No judgement

6

Harry walked over to the classroom where detention was held after his school day ended. He had texted Amelia earlier and explained the situation and she had replied that she was glad that he stood up for a vulnerable kid. Harry wouldn't go as far as to call this Tommo vulnerable and he didn't seem glad for the help whatsoever.

He walked into the classroom and looked around. The place was crowded. Either everyone in this school was troublemakers or the staff really liked to give the students detention. The only seat not taken was next to Tommo. Harry walked over and sat down.
"Hi."

"It's my savior!" The boy snorted, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

"It looked like you needed help." Harry replied, feeling a bit hurt by his attitude.

"I don't. Next time stay out of it, okay?" Tommo said and glared at him.

"I just thought you could need a friend." Harry answered with a shoulder shrug.

"I don't need friends." Tommo snorted.

"Everybody needs friends." Harry answered softly.

"They just leave you." Tommo muttered.

"Someone left you? I'm sorry." Harry said and looked at him.

Tommo gave him a once-over.
"You kind of remind me of him a little. Maybe that's why I don't like you." He huffed.

The teacher that was in charge of detention showed up so they stopped talking. Not that Harry had anything else to say. Why would he talk to someone who didn't like him?

He sighed and got his math book out. Ten minutes later he glanced over at Tommo. He was just sitting there, staring blankly out the window. Harry focused on his math book instead. At least he had tried. He couldn't force someone to be his friend.

Amelia picked him up after school and had exciting news. Troy had asked her out on a date. They spent the car ride home talking about what she should wear.

Harry cooked them all dinner. They all complimented his food as they sat down to eat together. Harry really liked to live in the commune. They were all great people and they had all taken him to their hearts.

He helped to wash up after dinner and then Steve and Alex asked him if he wanted to learn more about their crops so he followed them outside and listened to them talking for an hour about how to grow things. He went to bed feeling good about his day. That was a new feeling.

Four weeks went by and Harry actually liked school. His new friends had a lot to do with it. They never gave him a hurtful comment about his colorful outfits and if someone else tried they shut them down immediately. He felt accepted for the first time in years.

On Friday after school, the guys came over to hang out. They were all camped out in his living room area eating chips and discussing girls. Harry didn't have anything to add to the conversation but he hummed and laughed at the right places. Niall turned to him and smiled.
"What kind of girls do you like?"

Liam and Zayn exchanged a look.
"Niall..." Liam said in a warning tone.

"What? That's not a weird question." Niall said, looking absolutely clueless.

"Ehm, someone who's funny, someone who's a nice person and has a nice smile. Obviously, if you could hold a conversation with hi...them, that helps." Harry answered uncomfortably.

"Oh, come on! That wasn't much to go on. What should she look like? You must have a type." Niall continued, completely oblivious of the tension in the room.

"Niall, you're making him uncomfortable. Let's just talk about something else." Zayn pleaded this time.

Niall looked like a question mark.
"Why am I making him uncomfortable? Harry?"

Harry took a deep shaky breath. He felt sorry for Niall. He had to tell them. He just hoped that they would still be his friends afterward.
"Ehm, Niall, I don't like girls. I mean, I like them, but not like that." He confessed and looked around at them with big eyes, afraid that they would lash out at him.

Liam and Zayn smiled but Niall still looked confused.
"What do you mean?" His eyes grew wide when it finally sunk in. "Oh! You're gay? That's cool!"

"We don't mind." Liam hurried to chip in.

"Absolutely not. Thanks for telling us, Harry." Zayn said reassuringly.

Niall looked miserable.
"I'm so sorry Harry. I should have never just assumed that you like girls."

"It's okay Niall. So you're all okay with it? You still want to be friends with me?" Harry asked in an insecure voice and looked around at the boys.

"Of course Harry. We don't care." Liam smiled.

"We sort of already suspected it. It's cool, really." Zayn admitted.

Niall threw himself at Harry and hugged him. Harry hugged him back with a dimpled smile on display. He was truly happy. Niall sat back again and looked like he was thinking really hard.
"So that changes things. Come on, guys! Do we know any gay guys Harry can date? Or bi? Or pan?" Niall asked, sounding super excited.

"Well, Tom..." Zayn started off but Harry interrupted him.

"I'm not looking for a date right now. I just wanna focus on our last year, you know? No distractions."

"Boring! Just let us know if you change your mind." Niall grinned.

"Thanks. You're really sweet all of you. Come on! We're gonna make tacos!" Harry smiled and got up and walked over to his pantry that he had stocked the day before.

Niall let out a squeal and came running. Harry put them all into work and half an hour later they sat down to eat.

They spent the rest of the evening watching movies before Niall's mum came and picked them up. Harry went into the house to hang out with the commune and ended up jamming with Mitch and Sarah. He went to bed at one, exhausted but happy.

He had never thought that moving back to Holmes Chapel would change his life completely for the better. He missed his mum but he wouldn't change it for the world.