Infectious: Louis Tomlinson - Part One

I rose from my bed, it was 8:30AM and I was starting at a new school. Yay for me right? I guess you could say I was expelled from my old school, if that counts for anything. My name is Kacey Hellcan and I’m 17, brown eyes, blonde hair and a tan. I am of average weight, I wasn’t big and I wasn’t skinny. I’m 5 foot 7 and I’m awkward.

I dragged myself from the warm covers of my bed. I had just moved from a private, catholic school to a public one. I never really fitted in at Harline’s School of Catholic’s. So hopefully I manage some sort of friendship group at Lillyville High.

I threw open the doors of my walk in wardrobe, entering it. I had no idea what people wore to public schools seeing as my private one had a uniform. I didn’t want to try too hard on my first day, but I guess, first impressions are everything right?

I pulled out a pair of black skinny leg jeans, a pale pink, fitted, low cut singlet that sat on my hips. A grey cardigan and a matching pale pink pair of Converse. I grabbed my make up bag sitting at the sink and pondering my face. I had a small button nose, large eyes with long eyelashes and a small chin with high cheek bones. I wasn’t too flashy, I had blemishes on my face and freckles too.

I applied a light layer of foundation, and some mascara to my eyelashes. I brushed and ruffled my long hair, that met the middle of my back, taking my brown book bag. I descended the stairs and noticed a small sticky note on the end of the rail,

“Sorry, had to go to work, have a good day at school x –Mum”

I shook my head grabbing my keys and phone as I left the house with an apple in hand walking out the front gate. Usually at this point I’d turn right, and go up hill but from now I turn left and go down town.

The walk to school was short, and I immediately saw the old rusted gates to the school. I sighed as butterflies filled my stomach. A new day, new school, and hopefully, a new Kacey. I got odd looks from students of all ages, obviously not knowing who I was. I walked to the front office and pulled open the door that squeaked.

“Yes?” The office lady spoke, her name tag read “Mary”
“I’m new here, Kacey Hellcan…”
“Ah yeah, here’s a map and your classes. Enjoy.” She grunted tending back to her duties.

As I walked out of the office, I studied my map. I walked around the corner I came from. But hit something with a thud.

“Watch where you’re fucking going chav.” A male voice grunted.
“Fucking hell, sorry!” I spat sarcastically.
“Whatever.” A tall boy with a thick accent and light brown windswept hair spat.

People these days. Who the fuck do they think they are? Clearly it was an accident!

I wondered around looking at classrooms until the bell went. I made my way to my first class, math. The room wasn’t far from where I was so I walked in and found that I wasn’t late, nor early. But now everyone was looking at me, including the rude idiot that yelled at me this morning.

“Uhm… I’m a transfer.” I mumbled to the teacher.
“Uh huh, name?”
“Kacey.”
“Right, sit down.”

I sat on the far side of the room and pulled out my books. I was pretty good at math, I was usually pretty good at everything.

“Right, who can tell me the Pythagoras theorem?” the teacher grunted. No one answered. “Come on you lot, you learnt it in year eight.”
“Yeah,” I sighed loosely waving my arm over my head.
“Proceed newbie.”
“H squared equals A squared plus B squared.”
“Good, you know your stuff Kacey.”
“No shit.” I growled. Perfect start to my day.
“Excuse me?”
“I said no shit, usually means I know, I went to Harlines.”
“Oh no, we have a Catholic in the house!” Laughed a girl sitting next to the jerk from this morning who was eyeing me.
“Just because I went to a Catholic school, does not mean I’m Catholic. Maybe I just wanted a proper education rather than a lesson in sluts and hoes.” I said turning in my seat.
“I…”
“Yeah, you got nothing to say; now sit down and shut up before you make a fool of yourself sweets.” I turned back around.

The rest of class flew by and I was last to leave the classroom. I started to walk towards the gate to leave and get lunch when a voice came in my ear.

