Two weeks later, school was back in session, but as soon as Harry walked through the doors, he could feel how different things were now. Louis stood with Harry, holding onto his hand tightly. The library was closed, leaving a grim reminder of how many lives had been lost in just one room.
13 deaths, 11 students and 2 teachers. 4 injured, 4 students.
"I'm leaving at lunch..." Harry said quietly as they started climbing the stairs.
"Okay," Louis nodded his head softly. "Do you want me to come over after? I have last block spare again..."
"Yeah," Harry nodded, chewing on his bottom lip softly, stopping at his locker. "Are you gonna be okay?"
Louis nodded his head softly, waiting while Harry slowly got his books out. Louis had practically numbed himself out to the whole thing, looking at the library and losing all feeling.
"I'll be fine..."
"Louis..." Harry murmured softly, looking at a couple people who walked by before turning to his boyfriend with his books held against his chest.
"Harry, we're not the only ones who went through this..." he said softly.
"I know, but you were right there in the library..." Harry responded, adjusting his books in his arms.
"I'll see you when I get to your place okay?" Louis gave a soft smile, leaning up to kiss Harry's cheek. "Be safe."
"You too," Harry nodded his head, leaning into the kiss before they went their separate ways.
As Harry walked to his first class, he noticed how quiet the hallways were. Everyone was only really talking to friends and when Harry got to his actual class, there was not much conversing. Everyone was sitting in their seats quietly, and Harry did the same.
The teacher stood up out of his chair and stood in front of the class, clearing his throat. "Welcome back everyone, I know that today's going to be a hard day, but we do need to get back into the course material. At any time, if any of you need to go and talk to someone, there will be counselling down in the counsellors office," he explained solemnly before going into the course.
It was a light work load today, but Harry couldn't seem to focus. Louis sat in his classroom and listened to the substitute teacher. His original teacher had been one of the two teachers to lose their life and it was hard to sit in class knowing that he would never see her again.
Louis kept zoning out, struggling to pay attention to anything the sub was talking about. The longer he sat there, the longer he wondered if he should be staying here at all. When there was a short break in the lesson, he pulled his phone out and sent a text to his mum.
'I need to leave at lunch..'
And then he sent one to Harry.
'I'm coming with you at lunch.'
Harry responded first.
'okay, I'll meet you by the front door x'
And then his mum about ten minutes later.
'I'll call you in x'
Thinking and doing are completely different things. When Louis thought he could stay for the whole day, he didn't realize how hard it would be, not only on him, but lots of students as well. Now he just had to wait for the lunch bell.
