The Boxer Series

Chapter 5

"Thank you," she said.

"No problem," he responded.

"See you soon?" Harry thought about it for a moment, then nodded. Cryssy smiled, and then she left.

Once again, Harry didn't know why he saved her He honestly couldn't care less what happened to her. She was just another person, like anybody else. Right?

Chapter 5

After a long night of talking to her best friend and calming her nerves about the 'almost r**e', Cryssy tried to sleep, but she couldn't. She still needed someone to talk to. Someone to make her feel safe. Even home alone, with all the doors and windows locked, she felt incredibly vulnerable as she lay in bed. But, who could she talk to? Louis'd be passed out drunk by now, talking to her best friend didn't help, and no one else could really make her feel safe other than them.

Well, maybe one other person.

Shakily, she wrapped her pale and bony fingers around her phone. She slowly typed in the number Louis had given her. After three rings, a husky voice answered.

"Hello?" he said. Cryssy sniffled, trying to form her fright into words.

"Harry?" she croaked out.

"How did you get my number?" he moaned, tiredly.

"Harry please, I'm scared." she heard a huff on the other line and a bit of shuffling.

"What is it?" he asked.

"I almost got r***d and I'm terrified of being alone . . . I don't feel safe," she explained. Harry groaned.

"Look, you're fine, okay? You've got nothing to worry about. No one's going to hurt you," he said. She sniffled again, bringing her blankets up to her chin. "What do you want me to do about it?" he sighed. Honestly, Cryssy didn't know. She thought since maybe he was the one to save her, he could bring her some much needed comfort, yet she still felt utterly alone and by herself.

"I don't know," she began to cry. "I'm just scared and alone." It was quiet on the other end of the line, so she whispered his name. No response. Had he fallen asleep? It startled her when he spoke again.

"I'll be over in ten minutes." Then, the line went dead.

Cryssy stared at the phone curiously. She knew he had to care if he would come over just for her, even if he acted like an ass-hole who didn't give a s**t. Honestly, she'd never be able to thank him enough. And, just as promised, ten minutes later, there was a knock at the door and Cryssy scurried out of bed with her small black shorts on and an old Eagles T-shirt. She opened the door after checking the blinds to see if it was him. He walked passed her as soon as the door was open and let his eyes travel around the small living space as she closed the door behind him.

"Thank you," she said softly, now becoming entirely too self-conscious of her body and non-bra-ness. She crossed her arms over her chest, sheilding what he might have seen earlier in the night. Harry hummed in response, looking incredibly exhausted himself. She was sure she looked no different. Her own curly hair lay in messy waves down her back as she awkwardly stood to the side.

Not a second later, a loud bang sounded outside and she gravitated towards Harry, her already frightened state of mind fearing the worst. Harry put an arm around her, surprising them both. "It's okay," he muttered "Just some thunder." She nodded slowly. Even though his gesture was small, it currently meant the world to her as a feeling of safety overcame her.

"Thanks," she murmured again. "How's your lip?" she asked suddenly, peaking over to see his busted lower lip. It looked painful. Harry shrugged.

"I've had worse." Cryssy nodded softly. She couldn't help but feel bad.

An hour later, they had moved to the couch, at first both of them about a foot from each other but, with each dark rumble of the sky, Cryssy subconsciously moved a little closer until he once again had his arm around her, telling her it was okay. Despite the distance between them mentally during a usual day, they were a lot closer for now. Harry knew the awful feeling of being alone and scared, so he did try for once, despite his mind telling him it was all just a hoax.

But, as the rain calmed and the movie began to end, Cryssy's head rolled onto the spot of Harry's shoulder right beneath his neck. She fell asleep and nuzzled herself closer. Harry felt strange, straing down at her. It was almost alien-like as she tried desperately to get closer to his warm and safe feeling in her sleep. But ,Harry still kept her close and decided to make the best of the situation by slumping down slightly and getting comfortable as the credits rolled by on the screen and his own eyelids felt heavy until he himself drifted off to sleep.

~

They didn't speak to each other for a week after that. Harry was nowhere to be seen in the morning when Cryssy woke. She was confused, but still felt the faded warmth of Harry's touch around her. It made her skin tingle.

Louis couldn't pull any information out of either of them for that week, either. Both of them said nothing happened at all. But, he was certain it was a lie. And it was. So, he kept persistent.

"For god's sake, just TELL ME WHAT HAPPENED!" Cryssy rolled her eyes and crossed her arms, sinking into the cushions of Louis' couch as a boring soap opera played in front of them, neither of them really paying attention.

"No."

"What, did you guys kiss or something? Please just tell me," he whined. Once again, she rolled her eyes but sat up and stared at him.

"You really wanna know?"

"YES."

"Fine. After I left, I decided to walk home. But, someone tried to r**e me and Harry showed up out of no where and stopped him, then took me home. The end," she said

"Bullshit," Louis responded. She sighed.

