𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒔𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉 𝒚𝒐𝒖

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟕

Harry's POV:

Oh, my fucking god, I did NOT just do that... I rub my face in frustration as I look at my bright phone screen. "Anything bothering you Mr. Lewis?" I look up to find my teacher staring at me, then darting his eyes to my phone. I take my phone in my hand and shut it off, hiding it in my hoodie pocket. "No sir, I'll get to work". He stares me up and down before nodding, turning in a swift 180 and walking around the other areas of the classroom. I stare down at my work; Pandora and I were supposed to do this together. I look around me, everyone is in pairs, laughing and working, or just teasing each other in general. I think she'll be absent for the rest of the day, or week.

I mean it is a stressful situation, and I wouldn't know what to do. Thank God I grew up in a stable home; loving parents, obnoxious younger siblings (but I'll always love them). I sigh again, picking up my pen and finishing my work in silence. A string of notifications comes from my phone, and for a second, a glimmer of hope sparked in my eyes, but quickly died when I saw who the notifications are from. They are all discussing about the new FIFA game dropping in the weekend. Quickly putting my phone on silence as I meet eyes with the glaring teacher, I go back to finishing work.

The bell rings and I quickly stand, shoving all my things in my bag before heading out of the classroom, rushing to my locker. I throw my bag in my locker and unlock my phone, debating whether to send Pandora a text or not. My thumb hovers over her contact, but I close my phone and shove it in my pocket. No, I should let her breathe, she's going through a lot. The bell rings loudly, blaring in my ears as I walk to my next class, English Literature.

I arrive to the classroom and awkwardly greet my teacher and sit down in the back of the class. Mrs. Miller starts writing some questions about the poem we're taking as my thoughts race back to Pandora, is she okay? What does her sister think about this whole thing? Who is she moving with? What if she moves in with me? A cough beside me interrupts my thoughts, I quickly turn my head to find Mrs. Miller staring me up and down. I swallow hardly and lazily take my books out of my bag, placing them on my table with a loud thud.

I start to answer some of the questions written on the board onto my notebook. This lesson is longer than usual. I get a notification from my phone, it's the guys. They're trying to plan a time we could skype to film Cards Against Humanity, FIFA, etc. I reply quickly, telling them something came up and I probably won't be able to record today. I closed my phone before they could even answer and silenced it.

1 hour and 45 minutes later, English Literature is done. I yawn from the tiredness and try to massage my cramping hand. My thoughts travel to Mum, Dad, Rosie, and Josh. I haven't even thought of what to tell them. I whipped put my phone and called my Mum. "Harry darling? Why are you calling me at this time? Aren't you at school?" I sigh in relief as she picks up the phone. "Mum, it's been a long and tiring day, could you pick me up? I'll explain it on the way home..." I can practically see her worry and concern, I an also hear her grab her keys. "On my way sweetheart, wait in the office for me." I told her okay and shut off my phone, grabbing onto my bag with such force.

As I walk in the semi-filled halls, I can hear murmurs of Pandora, and how she was walking out with the police officers, rumors spiraling about her, nasty ones as well. "I heard from someone that she got caught doing drugs" "No then why didn't they handcuff her while taking her out of the school" "She was probably violent, so they probably couldn't do anything about it." I clenched my jaw so tightly, my hands forced into fists as I walk to the office.

My anger eventually cooled as I arrived at the office; I told Ms. Grace that my Mum is here to pick me up, and that I'm having a terrible headache. I sat on one of the office seats, my legs jumping up and down as my arms are tightly crossed around my chest. I kept on checking the time, when finally, my Mum arrives, she hugs me tightly, checking my face and body for injuries. "Mum, I'm fine, I'll tell you everything in the car" She nods and grabs my hand, dragging me slightly as we rush to the car. As soon as we enter the car and are buckled into my seat; I don't even wait for my Mum to ask. Mum senses that I'm going to tell her immediately, so she just starts driving.

"Mum, obviously you know Pandora, so yesterday, while she was working in the café, she burned her hand, and she hadn't told her parents about it. I took her to the nurse, and that's where we found bruises, belt marks, you name it, all across her body. And she tried to hide the fact she has any, I told her that it's fine, and I'll help her through everything. So, when she told the nurse, the nurse had to tell the headmaster to call the police." I take a deep breath, trying to calm my nerves slightly.

"That's when the police asked me questions, and I answered them without hesitation. I asked them what would happen to Pandora, and the officer who was asking questions told me that she will stay with someone of her choice, and Evelyn will stay either with her, or with someone else of her choice. And that's until Pandora and her sister will have to go to court against their father." "Wait so you're telling me she was getting abused at home?" "Yes... They will have to contact her mother, and then they'll be under her care. But if her mother is unable to take care of them, they'll have to be in foster care or adoption."

"Oh my God, I don't know what to say" "Me neither, but for now, I just want to be there" Mum nods, agreeing with me. Silence overtakes us for the rest of the journey home, the only sound you can hear is Guernsey roads and my Mum and I's breathing. My phone buzzes in my pocket, and this time, it's finally Pandora, I scrambled to pick up. "Pandora? Are you okay?" My heart is thumping out of my chest. "I'm fine... Where are you?" "On my way home, my Mum picked me up" "Give her the phone".

I give my Mum the phone, mouthing 'Pandora'. Mum quickly takes the phone and puts it close to her eat, "Pandora darling, are you okay? Harry told me everything..." "I'm fine Mrs. Lewis. Could I stay with you for the time being, I mean until I meet my Mum, and obviously finishing this court thing." My leg bounces up and down, and I run my hand through my hair, what did they say to her? Did she contact her Mum? What's her sisters reaction? "Of course, darling" "Thank you so much, could you come down to the station to pick me up and sign some papers?". Mum makes a sharp U-turn and starts to speed up, my head makes contact with the window, but I'm mostly fine. "Of course, darling, we're on our way" she hangs up my phone and hands it to me, now focusing on driving.