I'm Right Here- SWM Sequel (Harry Styles)

Chapter 24:

We talk for a long while after that about Bear's schedule. She has to take at least two showers a day and take 3 massive pills before every meal. She has to wash her hands and face frequently and ‘touching’ isn't recommended. Bear is encouraged to keep up with her exercising and health lifestyle but cutting is prohibited. The way her body is working now, she can't disrupt the balance the pills create. She won't heal as good and is automatically more prone to illness. It's a lot to take in and even Bear has trouble remembering some things.

Before we know it, it's noon so Bear goes to her room to get changed for our run. As much as I don't want her to go, I let her and get changed into a pair of basketball shorts and a dri-fit shirt. I get a snap back from my bag and put it on as I walk to the elevators where I see Bear waiting. She's wearing a black dri-fit tank with short black shorts, the hot pink of her exercise bra showing a bit as she fixes her long wavy black hair into a high ponytail. Nikes take the place of her usual Converse but her string bracelets remain on her wrists. As we get inside the elevator, my eyes quickly look over her to see a stunning lack of scars.

"What happened to them all?" I ask incredulously as I take Bear's arm in my hand, shocked that the skin looks so perfect after the cuts there had been bandaged only a few minutes before.

"Makeup is a wonderful thing. I even shocked Lou once and then she wanted to know what I used. She says I should do movie makeup. But I like this job too much." Bear smiles and she points to the tiniest flaw in the makeup that only faintly shows a cut underneath.

"The job of bossing five idiots around?" I smile and Bear walks off when the elevator doors open. She looks over her shoulder back at me with a smile.

"That. And, beating this idiot at running." She laughs and I grab her by her waist, picking her up into the air.

"I think you're sadly mistaken. I am not an idiot." I say with a smile before placing her back on the ground.

"No... But you didn't deny me beating you at running." Bear says before taking the hat from my head and walking fast towards the gym.

I walk after her and discover that we're the only two in the gym. She starts connecting her iPhone to the speakers in the gym as I take back my hat and turn on the treadmills. We start off talking as we walk on the treadmill, Bear's music playing in the background. The songs are a bunch of fast song, mashups, and dj mixes all put into a playlist called “Hell and Back”. The mixes don't sound familiar and Bear tells me that she made them and the mashups up herself.

Gradually, Bear speeds up the treadmill and I raise my speed to compliment hers. Our conversation dissolves to nothing as we start to run, the music filling up the room. Up All Night by Alex Clare comes on and Bear turns her head quickly with a huge smile. The song is really fast so Bear speeds up her treadmill and surprised she doesn't fall off. Instead, she looks more comfortable running this way. She’s glistening with sweat and as Clare starts singing, Bear takes off her tank top. Her actions seem so seamless even though she's running.

With her tank hanging from the arm of the treadmill, she starts to sing along. I've sped up my treadmill to match her speed but I find that I'm struggling a bit. I push myself to keep running, not used to the treadmill being this fast. At least the song is so fast because it's over soon. Bear slows down a bit to match the speed of the next song and I follow her lead.

"Winded Haz?" Bear pants with a smile.

"No. Not at all." I struggle to say, my breaths not coming as easy as they were.

“Think of fans chasing you. Always works. Crazy. Fast. Fans.” Bear smiles and I find the speed of my running not so difficult anymore with the new mindset.