“You’re not allowed to leave for lunch.” I jerked backwards.
“Excuse me? What right do you have creeping up on me?” I growled to the jerk.
“I dunno, just thought it’d be funny. But seriously, it’s locked.” I looked over, and my shoulders slumped.
“What am I in jail now?”
“Pretty much. See that guy,” he pointed to a burly boy smoking, “he has been in and out of jail for two years now.”
“Perfeccct.” I rolled me eyes, and walked away from the laughing male.

I sat alone behind a classroom for lunch. I was scrolling along my phone, just on twitter looking at what was trending and what wasn’t when my best friend from Harlines text me.

Hey, how’s troll life? – Lorraine
You have no idea, people are so rude here! – Kasey
I told you, don’t get expelled next time then! – Lorraine.

“Expelled huh?” The voice was back.
“Do you ever stop stalking people or is that just something you do naturally?” I asked.
“I dunno, depends.” He shrugged sitting in front of me.
“Don’t you have friends?” I insisted.
“Yeah, but you don’t.”
“Is this your way of trying to be my friend?”
“I guess,”
“It’s not working.” I growled standing up, and picking up my bag walking away from the boy, whose name I still didn’t know.

I didn’t know where I was going, but I needed to walk. I stuck in my headphones, and found a bench to sit on where I crossed my legs pulling out a sketch book, and working on a tattoo I was going to get when I had the money. A shadow cast over the page and I looked up.

There stood a boy with curly hair and a scowl printed on his face.

“You, newbie right?” He growled.
“Kacey actually and who are you?” I asked.
“Harry, call my girlfriend a slut again, and you’ll be sorry, all right?”
“For your information, Harry, I actually didn’t call her a slut, I said I didn’t want a lesson in sluts and hoes, there is a difference, so I suggest you get your facts right before you come bitching, or you’ll be sorry, all right?” I asked standing, being dwarfed by his height but still talking down to him, and leaving.
“You won’t last long newbie!”
“They say the same thing about you in bed!” I called over my shoulder, followed by “ooohs!” and “BRO!” I snickered to myself.

Next up was music, their music rooms were state of the art for a broken school. Not many people enrolled in music so I supposed those who did paid good money for it.
I walked in and discovered that music included me doing what I wanted for a whole double period, I smiled to myself and took my place at the piano, beginning to play my favourite piece. Mr Brightside by The Killers.

“That’s my piano.”
“Don’t see your name on it.” I sighed at the familiar voice.
“Oh well, still mine.”
“Yep, when you bring me the legal documents that display the adoption, maybe I’ll give it up.”
“Okay,” he nodded, lifting the lid exposing an engraving that said “Louis Tomlinson.”
“YOU DID THAT TO A PIANO! ARE YOU INSANE!” I let fly over the markings.
“Dude it’s cheap anyway,” he shrugged.
“IT IS NOT CHEAP! I AM DYING TO GET ONE OF THESE!”
“Don’t see your heart stopping.” He sighed pushing me of the seat. I hit the ground with a thud.
“Oh just fuck you, fuck this school and everyone fucking in it,” I began to cry, leaving the room and everyone in it.

I was half way out to the oval when Louis voice called.

“Hey! Stop! I didn’t mean it!”
“Just fuck off Louis, just fuck off or you’ll regret it!”
“No!” he grabbed my shoulder, and I swung around, my fist colliding with his jaw.
“I told you, you’d regret it!” I sniffed walking away quickly.

I sat by a tree crying. The truth as to why I left Harlines is because of bullying. I was bullied because I was smart, because I was good at everything, and I was modest about it. Because I didn’t fit in, and that last day I lost it and threw punches sending one girl into surgery and to be honest, I’ve never felt worse in my life because not only had I’d been bullied, by hitting that poor girl, I became the bully.

