The Boxer

Chapter 18

     Harry lazed on the couch of Lacey's flat around noon on Friday. Lacey was showering and he was half tempted to join her, but the silence for once was nice, not to mention he had other things on his mind. Like, how he should be picking Cryssy up from Uni at this time, but he's with Lacey now. Lacey, who is clingy, great in bed and very nice to him. Something made Harry want to see if he could hold up a relationship again. It wasn't that he was overly attracted to her and wanted to date her, but in some ways she made him forget about Cryssy.  Of course, she didn't fight with him as much, partly because she was terrified of him, but she was also scared she'd drive him off, but in all, Harry could honestly care less. She provided all he needed; food, sex, and whatever else he wanted. And since he wouldn't be returning to boxing for another week, he needed something to occupy his time with. 

     Lacey walked into the front room in her towel a few minutes later, the white cloth wrapped just above her breasts and her blond hair wet and still dripping slightly. She wore a sly smirk on her lips when she found him lying there in the perfect position as she climbed on top of him in all her nakedness and straddled his waist. Harry rose and eyebrow as she smiled down at him. "Hazza, why didn't you join me in the shower?" she whined. 

     "I'm tired," Harry shrugged in his usual deep voice.

     "Well then, come to bed and I can get you off to help you sleep," she grinned, sliding off his body and pulling his hands. This was the down side to Lacey; she was non-stop sex-crazy. And although Harry loved sex, he was afraid he'd stop being able to get an erection with how often Lacey seemed to need it. 

     An hour later, Harry was still wide awake and his mind was swimming with thoughts he couldn't control. Lacey was lying next to him, fast asleep and snoring lightly. With a soft groan, Harry pulled himself off the mattress, and grabbed his jeans and shirt from off the floor before exiting. He pulled them on quickly, grabbed his phone, after then headed out the door. He was quickly down the first two flights of stairs and in his car two minutes later. Unsure of where to go, he let himself wander through the city. Harry found himself on the road to Cryssy's, and began to chew his lip nervously. He didn't want her to see him and earn his status as a creeper, but the road was one way, and you had to go through a round-about at the end of the street, so he cautiously made his way down. When he got to Cryssy's home, she was walking down the driveway in a light blue sundress. Harry licked his lips and watched her get in the passenger side of the car. He didn't know who the other person in the car was, and with his catlike curiosity, he decided to follow it. 

     Ten minutes later, Harry felt like the biggest fool in the world. It was Nina's car. But despite his red cheeks, Harry stayed put because something told him too just wait it out, so he did. He watched as Eleanor showed up, then Louis. That's when he hopped out of his truck and ran up the driveway, stopping Louis. 

     "What the hell are you doing here?!" Louis hissed. "If Cryssy sees you here, she's going to freak!" Harry rolled his eyes. 

     "Yeah I know, but what are you doing here? What's Cryssy doing here, actually?"

     "I asked you first."

     "Lou," Harry said sternly, and Louis rolled his eyes.

     "Nina is setting me up with Eleanor, kinda. And apparently, she's also introducing this guy, Liam, to Cryssy. He's on their uni's football team," Louis explained, and Harry frowned. 

     "Why is she introducing them?"

     "So their dogs can have a play dat,e" Louis said sarcastically. 

     "Lou," Harry growled again. 

     "She's trying to set them up, Harry!"

     "But, why?"

     "Because, like any girl, she misses you. And Nina wants to focus her attention on someone else," Louis sighed. "Even though it was only a two day relationship, she really cares for you Haz, and I know you care about her, so I'm trying to see what this Liam guy is like. I know you'd be pissed if she started dating an ass-hole like Max." 

     "I'm pissed now," Harry hissed lowly. 

     "Well, let me do my job as your best friend and check it out," Louis smiled, placing a hand on one of Harry's broad shoulders. "Okay?" Harry sighed. 

     "Fine, fine."

     "Good. Now, get out of here, you creep, before Nina or Cryssy sees you," he grinned. Harry nodded slowly, and walked back to his car. When he looked back at Louis, he was entering the house, leaving Harry alone again to think. He thought that maybe he should stay to scope out this 'Liam' character. So he did, and ten minutes later, a black car pulled up to the curb of Nina's home and a guy exited the car. Harry chewed his lip, debating getting out of his car. Liam was around his same size, very built, but Harry was taller and that made himself feel better. He watched as Nina opened the door and greeted him warmly. He could only imagine what he'd think of Cryssy, what he may do to Cryssy, and it made him angry and he ached to be there with her. So, without thinking, he exited his car and crossed the street, knocking on the door quickly three times and sighing afterwards. He shoved his hands in his pockets and bowed his head, praying it wouldn't be Cryssy who answered the door because he hadn't quite worked out what he was going to say yet. 

