Chapter 39

                                    

                                          
"Welcome back!" Lindon called out to the class. "How was break?" he put his hands up, "Don't tell me, it was terrible because you missed me so much?" A few people laughed. Most stared blankly. Lindon coughed. "Fine then. I was trying to put off real work just a little longer but you must want to just get on with it."
                          
Louis was in a terrible mood. Harry was still at home. Home...his apartment...recovering. He wasn't well enough to walk around the very large campus just yet. The four boys sat at their usual table, Zayn with a hand on Liam's thigh. Niall was smiling as always. 
                          
But next to Louis was an empty chair and he hated it. It reminded him, even though Harry was fine, of the worst day of his life. The day he thought he lost Harry. 
                          
Louis put his head down on the table and sighed. Niall leaned over, "You alright, mate?" Louis nodded against the cold wood. Niall scoffed. "You're a terrible liar."
                          
Louis peaked over at Niall and rolled his eyes. He lifted his head up and whispered, "I hate being away from him when he's still not well. I've been with him twenty-four seven for a week now and," he trailed off. 
                          
"I know. I walked in on a few compromising situations trying to do you guys a favor," Niall remember. 
                          
Louis smiled sadly, "Yeah, sorry about that." He fiddled with his fingers, "Blame Harry. He started with the chocolate syr-"
                          
"No," Niall put a hand up, "I don't want to talk about it."
                          
Louis laughed quietly. 
                          
"The point is," Niall reiterated, "that Harry will be there, probably sleeping, when you get back. And he needs his work so he can stay in school."
                          
Louis nodded but wasn't happy about it. 
                          
***
                          
Niall held Harry's folder of work with his name on it from Lindon up by his face and smiled. Louis snapped the picture and handed Niall his phone back. 
                          
Niall sent off a text. Taking Harry his stuff. No more slacking. Haha. 
                          
Niall has been covering for Harry and Louis brilliantly. Anne had really taken a shine to the blond. 
                          
"Thanks, Ni."
                          
"Sure," he smiled. 
                          
Louis took Harry's stuff from Niall and put it in his backpack. 
                          
"Niall!" 
                          
Niall and Louis looked towards the classroom where Lindon was coming out and trying to get his attention. 
                          
"Yes, Mr. Lindon?"
                          
"You wouldn't happen to know how long Mr. Styles will be out, do you?"
                          
"I can't say for sure. It depends on him. But knowing him it shouldn't be more than a few days more."
                          
Lindon nodded, "Thanks. The Dean is wondering. Harry is a very promising student and he likes to keep tabs. Thank you for taking him his work."
                          
"Of course, sir."
                          
Lindon nodded again and said goodbye to the boys. 
                          
"Fucking pricks," Louis muttered. 
                          
"What?"
                          
"Lindon reports to the Dean. The Dean reports to Harry's parents. Shit. I didn't know Lindon was one of those people."
                          
"What do you mean, Louis?"
                          
"Harry's parents. They check up on him. They're friends with the Dean. The Dean asks a few teachers to keep an eye out. I didn't even think that Lindon would be one."