“Kasey…?”
“I told you to fuck off.” I growled standing.
“And I said no.” Louis appeared from behind a fence.
“What do you want?” I asked him pathetically because I was over it,
“I wanted to talk to you!”
“Why so you can just keep annoying me and make me feel like shit, like a chav?” I remembered this morning.
“I’m sorry about that.”
“No, you lot say that, but you don’t mean it. No one ever does.” I walked away.
“And you keep running before someone has the chance to,” he sighed rhetorically.

I just kept walking, finding an open gate in the car park and going home. I’d had enough already and it was day one. No friends, and multiple enemies. I staggered home slowly, sniffing away what was left of tears that didn’t fall.

I fumbled with my keys and slotted them in the door, kicking off my shoes as I came in side. Closing the door behind me. No one was home, thank god. I slowly ascended the stairs and collapsed on my bed.  I stared at my ceiling for what felt like hours, not thinking, just laying there. But the ringtone of Mr Brightside came ringing through my head. I picked it up, it was a private number.

“Hello?”
“Slut.” Then dial tone.

I shook my head, throwing my phone at the already dinted wall from multiple attempts to break the damned thing.  I pulled off my clothes and slipped on a big t-shirt and left my underwear and socks on, climbing into bed and opening my laptop.

One new friend request. I looked at the clock in the corner of the screen, 4:50pm. I sighed clicking the notification, Louis Tomlinson. I sighed and internally growled accepting the request knowing if I didn’t, he’d just keep trying. Then his status appeared.

When you mean well but they just don’t get it.

I closed my laptop and shoved it away, begging for darkness to come, and soon it did.

I groaned, waking the next morning. Everything ached. I didn’t want to move, so I stayed where I was. No one was home, once again so I stayed home.

I drifted in and out of sleep all day, lounging around and watching movies. I felt disgusting so I had a shower, bad move. I sat on the floor, the water raining down on my aching, tired body and just sat there. I didn’t move. Finally when the water ran cold I got out, putting on a t-shirt and leggings.

Then my phone began to ring, private.

“What? If you’re going to call me a slut again, fuck off!”
“Woah, Kacey! It’s me, Louis.”
“Oh you can fuck off too!” I cried into the phone, hanging up.

I crawled back into bed and shut my eyes but I couldn’t sleep. Why was Louis pestering me so much? I just don’t understand, he is a dick at its finest. 

The next day Mum was home so I had to go to school. I was already in a pissed off mood but to top off my morning, Louis was waiting at the gates for me.

“Can you give me one second to fucking explain myself before you cut me off?” He started.
“I’m pissed off Louis, don’t tread on my toes.” I growled.
“I’m sorry okay? It’s not every day someone like you waltz’s in to Lillyville okay?”
“Someone like me?”
“Someone who’s different, not a prick.”
“Oh, so I’m not a prick am I?”
“No, you’re not. See yah.” He walked off in the direction of his class.

It stopped me in my tracks. He really did mean it, and I’d been a complete selfish bitch this entire time. What was wrong with me?

I walked off to English, where we were studying the novel I already had, so I didn’t bother listening. I just sat back and stared out the window. The bell rang so I wondered to my usual spot, behind the classroom. I lit up a smoke that I’d been etching to have since breakfast, leaning against a wall and lighting it.