     Nina answered the door, her smiling turning to a frown the moment she saw him. "What the hell are you doing here?" 

     "I, uh, I just need to see Cryssy, please," he said nicely. Nina crossed her arms, squinting her eyes at him before she spoke. 

     "How'd you know she'd be here?" 

     "Louis told me," he lied.

     "Hmph. Well look, Harry, I'm setting Cryssy up with someone else. You're just not good for her, okay? I'm sorry." Harry tried not to act like the words hurt, but in truth, they really did. And Harry wasn't used to feeling that hurt. It reminded him of why he closed himself up in the first place. 

     "Could I at least see if, ya know . . .she's happier?" he asked. Nina stared at him for a moment before nodding. 

     "Alright. I have to make lemonade, anyway," Nina turned on her heels and Harry followed. The house was empty, so Harry followed Nina to the kitchen where she pointed towards the back through the sliding glass door. The darkness in the house made it hard for anyone outside to notice his tall figure looming there. He watched as Liam chatted with Cryssy. She threw her head back and laughed, her deep blue eyes making his heart feel funny. "Is that what you wanted to see?" Nina asked from beside him. She stood right next to him with a tray in her hands, five glasses of lemonade on it as she looked onward. Harry sighed. 

     "No."
    
     "But she's happy."

     "So?"

     "So, you should be happy."

     "I guess," he huffed. 

     "Good. I trust you'll find your own way out?" Harry nodded and stepped back slightly as Nina went through the sliding glass door, nudging it closed with her elbow before approaching Liam and Cryssy. They smiled and thanked her, taking the drinks before chatting again and Harry's chest hurt. But so did his eyes now too as he leaned his head up against the wall and watched. He watched Cryssy blurt out something she didn't mean to and he watched Liam comfort her and he watched the way she admired his arms and crawled onto his back when they played chicken fight and it hurt Harry a lot. But he didn't know what to do. 

     Harry walked slowly down the driveway, his hands in his pockets as he walked towards his car, ignoring the the sun burning the skin of his neck as he bowed his head. He heard a door open and close so he looked back, swallowing loudly when he spotted Cryssy walking towards him with a towel around her shoulders and her curly hair sticking to her skin in wet ringlets. "What are you doing here, Harry?"

     "I seem to be getting the question a lot," he joked from his spot in the middle of the road. It was empty, so he saw no point in moving. When Cryssy kept quiet, he decided a real response was what she was looking for and said,  "I just wanted to see you." 

     "Really, Harry?" he shrugged. "Are you okay?" she asked, and Harry shrugged again. It was the first time he was at a complete loss for words. Usually, he had something bouncing around in his brain that he could blurt out, but now he had nothing. And it was all Cryssy's fault, but he just didn't know why. 

     "I see you met a new guy," he finally commented. Cryssy was only a few feet away, standing at the end of Nina's driveway, giving them a good five feet apart, but all he wanted was for her to get closer. 

     "Yeah .  .Liam," she spoke softly, and Harry nodded. 

     "You're happy with him?" he asked. 

     "I've only just met him, Harry." 

     "So? I met a girl at the bar last night and we-" he stopped himself, seeing Cryssy's head bow. He'd done it again; said something ridiculously stupid and made Cryssy hate him. "Sorry," he mumbled.

     "So you're happy then, right?" she asked, and even from five feet away, he could see the glistening of fresh tears in her pretty eyes. 

     "I don't know why you're upset. You dumped me," Harry remarked defensively. 

     "You didn't answer my question." 

     "Yes, Cryssy, okay? I'm fucking chipper." And she nodded. Harry huffed, and turned on his heels before stalking back to his car. He slammed the door shut and revved his engine, only looking back at Cryssy when he was setting off. She was hugging the towel close to her body, a few streaks of tears gracing her porcelain cheeks. And it was only after he was down the road and his anger had subsided that he realized he was a complete and utter prick.

    
A/N: thoughts?.... :)