The Boxer

Chapter 31

It only took a moment for me to recollect and chase him. Following the sound of slamming doors I found Harry storming along the shoreline. 

"Harry!" I called desperately but he wasn't having it. He ignored me and kept on walking leaving me to chase him. I gripped his forearm tightly and tried to tug him back but he wouldn't budge. "Harry please I'm sorry. I just didn't know" I pleaded, blue eyes prickling with tears already. 

"No Cryssy, Just fucking leave me alone"

I dropped Harry's arm and watched him walk to the dock. I half expected him to take the boat out for awhile but instead he sat at the edge of the dock, his feet hanging over the edge as he watched the waves crash over the sunset. I felt so stupid, I had to push him about asking when I should have known not to pry. 

Harry's P.O.V.

I hadn't thought of my family in years. The thought of them was buried so deep in my mind, Cryssy bringing them up at all was far too painful. Just being here at all was painful. But losing everyone you love at that age can fuck anybody up mentally.

The breeze was nice for a while. I began to relive memories in my mind with my sister and mum. This was the first time I've cried in years too. I hated the way my eyes stung and it became hard to breathe. I didn't want to think about them anymore. I love them, and now they're gone and that's why I can't love anymore. I can't handle the hurt. I wish I could tell Cryssy that, apologize for snapping but god. It's been so long. 

I spent an hour on the dock before Cryssy slowly creeped over. The sun had set and stars began to litter the sky one side, on the other the light of the coast could be seen. It was like watching two entirely different worlds at the same time. 

Cryssy's hand cupped my shoulder as she lowered herself on the dock, taking her place next to me and letting her feet sway over the edge. I pulled her hand into mine, letting her know it was all okay and kissed the top of her hand to let her know I was okay. She laced her small fingers with mine and leaned her head against my shoulder after that, looking out over the ocean. 

"I''m sorry" she murmured

"It's alright" I replied, my voice raspy from the earlier crying. 

"I really didn't mean to dig up old wounds" she whispered earnestly and I sighed. 

"I had to tell you some time" she kept quiet and I knew she was dying to find out what happened so I gathered my remaining courage and spilled out my past. The past that no one knew. 


Flashback ~



I was 16, walking home from school by myself, normally Gemma would drive me home but she was home sick today and mum was working. My step dad never liked me much so there was no way he'd come and get me but it was alright, I didn't mind walking. When I was a kid mum had always said to enjoy nature when you can so that's what I did. I left my headphones in as I walked, probably swaying a bit to the music but it didn't matter. The sun felt nice and it was a beautiful day. 

"Hey faggot!" 

I frowned but kept walking. Brian and his goons found it amusing to call me that, why I'll never know. I wasn't into guys but seeing as I used to look like a old lesbian librarian the name just stuck. Even when I grew my hair out and dressed better the bullies were inevitable.

"Hey I'm talking to you!" 

I fell forward, two hands on my back roughly pushing me onto the concrete. My headphones fell out and my ipod spilled onto the floor, cracking in the process. After a harsh kick to the side I was thrown onto my back, tears prickling my eyes as I stared up at my assaulter. It was Brian.

"Just cause you grew your hair out dosen't make you any less gay, fag!" one of his pals screamed down at me. Alex of course.  There was 3 of them. All much bigger than me. Stronger than me. Faster than me. I had no chance. And as they beat me down into the dirt my worthlessness became more and more apparent. All I could do was cry because if I fought back it would only get worse. After awhile they had there fun and left me, I was bleeding in multiple places and I felt sore everywhere. I hoisted myself off the ground and set off for home again, trying desperately to quit crying. I was a boy, almost a man, I was supposed to be stronger than that.

But soon I'd be home with the people I loved and who loved me. At least I could look forward to that. But as I approached home I found my mum's car in the driveway. It was peculiar for her to be home at this hour but headed up the front door, it was cracked open. I entered slowly, and cautiously. 

"Mum?" I called. No answer. "Gemma?" I asked a bit louder. I walked into the empty dining room and threw my stuff onto the sofa like I would any other day and made my way towards the kitchen. I froze at the doorway. My mum was sprawled out on the floor in her work clothes, a red spot covering her stomach. Falling to my knees I roughly grabbed her shoulders and tried to shake her awake. "Mum?!" I cried. "Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" I set her down gently, wiping my tears on the sleeve of my jacket. "Gemma!?" I screamed, shoving myself off the floor and making a b-line for the stairs. She had to be asleep, she had to be. I threw open her bedroom door and let out a yell of frustration and pain. She was laying on the ground all white faced and still, a line of blood stained to her skin from the corner of her lips to her chin. "Gems" I sniffled, falling to my knees. I gripped her hand and pressed it to my cheek, she was cold and I knew she was gone. 

I yelled at the top of my lungs. Mad at the world. I was alone my mum and my sister were gone, dead by some jerk who killed them. "Maybe if I was stronger and fought off those guys I could have made it in time to help" I whispered, squeezing gemma's hand. "Maybe" I sniffed. 