“You know, smoking causes lung cancer.”
“Good, maybe I’ll die quicker.” I retorted to Louis who stood over me.
“I don’t get it, I apologise, yet you still don’t get it.” He said sitting down.
“No, I get it. I do, but I’m angry at myself.”
“No, you just don’t know what or who to be angry at.”
“How do you know?”
“I’ve been there. The bullying, then you begin to be angry at others, just so you don’t have to be angry at yourself, but when that doesn’t work, you begin to be angry at everything, then you start to lose contact with people and you become lonely.” He nodded.
“You got it all worked out then,” I breathed out the smoke.
“That’s just a guess,” he shrugged snatching the smoke from me and dabbing it out.
“It’s not like I was smoking that or anything,”
“Yeah, I know. I just hate the smell of it.”
“Well don’t sit here then,”
“If I don’t, they’ll bully you.” He nodded toward Harry.
“What?”
“Look, he’s my mate, but fuck he’s a dick, and her? Don’t get me started.” He nodded toward Harry’s girlfriend.
“Right, so you’re taking pity on me, and saving me the humiliation? I don’t know if I should be grateful or hurt.” I started to get up, but Louis grabbed my wrist.
“No, I don’t want to hang out with them.”
“Why? Are they bullying you too?” I rolled my eyes.
“No, but I’m sick of fake friends.”
“What makes you think I’m not fake?”
“Because you wear your heart on your sleeve.” He nodded to the scars.
“Right.” I sighed shrugging him off and walking away.
“Kasey, come on, stop being stubborn.”
“You have to earn trust Tomlinson, you don’t just get it like every other slut in this school.” I yelled over my shoulder.

An announcement was called over the school PA system as I walked away announcing an assembly for all year 11 students. That meant me. I sighed, walking over to the hall where hoards of students crammed into a small room. I hated crowds, couldn’t stand them. But I guess I had too. I wedged in, but the crowd was pushing me in the other door. I felt someone grab my waist and pull me with them. Louis. Of course.

“Let go of me!” I growled, “get your hands off me Tomlinson!” I shouted.
“Hey, calm down, you wanted to get in the assembly right? You’re so small you get carried away!”
“Oh, there is brand new information, I’m small. Just fuck off okay!” I tore from his grip, paying attention to the principal.

“Students, it has occurred to me, that some of you have taken to bullying lately. This is not acceptable. If anyone is found bullying, there will be consequences. Now, on better news, year 11 students have a camp coming up! Students will need to be in pairs, and will be sharing a room, the rest is a surprise. Names of the pairs need to be given to the office ladies and a note signed by your parents. You are dismissed. “

“Pair?” Louis asked,
“Argh, fine.” I groaned knowing he was the only near close friend I had here.
“It’s going to be fun,” he elbowed me.
“Maybe for you,” I sighed.
“Okay, that’s it, we’re skipping last classes today.”
“What?”
“You are going to explain to me what the hell is going on okay?”
“No. I told you, I don’t trust you!”
“Oh come on,” he rolled his eyes.
“Louis, just don’t.” my voice cracked.
“Nope, I’m going to.” He pulled me out the back door of the gym and into the car park where we walked down the street, to a park.

“What do you want me to tell you?” I mumbled sitting on a swing.
“Look, we got off on the wrong foot okay, I’m sorry.” He looked down at his hands.
“Why? Why were you such a prick to me?” I asked, given up on the fact he just won’t go away.
“I broke up with the girl Harry’s now seeing.”
“Because of Harry, right?”
“She cheated.” He shrugged.
“Right, sorry.” I nodded leaning against the chains.
“You’re just trying to guard yourself aren’t you? You feel threatened, new school and people, so you decided to block out everyone am I right?”
“No,” I lied.
“Then what?”
“Just don’t like people,” I shrugged.
“That’s a lie and you know it.” His eyes burned into the side of my face.
“Maybe it is,” I sighed lifelessly.

Louis got off the floor and started pushing me on the swing.

