere, always has been more of a people watcher. All of his bullies stopped once they realized they wouldn't get a reaction from Louis, they don't need to know that Louis would go home and cry silently into his pillow whenever they would call him cruel names or trip him in the hallways.

It wasn't even the words and actions that got to him, it was the embarrassment of everyone watching him get made fun of, and him just sitting there and taking it. Luckily, by the time he was 15, it had all subdued and now no one really talks to him. Besides Liam, who only talks to Louis during their history class, he doesn't really have anyone.

He wouldn't consider Liam an actual friend, more like a school acquaintance that you only talk to because you are seated next to each other in some random class. Louis' okay with that, he doesn't find himself too lonely, perfectly fine to remain secluded.

One class that does make him want to pack up his bags and get out of there as quick as possible though, is math. Math has always been Louis' worst class and it's always the one that his parents are fussing over. They tried getting him a tutor once, but Louis was too shy to actually participate and whenever he got a questions wrong he felt like crying on the spot.

Luckily, this year he sits alone in the back row of the classroom, only one other kid is in the row and he sits on the opposite side, taking the opportunity to sleep. Unluckily, he has this class every day since it's his lunch period, Louis actually cried when he got his schedule this year.

Louis doesn't sleep during math, which would be surprising considering how much he doesn't learn. He likes to sit alone so that no one can watch him struggle over every single problem that the teacher gives and so that if he gets so frustrated that he feels overwhelmed he can just put his head down for a second and breathe.

Like right now, his head is rested on top of his folded hands. It's only 30 minutes into class, but his morning wasn't the best and he doesn't even want to attempt math today.  His rest is interrupted by the door opening, Louis lifts up his head to see someone walking into the classroom.

Louis recognizes him as Harry. Harry Styles, he thinks. Louis' known of Harry, seeing as they've been going to the same for school since they were 12, and, Louis is an observer. Harry always walks with confidence, he has a good group of friends, he's not the most popular boy in school but you can tell that he's surrounded himself with people that he enjoys. Harry's on the basketball team, although Louis' only been to one of the games so he isn't sure how good at it he is.

"Sorry for interrupting, Mrs. Wilson." He says once he has closed the door behind him.  He talks with such ease and with a confident smile on his face that makes Louis jealous. Louis sighs and looks back to his paper.

"Oh, it's okay Harry. Come in." Mrs.Wilson replied, motioning Harry in. "This class is pretty full so you'll have to pick a seat in the back row, if that's okay."

That gets Louis' attention, and his head pops back up. There are two seats between him and the other kid in the row, so there is a 50-50 chance that Harry will sit next to him. Louis looks back down at his paper when Harry assures the teacher that it's fine and turns towards the back of the classroom. He wonders why Harry is even here? Did he switch classes? Louis fidgets with his fingers until he hears the chair next to him get pulled out.

Louis sighs and lifts up his head, looking over at the desk next to him. Which is now being sat in by Harry Styles.

Harry makes eye contact with Louis, but before Louis can freak out, Harry smiles and nods before looking away and pulling a notebook out of his backpack.