Magic, what a bunch of bullshit
Chapter 3: Magic, what a bunch of bullshit
Louis’ heart was running a million miles an hour, had he really just done that? He was left standing shocked, the adrenaline still racing in his veins. He turned to look at Zayn and found that all his classmates were staring right at him, they’re faces hosting the same agape expression as his. It felt like the world was silent, like at any moment someone would be able to drop a pin on carpet and it would echo these very halls for eternity. And then Zayn spoke.
“Yes lad!!!!” he cheered. He approached Louis and swung his arm around him, holding him as if they had known each other for years.
“About time someone stood up to him, you’re a proper boyo you are,” he continued, ruffling Louis’ hair in the process.
“I think this deserves a smoke, on me of course lets go”
And for the first time since he got here, well for the first time in a long time, Louis felt like he fit in, like he actually belonged somewhere. And even though as they walked towards the courtyard, zayns arm around Louis and Louis’ around Zayns, there were hundreds of watching eyes on them, judging Louis for what he had done. Many disgusted, repulsed by his actions but he swears that if you were to look more deeply into their eyes you’d see a hint of envy. Envy over the fact that it had been him to stand up to the infamous Harry Styles and that he had warranted such a reaction from the tall brown haired boy. Or maybe he was just hallucinating it who knew?
When they arrived at the courtyard Zaayn led them under a tree towards the back corner. It was a large oak tree, its leaves rustling in the breeze. The cool autumn winds blew through the branches, causing some of its leaves to fall onto the floor. The different hues of orange and brown caused for a constant feel of the sunset, with the actual sun only just peeking through the thick clusters of amber scarlet. There was a blanket under the tree, fairly worn in. Well loved is the term that muggles might use.
“Cmon don’t just stand there have a smoke, or are you like one of those goody goodies that stays away from that shit” Zayn grins
“Nah nah deffo not, i’ll have one, you got a lighter?”
“Yea here mate”
As Louis took that first puff he felt at ease with the world once again.
“So what’s your story, why are you here” Zayn pried
“Uhm you know, i’m not from the richest family and i don't know,” he pauses to take another puff “you know how it goes, they thought it would be easier just to send me away or something i don’t know”
Zayn listened in with a sombre look on his face. He decided to inquire more.
“Did you have many friends back where you went to school? Girlfriends? Boyfriends even?”
Louis let out a pained chuckle
“Nah nah never”
“Which one, boyfriends or girlfriends?”
“friends.”
“Oh”
“Yeah it's no big deal tho”
Zayn paused for a minute, carefully thinking of how to approach the situation.
“Well you’ve got a friend now mate,” he grinned at him “and hell you’ve probably got some admirers now as well after what you said to harry”
Louis looked down, blushing “it really wasn’t that big of a deal”
“Well it was a big deal to me, you really saved me there lad”
“It was whatever” louis responded once again, trying desperately to give off the same air of coolness that zayn possesses. But he couldn’t help the small brushing of blush that now danced across his cheeks.
“It’s all a bunch of bullshit anyways” zayn added
“What is?”
“Harry, the social hierarchy all of it”
Louis couldn’t help the laugh that erupted from his mouth, throwing his head back revealing his adams apple.
“What?! What's so funny??” zayn asked, utterly perplexed by louis’ reaction
“Nothing, nothing lad its just-” Louis had to stop once again to let out another laugh. “It's just that you are so the type of person to be like reject all the social norms! The government is controlling us! I'm gonna live in the woods by myself like a hermit!”
“Am not!”
“Are too”
Zayn was now laughing as hard as louis and as they were both in the midst of their laughs he threw a big pile of fallen leaves at louis’s face.
“Fuck off!” he laughs as he throws it
“Hey hey truce truce I'm sorry!” Louis surrendered
They both finish off their fits of giggles and let out a conjoined sigh. They sit in comfortable silence for a minute, just enjoying being in each other's presence.
“Hey really thank you though for like, hanging around me and being my friend and all that, you really could have just left me alone after you showed me around” Louis says, breaking the silence.
“No worries Louis, plus you seemed cool. I'd want to be your friend anyways.”
“Really?”
“Really. Shit I’ve got to go” zayn says suddenly, jumping up as he does so. “Really, really sorry mate, you stay here and finish off your cig meet me back at the dorm later, see ya”
“Uhm ok bye” Louis watches on as the raven haired boy runs off into the distance.
Louis lies back down onto the blanket admiring the sun that had now begun sinking into the horizon, emphasising tones of orange and yellow and some hints of pink. Louis always loved sunsets, they had a sort of whimsical, mystical feeling about them, he would never admit it to anyone though. As he lay there sitting with his own thoughts he heard something fall behind him. He quickly turned around, hands instinctively balled into fists, but when he turned around there was nothing there. But Louis couldn’t shake the feeling that someone was watching him and as he continued to examine his surroundings he was met with nothing but fallen leaves and the autumn breeze.
It must have just been a deer or something.