"Strangers." || h.s au

[7] Boxing

[ Listen to Jealous by Labrinth and Camouflage by Selena Gomez while reading. ]

Harry.

I wrap the black tape around my hands, and I swing aggressively against the large independent speed bag over and over, a constant echoing throughout the private gym. My breathing accelerates as I threw an upper cut. My fist juts in front of me, a loud thud following my movements, my other fist repeating.

All the flashbacks from last night appear in my brain. The baby's chuckle, Ella's smile, Ella's laugh, Ella's gazes towards me. It makes me hit harder as I feel my chest tightening at the echoes of her voice in my brain. I close my eyes and this doesn't seem to work. My breathing has accelerated as I continued to hit I'm a fast pace, my hair slightly drenching in sweat and beading around my forehead.

I notice Niall dropping his barbel and he turns to me, "Are you okay?" Sincerity clear in his voice.

"I'm alright." I say and his brows furrow a bit.

"Are you sure?... You're much more aggressive today.." He trails off referring to my forceful hits.

"Is it about.." He asks hesitantly as I cut him off.

"Don't worry about it." I say as I continued boxing, feelings moisture running down my forehead.

"Alright." He lifts the barbel once again, a grunt coming out from his mouth.

I switch to a punching bag and with every hit, I attempt to forget about her. To forget about the memories, To forget about everything. It's for her own good. But, I can't. Not when she's living across me. And it's hard not to feel this way. It's hard to deny because you can't force yourself to stop loving. And what hurts the most is when they're unaware.

My actions come to a halt as I walk over the fridge grabbing a bottle of water as I gulp it down. The mirrored walls show my reflection, my tatted chest and bare back drenched with moisture and sweat beading on my forehead. Though, I can tell it's not sweat around my eyes but tears as I hastily wipe them off preventing Niall to notice.

~

I arrive at Central Park West and enter the building. A familiar tall figure sits on one of the sofas next to the grand piano, his back turned to me. It takes me a moment to realize that it's the man I despise the most.

What the fuck is he doing here?

I quickly walk to the elevator and he acknowledges my presence and he gets up following my footsteps. "Harry." His voice increases my irritation, as my fist tightens into a ball.

I walk in and hastily tap on the close button but his long arm reaches in as the doors halt to glide. "Wait."

"I have nothing to say to you. Get the fuck out." My jaw clenches just at his presence as he steps in.

"I have to talk to you." He says and I'm on the verge of losing my fucking patience.

The whole elevator ride felt the longest time I have been there.
I quickly get out and fumble with my pocket to retrieve my keys.
"What is your interpretation of 'get the fuck out'?"

Ella.

I had just came back from lunch with Vanessa at her house as we discuss a few things, Harry popping up in the conversation and the publishing statuses of the books we've selected. Zac was at work, busy with the law firm he's recently have started working in.

I step in the elevator and wait for a few seconds to arrive at my floor and as soon as the metal doors glide swiftly, I hear a commotion, a familiar English accent but it's enraged and filled with infuriation. I peek at the hallway leading to the doors of our penthouse and I see Harry and a tall mid-age man bickering but Harry seems to be the only one irritated. They don't seem to acknowledge my presence and I don't want them to.