Inside the Ring

Chapter 2

"Harry..."

I sighed at the voice, dropping my head and staring at the ground far below. Matt literally made me want to jump off a building sometimes. "What do you want?"

"to talk about your days off. Obviously you're a bit stressed" he commented, treading lightly on the subject.

"Obviously" I muttered back lowly.

"I'm sorry we've been working you so hard Haz, I am. You know you're my friend but this is my job. And it's your job too so bare with me will ya? In a few days I can get you a flight back to London, maybe not for long but at least a few days." he offered.

I grunted. "Fine, just get me home" I turned and entered the room again, walking past Matt and towards my bedroom. "I'll see you in the morning"

"Goodnight Haz" he sighed. After closing the door behind me I smiled a bit and snagged my mobile off the dresser. I've been slightly afraid to talk to Cryssy. I fear she may be mad I can't contact her as much as promised. But I'd be going home soon, if Matt kept his word this time, and I wanted to give her a heads up...

I quickly scrolled over my contacts, picking Cryssy's number out almost routinely. Hitting call, I brought the phone to my ear and flopped backwards onto the bed. After the 3rd ring I began to worry...the forth, still nothing...the fifth...then voice mail. I frowned before speaking.

"Hello love...I uhh. I've got some news? I know it's probably late there but I uhm...I miss you okay? Okay...I love you..uhm bye"

I groaned silently to myself as I hung up. I forgot about the time change, it was probably about 3am there. Stupid. I layed the phone on the dresser again and shoved my face into the pillow to mask my loud groan before flinging the pillow across the room, it hit the door with a thud and I could feel my own body heat rising. I needed a cold shower..

~

Sweat dribbled down my temple as I swung again. Matt tried to hit me back as was the routine for this type of training. I dodged and swung again, hitting the targets on his hands over and over with ease.

"Alright, Break!' he called. I stepped away and tore my gloves off, throwing them onto the floor of the ring and stepped through the ropes. I popped the mouth guard out from between my lips and held it with my fingers as I reached down next to the ring and grabbed my water bottle from the floor, downing a few gulps before setting it back in place. My eyes wandered around the gym I was training in today, it was a bit old and rundown but the people in it weren't. They were all fresh faces and looked strong. Some unknown to the boxing world and some quite familiar to me.

"Styles!" A very tall, very dark man strolled over to my side. His white teeth shining happily through his smile. I could see the dark skin near his eyes crinkle along with it as he held out a large hand for me too shake.

"Dante.." I greeted, producing my own smile. "How's it going man?"

"Real good brother, how ya been? Haven't seen you in almost two years!" he laughed, it was the same laugh as I remembered coming into the big leagues, deep and throaty.

"Good, working hard" I replied.

"heard you got yourself a girl" he grinned, chuckling lightly and smacking my shoulder. "Man I never though you'd stay with one"

I shrugged, smiling a little in the process "neither did I man, but she's great"

"Where is she now?"

"Back home in London"

"Dosen't she visit?"

"She's going to Uni so she's kinda stuck...I'm hoping to head back in a few days and see her" I answered.

"Well good luck friend, long distance is hard to deal with" he commented with a small nod of his head.

I bobbed my head in response. "Yeah..I feel it" I laughed dryly. Dante gave me a sympathetic smile, and placed a hand on my shoulder.

"You'll do good brother, say, you coming to my match tonight?"

"Uh sure man"

"Great! We'll party tonight" he grinned, I laughed.

"Alright man, see you around "

Dante nodded and strolled past, his dark skin contrasting against his white gym shorts as he went over to the weights. He was like a bear compared to the others around here. Sure he was about 10 years older but he was still damn good at what he did and could surely whoop anyone's ass in the room if he wished too. But Dante is a nice guy to everyone unless you give him a reason not to be. I learned that a long time ago. Dante was nice enough to be a friend to me when I first began touring for championships.

"Come on Harry! Back to work!' Matt hollered. Sighing I climbed back into the ring. Another long day of training I suppose.

~

Dante lead me down the hall and towards the back ally after his match, he had a cut just above his eye and a bruise on his left shoulder but other than that he was fine. He laughed at one of his own jokes as we exited through the back entrance and towards his lambo. I smirked, he always did travel in style.

"So my friend know any good bars around this side of town?"

I shrugged "If I did I don't remember" Dante laughed.

"Right, you blacked out last time you were here! Man Styles you always knew how to party" he grinned revving his engine loud and proud before we began to exit the lot. People gave te car longing stares completely unaware of who was inside. Dante would surely be mobbed if he stepped outside after one of his matched, the guy had some pretty die hard fans. "Well, I if I'm remembering correctly that guy you came with last time brought us to a real good bar..hmm what was his name...Luke? Lenord?-"

"Louis" I laughed.

