Stand By Me

Chapter Nineteen

Papa turns to look at him with furrowed brows as they pull up outside of school.

"You can still stay home today, buddy. It's not too late to change your mind," the man says softly.

He shakes his head, forcing a small smile even as his heart hammers in his chest with anxiety of what tomorrow is, of where he will be this time the following day - watching his mother's coffin lower into the ground.

"It's okay," he finds himself saying, managing a deep breath. "I can't stay away forever. And I don't think sitting around at home'll help take my mind off of things."

At home. It feels so natural to say that he wouldn't have realised if it wasn't for the soft look that takes over his Papa's face.

The man nods, smiling with the kindest of eyes. "Okay. Okay, as long as you're sure...text me though, if you need me to come and get you. I'll be there."

Niall nods. "I know." He has people he can count on now, a whole family of them. He knows.

Harry waves him out of the car then. "Come on, we're gonna be late."

Papa chuckles, nodding at him. "Alright. I'll see you both later. Love you boys."

Slipping out of the car, Niall turns back to look at the man with his heart now filled with a mixture of anxiety and love. He gives his Papa the sincerest of looks. "Love you too."

And he means it, he truly does.

Harry sticks by his side, loyal as ever, all day. Things go well for the first couple of classes. His English teacher pulls him aside on his way in and tells him that he's allowed to step out the moment he feels as if he needs some time or a break. One of his science teachers tells him not to worry when he admits that he hasn't done the homework.

It isn't until third period, maths, that he faces someone who isn't quite so understanding.

The open textbook in front of him goes unnoticed as he loses himself in thought, worrying about the events of tomorrow. The desk his elbows are rested on blurs, the pen held in his loose grip clicks over and over and over.

He flinches when a heavy hand slams down on the wood of his and Harry's table, breath catching in his throat for a moment before he looks up into the angered expression of Mr Davies.

Swallowing, he refrains from glancing around, knowing that everyone's eyes are now on him.

"Since you don't feel the need to listen, Mr Horan, perhaps you can teach the class today's trigonometry work. I'm assuming you already know all of it, given you haven't bothered to copy down the equations on the board," the man states.

Shifting uncomfortably in his seat, Niall feels his eyes begin to sting a little at being lectured by the teacher in front of everyone.

He looks down at his desk, shaking his head. "No sir. I'm sorry," he murmurs.

Mr Davies only seems more angered by the apology. "Sorry means nothing if you can't even look at me when you're saying it, Mr Horan. Did your parents not teach you basic manners?" The stern man questions.

Niall feels his throat tighten a little, eyes burning with tears still. He looks up at the man and tightens his jaw a little. "It's Malik, actually. Not Horan, Malik," he corrects instead, glad that his voice comes out stronger than he feels. His surname change came with the adoption, and nobody has slipped up on it until now.

The teacher actually scoffs, then. "I don't appreciate this sort of disrespect. Stay behind at the end of the lesson...and I'm expecting you to have done the homework set during your time away," the man states firmly.