Redemption [h.s]

thirty-three

"You seem nervous" Harry said while we were walking.

"Nah, why would I be?" I rhetorically asked, putting the bag on my shoulder more comfortably.

He gave me a fast glance, but said nothing.

"I'm a bit worried about Niall and Liam" I partially gave in, sighing.

"Why?"

"They're kind of doing a mess, and I don't really know how to help them. They keep doing the same mistake but like, they aren't even sorry. I don't know what to do."

"Then maybe they don't want to be helped" he suggested.

"What do you mean?"

"I've worked as a teacher for a few years, and I've come to realise that you can't help who doesn't want to be helped, even if you think they're doing the wrong thing."

"Did it happen often to you?" I asked curiously.

"Kind of" he said, "There was this boy, he was failing all his classes. You know, just the usual boy who didn't care about school. I spent so many hours of my free time trying to help him unsuccessfully. Once, a few days before a test, I summed up the latest lessons on a few papers, to help him study for it. I really wanted him to do good, and I knew he had listened to none. He tore them to pieces and threw them in the bin right in front of me." He chuckled at the memory.

"That's so mean" I replied with a little smile, "Had you spent a long time making them?"

"Just the night before." He shrugged it off. "It just seems so irrelevant now."

"How did it end?"

"I think his mother might've given him an ultimatum or something, because one day he came to me asking for help" he replied, "I don't know how it ended, though. I helped him for a few months, but then all that mess happened, and I left."

"Doesn't the new teacher give you the tests to correct?"

"Only sometimes, and only some" he said, "His never happened to be one of them."

"Can't you ask about him or something?"

"I could, but I'm scared they'll tell me his grades dropped again, or that he stopped going to school" he admitted, "It would be my fault if he had."

"It wouldn't" I replied, touching his hand.

"He asked for my help, didn't he? I'm afraid I've let him down."

"Don't say that, I'm sure you haven't. Things just spiralled out of control."

"I guess."

"Wait here for a second, I'll be fast" I said once we reached the house, "I just need to get my car keys."

"I know, you told me when I decided to come with you" he said, leaning against the wall anyway.

I rang the doorbell twice, hoping someone would've opened the door. They eventually did, and I walked up fast.

"Hey Liam" I said as soon as I reached his floor, seeing that he was leaning against the opened door.

"Did you come here for these?" He asked, playing with something in his hand that looked like my keys.

"I did, I forgot them here a few days ago. Thank you."

"Wanna come in?" He offered.

"I would, but Harry's waiting for me outside" I replied, taking the keys.

"So is everything fixed between you two?" He asked, curious.

"Pretty much" I replied, "I really need to go. It's getting quite late and I don't really like the thought of him standing outside all alone."