"Ahh! That's the guy! He come with you this time?"

"Nah, he's got a girl back home too, he didn't want to leave her" Dante nodded understandingly and sped down the road, if any cops were around we'd be f****d. "Darcy's place!" he suddenly belted.

"What?"

Dante pointed to a sign lit up on the side of the road and grinned. "That's it! That's the bar" he swerved over to the left lane and pulled into the lot, driving straight up to the valet and cutting off the line of cars. He left it running as he exited and I followed suit, the man in red was about to protest until he caught a glimpse of who we were shut his trap.

"Oh I missed that look" I chuckled as we walked to the front. Dante smirked.

"Best perk to the job we got right?"

"Oh yeah" I agreed.

Dante lead me around to the bar where a few familiar faces. A few groupies latched onto one side and drinks on the other. "Dante! My man! And is that the famous Harry Styles?" he grinned mockingly.

"the one and only" I smirked. "Nice too see you again Marcus"

The man grinned. "Give a brother a hug!" he hollered, his voice deep and booming. I laughed as he clapped me heavily on the back and pulled back to mess up my hair. "Jesus kid what are you eating?! It's only been 3 years and you've grown like 3 feet!"

I chuckled. "dunno man, must be something in the water" I winked. Marcus laughed and handed me a beer.

"Great to see you again and hey, Dante! You didn't tell me you were bringing this cheeky bastard back!"

"It was a surprise! I was thinking we could get in some trouble like we used to" Dante replied smirking.

"Hell yes!" Marcus took another swig of beer before motioning over yet another familiar face, I grinned upon his arrival. He was the only non-boxer in the group, he was actually an announcer. All the best matches had Grimmy announcing for them. "Aye! Grimmy!"

"Sup lads? Styles" he acknowledged grinning.

"What do ya say we get into some s**t tonight?" Marcus grinned. Grimmy agreed and Dante ordered another round of drinks. I chuckled a bit, forgetting how life used to be since it's been so different recently. A good different, but I liked this too.

It was like re-living the old times. Of course those times were lonely but they were fun-filled times too. It was where the bad boy rep came from, where the bar fights started and why I became a commonly known name even outside the ring.

The lot of us were wasted by 2am, we were back in the vip section, a few groupies hanging around. One of them even sat perched at my side with a smug little grin on her face while she purred into my ear. "Oh Harry, the things we could do"

I giggled and the girl....the girl..what was her name? Whoever she was seemed a bit surprised by the reaction. "I'm sorry" I apologized, giggling again. "wait what's your name again?" I questioned

"Nancy" she pouted, looking a tad upset I had forgotten her name.

"Nancy! Right yes" I slurred a little. "Look you are really, very pretty BUT you see I have a girlfriend and she- she is very pretty" I told her, trying my hardest to seem serious but she looked a bit offended. "Oh not that you aren't pretty! I just- you see- like you're really pretty with your tan skin and-and hazel eyes but like I have a girlfriend and I love her very much" I nodded, proud of my drunken self. Nancy frowned a bit before a light popped on behind her eyes because suddenly she smirked and placed a hand on my thigh.

"Looky here styles, Your girlfriend..she isn't here...but I am! My boyfriend..he isn't here..but you are" she grinned.

"nononono" I shook my head repeatedly and slid out from the booth, Dante was in a heated 'discussion' with a curvy blonde at the next table over so I left them be and stumbled my way to the bar to meet Grimmy but..N- Nancy? Yeah Nancy had other ideas.

"Harry!" She was short but damn strong, she tugged me back and and slid an arm around my waist. I didn't have the strength to stop her so I let her lead me on.

"Where are we going?" I wondered curiously, letting my fingers slip through her dirty blonde locks of hair.

"Somewhere" she giggled. I nodded and ambled along until a very tall, and very fit man blocked our path.

"What the f**k is this?!" he screamed.

"Oh my sir, you are very loud" I informed, even though his voice was nothing compared to the bass of the music.

"I don't give a f**k! Nancy what the hell? And you!"

Somehow I was on the floor now, the big man was yelling at me. I touched my nose and red doused my fingers...was I bleeding? "Get the f**k up and fight me!" he shouted "you famous piece of s**t! you think you can get any girl you want cause you're a boxer? f**k you!" I was pulled up by my collar and could faintly see Grimmy fighting his way through the crowd and over to me. Dante and Marcus were doing the same but were much farther away.

I felt my feet hit the floor again and my collar was released but I wasn't free for long before another fist was thrown my way. It was pretty hard to block since my motor skills were so slow but as his punches came faster so did my ability to react until I could finally hit back. My fist came in contact with his face first, no doubt busting his lip, the second probably fractured his nose. The third was to the gut and he was on the floor.