After a few minutes I walked to the bottom of the steps, grabbed the home phone from it's dock and called police. The asked me questions and told me to stay calm but I was already dead inside. They were all I had after dad died. I missed him. Now I would miss mum and gemma. But I didn't want to miss them. I wanted them to be here. Alive. 

Two day's later my step dad forced me off to school while he left for work. He told me if I wanted to get anywhere in life I needed to be stronger. So I went to school. I went through all my classes, rumors spread like wildfire and the questions about what happened came about endlessly but I never answered any of them. As I walked home from school I watched the clouds. I liked to think maybe they were looking down on me from heaven.

That's when I was hit. I fumbled forward but caught myself on my hands, and stood back up. I kept walking as the assholes shouted after me. "Hey Fag! Heard something happened to your mum and sister? Ya know that hot chick!?" My teeth grinded together, my anger boiling as I pushed myself forwards.

"They get raped or somethin? I mean I ain't surprised or nothin, them bitches sexy!" another hollered. I stopped and turned, punching the nearest jerk in the face as hard as I could. Alex stumbled backwards with a bleeding nose. "You little shit!" he screamed. I took no time in throwing myself at him, pushing him to the ground and climbing on top of him and punching the living daylights out of his sorry ass. 

"Fuck man! Get off of him styles!" Brian shouted, both himself and Jack trying to drag me off but I couldn't stop myself, I was seeing red. 

When I was finally pulled off my knuckles were wet with blood that wasn't my own, I was gasping for breathe and Brian and his goons looked at me like i was insane before calling me a psycho and running off. I grabbed my things and started walking home again but it was hard to breathe. I felt strange, angry. I wanted to leave so when I got home I packed all my shit, stole money from the bank in my step dad's room and left. After days and days of travels I found myself outside a gym in London. It was late at night so I walked around the building finding the backdoor unlocked. I snuck in and went into the locker room, flicking on the light so I could change then headed out to the gym area. I found myself at one of the many giant punching bags. Slicking my tongue over my lips I balled my hands into fists and readied myself to punch.

"Hey kid, you lost?" I jumped a bit and looked over to my left, a tall man with white hair and crazy light blue eyes stared at me curiously. He had a cigar propped between his lips as he spoke and an eyebrow raised in my direction. 

"I'm training." I told him. I probably sounded extremely stupid. I was scrawny for a 16 year old but the man looked me up and down and nodded , pulling the cigar from his lips, dropping it to the floor, and waltzing over. I watched him as he grabbed a pair of gloves off the bench and handed them to me. I stared at him curiously causing the older man to roll his eyes.

"You want broken fingers kid?" I shook my head no quickly and pulled them on, letting the man tie them because I was clueless. "What brings you here hm?" I glared at my fists as  the stranger took place behind the bag and told me to hit. I answered between punches, in just puffs of air. 

"My family, got killed last week" I couldn't see his face but I was glad I didn't because I didn't want him to see my glassy eyes. Even though I was mad at the world I still missed them. After about 15 minutes I felt myself slowing down and huffing out breaths before I had to stumble over to my bag and get my inhaler. 

"What's your name kid?" 

"Harry" I huffed, the stranger walked over and held out a hand to me.

"I'm Levy. I'll be your trainer" So Levy and I trained every day after hours for months and months. I had no idea what his occupation was, or what his family life was like but I didn't care because he was making me stronger. He rented me a small flat to stay in and a job at not far from the gym. He taught me how to box and when my first match came  a week before my 17th birthday and I knew I was ready. I beat the living shit out of the guy. That's the day Levy disappeared and I realized everyone in this world was scum. 


End~

Cryssy stared with wide eyes, a single tear ran down her porcelain cheek before I wiped it away with my thumb. I hated it when she cried, the sorrow in her eyes for me was enough to kill. "I'm so sorry" she whispered. I shrugged and she scooted herself closer, grabbed my face in her hands and wiped my cheeks. Apparently I was crying too. 


Cryssy's P.O.V.

After my initial shocked passed an overwhelming feeling of sadness took over. Harry wiped away a fallen tear and that's when I realized he was crying too. So I took his cheeks and wiped them away with my thumb. The pain in his eyes was like looking down the barrel of a loaded gun, it hurt me to see. "Listen to me Harry. I know you feel like no one can love you, and you can never love anyone again because you've been let down so much and abandoned. I know you miss your mum and your sister and love them. So as someone who loves you, I promise I won't ever leave. Whether you believe it or not. I love you with all my heart and I'll be here until you get tired of me. I don't want you being alone anymore and if it means staying with me forever I'll be the happiest girl in the world" he didn't speak at first, his green eyes just starring. 

"I don't know if I can love you back" he whispered. 

"That's okay, I get that. Your not ready but if one day you decide you can, I'll be here, loving you as much as I can. Alright?" Harry nodded slowly, there was something different in his eyes then. something new that you could see amongst the green in his eyes.

I rubbed my thumb against his cheek again and gave him a faint smile, he returned it before leaning down and pressing a kiss to my lips. One of his strong arms wrapped around my waist and pulled me into is side when we pulled apart and I rested my head on his shoulder. That's when I promised myself I'd do anything, and everything to make him happy and feel loved.