Frame of Hearts - l.s.

Chapter Twenty Four

He wakes the next morning alone. He showers alone. He eats a quarter of his breakfast alone. He walks to the bus stop alone. He's met with Harry.

He grins immediately and runs to hug him, kissing at his neck and holding his best friend tight. The night without him was lonely and Louis just wants to get to school to keep Harry to himself. There's no other place Louis can be alone with Harry freely without the littlest bit of worry about getting in trouble.

"How'd you sleep last night?" Harry asks. Louis shrugs and keeps his head against Harry's chest, not caring about anything in the world but his arms around Harry and Harry's arms around himself. Harry kisses his scalp and enjoys the company.

The bus comes moments later and both step onto it and head to their own seats at the back. Harry has his back rested against the window and Louis is sitting in his lap, both their legs spread out and Harry's arms around Louis' waist. Louis is playing with his fingers and he's so, so glad Louis is letting Harry do this. Harry doesn't give fuck all about the rumours which may circulate him. He has his fists, and his back up - Liam. Louis really likes that.

Arriving at school, Louis clings to Harry as they walk through the corridors to meet with Zayn and Liam flirting it up at the lockers. They all greet each other with hello's, and as the usual, Liam walks off with a small wave to the lads, leaving Zayn, Harry and Louis to chat amongst themselves.

Normal classes are done through to lunch time, the usual bullying, the many spitballs in Louis' hair, the name calling, the lot. He leaves his Maths class to see Harry at the opposite end of the corridor. Both smile and walk out together for lunch, sitting with Zayn and Liam.

All of them eat, except Louis. This has been a pattern and Harry thinks that maybe Louis is embarrassed to eat in front of people. Louis is sitting on his phone and not caring about a thing in the world. Harry drops out of Zayn and Liam's conversation about the past weekend and taps at Louis' thigh, earning his quiet attention.

"Lou," Harry says, "are you eating, love?"

Louis shakes his head. He needs an excuse. "I didn't pack lunch with me today."

And of course Harry brings up a solution. "Here." He pulls out his container full of food - apples, a banana, the other half of Harry's sandwich. He gives it all to Louis. "Take it, you need to fill your tummy, Boo."

Once again, Louis shakes his head and declines the offer. "I'm not really that hungry."

Harry frowns. "Do you want to talk about it after school?"

"Talk about what after school?"

"You've been like this for a week, Lou. You're not eating at school, and you're rejecting food. Is there something wrong? Are you just--"

"I just don't feel like eating," Louis tells. Harry leaves it from there.

Art class is last for Louis. He walks with Harry down the corridors to the art rooms, and he's soon tripped by one of the seniors. Louis falls, and Harry soon has the guy up against the locker with a menacing glare.

"How about you fucking leave him alone--"

Louis looks from the floor. Harry's about to break a promise. "Harry!" Louis screams. "Harry, no."

Harry stares down at Louis, and he realizes. He steps away from the senior, but not softening his death glare to the attacker. Harry drops down to pick Louis up and walks with him to class as a bodyguard. They don't speak of the encounter on the way, and Harry kisses Louis' temple before letting him run into class. Harry dashes away to his health class with the ever-growing worry of Louis being hurt.