"I couldn't sleep that night and I didn't feel safe at all being alone. No one could make me feel safe like Harry did, so I called him. He came over at three in the morning and we ended up watching a movie and I fell asleep on him, but when I woke up the next morning, he wasn't there," she murmured. Louis stared, shocked.

"Really?" She nodded.

"We haven't spoken since."

"I can't believe it," he mumbled. "I knew you'd make the change in him he needed. I knew it!" Louis grinned proudly, wagging a finger in the air. Cryssy rolled her eyes.

"I didn't change anything in him, Lou. He just helped me out. I doubt he'd do it again."

"I beg to differ," Louis announced. "He's never done anything like that for anyone, besides his ex. I'm telling you, Cryssy, he's gotta feel something for you if he's willing to go over to your house at three a.m." he said.

"Well, don't count on it happening again," she muttered, standing up again. "I'm gonna go home. I'll see you later Lou." Louis sighed, but walked her to the door, stopping her when they made it.

"At least have faith in him. He could use some."

Chapter 6

It wasn't like Harry was purposely ignoring Cryssy. Nor was Cryssy trying to avoid Harry . It was simply that neither of them knew what to say to one another. The awkward was like a wall neither of them could break. So, they didn't bother trying. And this annoyed the hell of Louis.

Currently, Louis and Harry were at a tattoo shop. It was empty, seeing as Harry's tattoo artist was busy in the basement finding an appropriate ink color to use for Harry's latest tattoo. Louis was pestering Harry about the whole 'saving Cryssy' thing again, and Harry was ready to burst. He'd had enough of it all. The voices in his head thinking about Cryssy, the emotions he was debating along with the thoughts, and then there was Louis, another constant reminder of her. He was in his own personal hell.

"And what do you want me to say, huh? I'm your hero, Cryssy! I love you! Hell no! I don't give a damn what she thinks or what you think she feels, " Harry growled. "You're f*****g ridiculous Lou, you know that? I saved her and that's all she wants. Someone to save her ass. She's annoying, anyway, okay?" he spat. Harry was trying to come up with every excuse in the book not to speak to her now. Because now he knew why he'd saved her. Yet, he still refused to admit it.

"You're being ridiculous!"

"Am I?" he seethed.

"Yeah! you're a big arse who can't control his damned temper, alright!"

"f**k you, Louis! You don't know s**t, okay?!"

"I do know I'm your only real god-damned friend, Harry! And you know it too! But, you've got your head so far up your ass, you can't tell who actually cares about you!"

"I know plenty!" Harry screamed. "I know no one cares about me, I know I'm alone, I know I'm a jerk and I know the only reason she even talks to me is because I did her a favor, but to hell with it all!" Harry grabbed his shirt off the back of the tattooing chair and pulled it over his head, walking past an annoyed Louis on his way. He plowed through the front door and straight into someone on the sidewalk. He didn't bother apologizing until a familiar voice said.

"Hey, watch it, curly!" his eyes snapped to the voice's owner, her blue eyes swiping over him. He did the same, before watching her face again.

"Uh, sorry," he muttered.

"Are you okay?" Cryssy asked. Harry shrugged, holding his breath as she moved closer. She placed a hand on his cheek and examined his busted lip closely. "At least your lip looks better." Harry nodded and snatched her hand off his face by her wrist.

"Yeah, look, I'll catch you later," he said, beginning to walk past her.

"Wait!" he stopped. "Louis said you have a match tonight?" Harry nodded slowly.

"Yeah."

"Just making sure. See ya there?" he nodded once more before turning away and walking down the street. Not as awkward as I thought it'd be.

~

Cryssy felt beyond stupid as she walked down the hall. Paranoid that someone would ask her why she was here, she just attempted to look like she belonged. It worked, until she made it to the locker rooms, leaning up against the wall next to the doorway she listened. She could hear Harry and his coach talking . . . well more like arguing. She waited until a bulky man walked out the door and past her still form, then slid into the locker room.

Harry was sitting on the bench with his head in his hands. He was shirtless, so it made it easy to see every muscle lining his back and arms. Cryssy bit her lip at the thought of running a hand along those muscles and through his lush curls, reminding herself she didn't think of him that way. "Harry?" she could see him visibly tense for a moment.

"How did you get in here?" he asked, not turning quite yet.

"It's not really hard, I mean security kinda sucks," she said.

"Obviously," he muttered, agreeing. "So, why are you here?"

"Just came to wish you good luck," she answered. Cryssy decided that after bumping into him on Friday, maybe she should show him a bit of faith. Maybe it'd change something in him. Maybe he'd get better . . . for Louis' sake.

"Thanks," he answered, pushing himself up and snatching his gloves off the bench next to where he was just sitting. She watched as he pulled them on and tied the end near his wrist to make sure they would stay on tight, then he turned to her. "I have to go."