“No, don’t!” I cried out.
“Nah, mate!” he laughed.
“No, Louis! Stop!” I choked out, as he pushed the swing higher laughing, “please!” I begged.
“What’s wrong?” he asked stopping the swing by grabbing the chains.
“I just, I just don’t like swings.” I sighed getting off it and sitting on the floor.
“No one doesn’t just not like swings Kacey…” he began joining me on the floor.
“Yes they can.” I sighed picking at the bark on the floor.
“Everything has a reason,” he persisted.
“Uh huh,” I nodded.
“Come on Kace, why don’t you tell anyone anything?”
“Because it’ll be thrown back in my face!” I cried with frustration.
“Not true you know.”
“It is true.” I sighed.
“Maybe at your old school, with your old friends, but I promise I won’t say anything.” He held out his pinkie.
“Promises are always broken.” I ignored his gesture.
“You don’t understand do you? You’re the only girl in this school that’s not putting herself out.”
“What’s the supposed to mean?”
“You’re actually worth being friends with,” he groaned.
“There’s a first, but you’re wrong.”
“How am I wrong?”
“In the end, nothing is ever worth it.”
“I’d like to beg the differ,”
“Beg all you want, that’s all people do anyway.”
“You are so stubborn you know that?”
“Yep.”
“Good, cause if you didn’t it’d be extremely awkward.”
“Yeah, usually am.”
“Haven’t seen evidence of that yet.”
“You’ll learn.” I nodded.
“I’m sure.”
“Yep.”
“You don’t talk much do you?”
“Why talk without thought?”
“What?”
“Never mind,”
“You’re odd.”
“And you’re annoying.”
“Yes, but you can get used to that, you’re oddness is completely different.”
“Which is why I’m never accepted.”
“Ahuh! I cracked it! You are too afraid to talk because you hate judgement.”
“Well done.” I groaned, he played me.
“I’m not going to judge you Kacey,”
“Everyone judges Louis, and I’m sorry but I’d rather be alone then played.”
“Why?”
“Just because,”
“Kacey, if it’s any help at all, I’m just like you? Do you notice what I’m like in math? Why do you think I claim the piano all the time? I’m judged just as much as you are or were.”
“And that’s supposed to make me trust you?”
“It’s supposed to help,” he shrugged, deafeted.
“I’m sorry.”
“For what?”
“For bumping into you and having anything to do with you.”
“Why?”
“Because everyone eventually gets hurt,”
“Kace, come on. Be realistic,” he poked my arm, I jerked backwards, “ticklish?”
“No. Just… Never mind.”
“No come on,”
“My Dad abused me okay?” I growled.
“Sorry…” His eyes widened and he dropped his arm.

I sniffed back the tears threatening to fall.

“Are you all right?”
“Yep, I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.” Louis put his arm around my shoulders and the tears just fell.
“It’s just guilt. It’ll pass soon.” I mumbled harshly through choking breaths.
“You’ll be okay.” He rubbed my arm as I leant into his side.

“Ha, look Tomlinson has befriended the Catholic, not going religious are we Louis?” Harry.
“Fuck off mate.” Louis growled.
“Free country, public park.” He shrugged.
“Come on, let’s go home.” Louis stood, offering a hand to help me up.
“Thanks,” I sniffed taking it.
“Go on mutt, she’s just a virgin bitch.” He cackled.
“Ignore him,” he whispered into my ear, I nodded.

We walked back to Louis house, he wasn’t at all who I thought he was. I thought he was a stuck up prick with nothing to do but bully people, but that all changed when I saw him with his four sisters.

“LOUIS!” Two young girls, who I assumed were twins, pounced on him.
“Hey ladies,” he laughed hugging both of them like he was off to war.
“Tommo, about time!” Laughed a girl who was about thirteen.
“Oh shoosh Lottie.” He gave her a firm hug, “Where’s Liss?”
“Inside, who’s this?” She asked smiling,
“Oh, Kace, this is my sister Charlotte, Lottie this is Kacey,”
“Hi,” I smiled.
“Nice to meet you,” she grinned.

We walked inside and his house was on the small side considering he has four sisters, and his parents. But as I looked at the photos on the wall, there was only his Mum. His Dad must have skipped out on them.

He wrestled his sister Liss for a little while, while I stood there awkwardly waiting. His Mum came through the door not long after.

