Louise’s POV

Sat outside Mr Gregory’s office again, I couldn’t help but replay what Conor had been saying outside. He was talking about Josh hitting me, he was saying it wasn’t right… He was sounding protective… I looked outside, thankfully the weather had starting clearing up as we were allowed back into the school, the grey now had the occasional break where some blue sky and sunshine was fighting its way through.

“In.” Mr Gregory said disinterestedly. Conor and I looked at each other before reluctantly walking into the office we were in only hours before. Again, we sat in the same chairs we had before and sunk into them. “What the hell is wrong with you guys?” Mr Gregory suddenly shouted, making us jump.

“Whoa… Sir!” I exclaimed, not even having a chance to think of an answer.

“You’re the worst one, Louise. All this promise over the years, all the times you’ve said you’ll change and get good grades and go to Uni… You just can’t help yourself! That wasn’t even your fight!” He shouted, standing over me. I looked down at the floor and clasped my hands in my lap. It wasn’t my fault, I didn’t WANT to fight people, a lot of people just happen to annoy me!

“Hey! That’s not fair…” Conor said, anger in his voice. “She was trying to help me.” Mr Gregory’s gaze shifted from me to Conor.

“In what way was that helping?” He pointed at my face, now bruised from Josh’s punch.

“She tried to stop me hitting him in the first place! She didn’t want me to get a strike.” Conor flung his arms up in the air.

“Yeah and she didn’t succeed did she? Do you realise what you’re doing to this school? You’re causing scenes, you’re ruining our statistics, we’re probably going to get sued by Josh’s parents for not aiding him when he was being bullied!” I folded my arms and narrowed my lips. What the hell was he talking about? Bullying?

“If anything, Sir,” I said with attitude. “Josh was the bully and he just got what he deserved. Don’t dish it if you can’t take it.” I shook my head and avoided eye contact with Mr Gregory  while I spoke. He was there trying to help me from the beginning, he knew why I was like this, yet now he chooses to stand there and patronise me? No thank you.

“Louise…” He let out a huge sigh. “I know you can’t particularly ‘help’ it but you need to avoid getting into situations where violence could be an option. You need to avoid Conor.” The look he gave me was one of sympathy and kindness, what he used to look at me like when I came into his office with bruised knuckled and split lips.

“I don’t think I’m an issue.” Conor spat. I don’t know if Mr Gregory had forgotten he was in the room or what, but he jumped when Conor spoke.

“Conor, you came into this school with an attitude, you hit someone on your first day. I expect you to be setting a good example to the new students, not showing them it’s good to hit people!” Mr Gregory sat on his desk and put his foot on his chair. “Seriously, I mean bullies will always be there, we can’t get rid of them permanently, but they’re harmless in comparison to you two!”

“That’s not fair…” I spoke up, narrowing my eyes at him. “Bullies say things that are mentally scarring. We only physically scar. All the things Josh had said about Conor’s brother, all those hurtful things, and you’re saying that’s better than punching someone?” Conor looked over at me and sensing this I looked back over to him. For a moment our gaze just locked and we stared at each other for a while before he let out a small smile.

“No, of course not. That’s not what I meant.” Mr Gregory stuttered.

“Look, this is stupid. Just gimme the strike so I can get on with my life…” Conor rolled his eyes.

“It’s not that simple any more…” Mr Gregory shook his head. “I’ve had to look at your grades, your work abilities… It’s stupid… Mr Keaton has me doing his job at the moment, and I’m afraid you’re both beginning to dwindle, your grades are going down… So he’s asked me to put you two on a course of after school classes…”

“For how long?” Conor interrupted, shooting me a look as if to say ‘I don’t wanna spend a minute more with her’.

“The rest of the term, every day, for an hour.” Mr Gregory shook his head. “You’ll have extra lessons in every lesson you’ve started to drop in. Ok? Good. Now get out of my office.” Mr Gregory shooed us as he sat down at his desk and put his head in his hands.

“This isn’t fair!” I protested. “After everything, you’re just gonna drop me like I’m some sort of delinquent?” He didn’t look up, instead he shook his head.

“I’m not dropping you for that. I’m dropping you because Mr Keaton told me too. Many people need counselling… Most of them actually accept it and help themselves though, Louise. I’ve been going in circles with you since your dad-”  He cut himself off.

“Sir!” I exclaimed, looking over at Conor. “Why not just sit down and tell him everything about me!!” I flung the door open and stormed out of the room, holding back the tears and the memories. I ran into the toilets, bolted one of the doors shut and put the lid down, sitting on the toilet and letting all of my emotions run wild. How could he bring up my dad like that? The years of talking to him about it, trying to sort everything out and then he sits there and opens his mouth about it all!

“Is everything alright in there?” A female voice asked. I tried to stop myself crying and wiped my tears with some tissue.

“Yeah.” I said, my voice breaking as I spoke.

“You don’t sound ok… Do you want me to get someone?” She asked, sounding worried.

“Honestly, I’m fine. I just broke down a little…” I said, unlocking the door to see one of the popular girls standing in front of me.

“Are you sure?” She smiled at me. It was Georgia Henderson. She wasn’t head cheerleader or anything, she was just popular. Popular because she was so pretty and skinny.

“What do you care anyway?” I spat, looking her up and down.

“Look, I’m trying to be nice!” She said, offended. I sighed.

“Sorry. Got a lot going on at the moment…” I shrugged, looking at myself in the mirror. God I look dreadful.

“I know! Punching Josh? Twice? You must really hate him!” She let out a childish giggle.

“I don’t actually. I hit him cos he annoyed Conor.” The mere mention of his name made her straighten up where she stood.

“Conor?” She repeated.

“Yeah.” I said, confused as to why that was such a shock.

“But he doesn’t talk to anyone here…” I smiled and shook my head.

“That’s where you’re wrong!” I raised my eyebrows. “Look, thanks for the chat but I gotta go, I’m late for class…”

“You talked to Conor and you’re not boasting about it?” She asked as any popular girl would. “I’m actually a bit jealous!” She laughed. “I can’t even get him to look in my direction!”

“He barely talks to me, I just help him out now and again!” I smiled. “Anyway, thanks again…” I walked out of the toilets feeling like I’d accomplished something in my life. Maybe I should start boasting that I talk to Conor, but will that make him hate me?

“Hey!” A voice called behind me, I turned round expecting Ross to be running up to me, but instead I was greeted by Conor. My heart felt like it stopped and my throat went instantly dry. Did he just say hi to me in school?

“Hey.” I smiled nervously. Georgia came out of the toilets and walked past me, mouthing ‘Oh My God’ to me.

“You alright? I mean you ran outta there like… Well…” he shrugged.

“I’m fine, thank you. I mean he just bought up some stuff…”

“Your dad?” He questioned. My stomach dropped. Please let’s just ignore this…

“Yeah. But it doesn’t matter. It’s in the past.” Of everything we could be talking about, we’re talking about my dad?

“I know how you feel, Louise… That feeling you got when you ran off? I’ve had that. Don’t pretend it’s fine.” He said simply, the bell for next lesson breaking our conversation. What did he mean by that?