US x UK: Chapter 7

Monday.

Oh God. Arthur thought with fear. He didn't want to go in today, not just to see those hurtful faces. Arthur took a deep breath and left his house, he walked confidently, proudly. Soon he realised he was being stupid and proceeded to bow his head into his scarf and walk slumped and looking down. This time, there was no Alfred to meet him, he smiled to himself, and it was better this way. Arthur walked past Sam and his friends at the gate. "Fag" They laughed and then stuck their leg out and Arthur found himself flying towards the concrete floor. His hands were still in his pocket and he'd only freed one before it scraped along the hard gritty floor, slowly tearing away the flesh on his palm. His other hand had stayed trapped in this pocket so the other half of his body landed with a crash, smashing his already bruised shoulder into the floor. His knees dragged along, causing damage to his trousers during the impact; his knees were bloody and raw. He landed with a slump and great pain.

Arthur slowly pulled out the second hand from his pocket and used it to push himself up from the floor. The pain was excruciating and before he knew it, the tears began to leak from his eyes. No! Arthur shouted in his head; don't give them the gratification by letting them see you cry! His mind shouted but his body reacted. Soon he was crying in earnest the tears wouldn't stop falling down his face, he sat there with his legs beneath him and sniffing and silently crying. He watched as Sam and his friends walked past him laughing, menace and hate in his eyes. Arthur's tears and sobs only increased and his face fell into the back of his hands and he sat there on the pavement and wept.

He soon felt a hand in his hair, stroking him gently. Calming him. He looked up at the person who showed him kindness to be greeted by those dazzling blues. Alfred knelt down to Arthur on the floor, and ruffled his hair playfully. "Stop with the tears now Artie, let's get those wounds treated" Arthur looked at him for a moment and felt his eyes well up in frustration and he cried harder his sobs becoming guttural and raw, and he felt like a baby. How childish it was too openly cry like this and in front of Alfred, that was just unforgivable. Alfred helped him to his feet, Arthur was shaky and he was still crying.

Alfred wound his arm around him and guided him to the boy's toilets where he sat him down on one of the toilets after lowering the lid. Alfred left the room again by this time Arthur's sobs had become quiet tears accompanied by the occasional sniff ever now and again. He got to his feet and could feel them quivering beneath him and he walked tentatively to the sink. He turned the tap on using his good hand and washed he's severely grazed and cut hand, it stung a little and Arthur winced in pain. He then pulled up his trousers and used paper towels to clean his wounds. Alfred came back and was a little disappointed. "I wanted to be the hero" He said it so sadly that it made Arthur fell guilty.

"Sorry" Arthur said quietly. The American smiled at him and sat him back down on the toilet, and then he slowly helped him to dress his wounds.

"There was nothin' ya needed to be sorry for" He said softly. "Just let Alfred here look after you" He spoke jokingly. He dressed his knees and his hand but Arthur wouldn't let him go near his shoulder.

"It doesn't even hurt anymore" Arthur complained at I'm, Alfred sighed with annoyance and just helped him to his feet.

"I wish ya wouldn't lie to me" He said helping to pull his bag on.

"I'm not" Arthur lied. Alfred held his shoulders and tried to look into Arthur's eyes but he looked away, knowing the possibility of him telling if he was captivated by those eyes was high. Arthur gingerly put his bag on his back and decided to head to class. He paused at the door and look back at Alfred. "I'll walk home with you today" Then he left for his first lesson. He didn't even know if Alfred would want to walk with him, he knew he still hung around with Sam during lunches. Alfred had tried inviting him a lot of times but Arthur ignores him and often finds himself hiding when he was around. A walk home wouldn't be too bad surely.

All Arthur could think about was meeting Alfred after school that is if he would meet with him. Arthur found himself getting happier and happier and he couldn't wipe the smile from his face, he was sitting alone on a cafeteria table, which was a first for him. Normally he would hide away somewhere so the bullies couldn't find him. His mind had become absent minded and he wanted to have a normal day. He felt someone sit next to him but he but wasn't paying much attention, just slowly eating his lunch with a big grin on his face. "Hey, you look really happy, weird" A voice said next to him, Arthur's grin was wiped of his face and his head twitched left towards the voice.

Dark hair and deep maroon eyes looked softly back at him, he had a small smile on his face which spread to eyes as the seemed to twinkle. Arthur had no idea who he was. "You're far more approachable when you're smiling like that. When I seen you sitting at the table alone I figured I'd sit near you" He spoke to him as Arthur continued to stare at him with astonishment. He laughed at Arthur's silence, and then held out his hand. "I'm Jack; I guess you're new here?" He asked as Arthur shook his hand lightly.
"Uh-" He stumbled over his words, no one had spoken to him outside of class before, except for Alfred and he had pushed him away, making sure he only saw him outside of the
school gates. Jack laughed a little.

"Well that's not really an answer"

"Uh-I'm – well sorry" He said a little sheepishly. "I'm Arthur, and no I'm not new"

"Really? I would have thought I'd have seen you around. You have a face I can't easily forget" Jack said easily. Arthur blushed at this awkward compliment; at least he thought it was.

"I don't usually eat in the cafeteria" He said shame filling his heart; he turned and bowed his head away from his confused look.

"Then where do you eat?"

"Anywhere hidden" Arthur whispered, hoping that Jack didn't hear him, unfortunately he did. He laughed at this answer. Arthur stood suddenly and grabbed his lunch, he quickly realised he wasn't hungry anymore, and he pushed it into the bin. Jack followed behind him and walked with him to his locker; they both seemed to ignore Arthur's previous comment and focused on the awkward conversation that had risen between them. Jack wasn't in any of his lessons, but he promised he would eat with him again tomorrow and meet him at break time too, Arthur told him not to bother but Jack insisted.

Arthur found that Jack was fun to hand around with, he met him again during lunch break and they sat laughing with each other at the lunch table, Arthur felt guilty though. He could feel Alfred's glare burning into his back.