“Oh, you must be one of Lou’s friends?” she asked,
“Yeah, uhm, Kacey,” I smiled.
“Jay,” she laughed, “HI GIRLS! And boy.” She jabbed Louis as she walked past.
“Hi Mum,” he smiled kissing her cheek.
“Did you look after the girls today Lottie?”
“Yes Mum,” she groaned rolling her eyes.
“Come on,” Louis pulled me up stairs to his bedroom, that was a pig sty.
“Louis, this is horrible!” I laughed.
“Hey, it’s my room.” He pointed jokingly.
“Don’t point, you’ll kill fairies!”
“I don-“ I clamped a hand over his mouth,
“Don’t say it!” I warned,
“Peter Pan, you watch Peter Pan!” he exclaimed.
“Guilty pleasure,” I shrugged.
“Huh!” He laughed revealing the DVD.
“Oh, you too?” I asked.
“Legit,” he nodded, “I’m sorry about Harry…”
“No, don’t.” I stopped him.
“No really, he had no right!”
“No, he didn’t. But he didn’t have a right to go you too. See, this is why no one befriends me.”
“Have to be pretty stupid to befriend you right?”
“The stupidest.”
“Must be pretty stupid then,” he shrugged, I laughed.

We sat on his bed laughing and talking for a while. His grin was infectious. He was fast becoming a good friend of mine once I’d given him the chance.

“So, just you and your parents then?” He asked.
“Yeah,” I nodded, “No siblings for this unlucky one.” I sighed.
“Bummer, I don’t know what I’d do without those four,”
“You seem pretty close, you Mum and Dad must be proud,” I smiled.
“Dad skipped out last year,” he frowned.
“Oh… I’m sorry.”
“Nah, don’t worry. He’s a prick anyway. Treat the girls like crap and Mum even worse. I’d kill the bastard if he come through that door.”
“Oh..” I gasped.
“Sorry…”
“No it’s okay, just angry doesn’t well… You don’t seem the angry type.” I smiled.
“Usually I’m not, not unless someone takes my family into it, then World War Three begins.”
“That’s fair enough,” I nodded.
“Anyway, this camp, what do you think it is? The note says we leave tomorrow…”
“I didn’t read it!”
“Yeah, tomorrow, doesn’t cost anything… Better not be camping or I’ll die!”
“Agreed.” I nodded.
“You better get home if you wanna pack, I’ll walk you.” He smiled.
“Thanks.”

I said goodbye to his Mum and sisters, getting a hug off of each and every one of them.

Louis didn’t live far from me, a few streets over and mine was there.

“You know, you’re not that bad. Annoying, but not bad.” I laughed.
“Thanks?” he questioned.
“No really, sorry for being such a bitch.”
“You had every right,” he softly smiled.

I bumped into him playful, he shoved me back.

“Friends?”
“Defiantly.” I smiled, “help my pack?” I pouted.
“All right,” he groaned laughing.

I slotted my key into the lock and opened the door. No one was home. I picked up a pen retrieving the note from my bag and forging my Mum’s signature and slipping it back in,

“Liar!” Louis gaped.
“Sh!” I held a finger to my lips smiling, “come on.”

I dragged my suitcase onto my bed, adding in my underwear.
“Oh! They’re cute!” Louis laughed holding up a pair of lacy undies.
“Put that down!” I grabbed them shoving closed the draw.

After we packed my suitcase I thought something was missing.

“Something’s missing,” I sighed.
“What?”
“OH MY GOD!” I screamed running from my room down stairs, Louis hot on my heels
“WHAT?” he asked worried. I halted in front of a closed door.

I entered the studio, my guitar was in the far corner by its case.

“This,” I smiled holding it up.
“You had me effing worried!”
“Sorry!” I smiled
“This is like, what the hell?” Louis admired the studio.
“I told you, I’m saving for a piano.” I shrugged.
“Jesus… Have you done covers?”
“Some,”
“Do you reckon I could do covers in here?”
“Sure,”
“Sweet!” He was like a kid on Christmas.

[Flash 10 is required to watch video]