Until Then. // denis shapovalov - sascha zverev

3.8 - safe

Alex's POV

"Fuck!" I yell, slamming my fist into the locker, sending a hard shock through my body. I gasp in pain, holding my fist afterwards, feeling tears flood my eyes. "Shit, shit, shit," I gasp, falling to the ground in pain, feeling my left hand's knuckles start to bruise.

I hear someone walk into the locker room and wipe my tears quickly and walk over to the showers, leaving on my shorts and turning a shower on hot. I feel the wet sweat from the game run down my body as I start to scrub vigorously at my arms as if they're covered in mud and dirt. For some reason, it feels like my body is stained with the stickiest substance that's not coming off.

"God," I huff, rubbing my arm harder, watching my skin turn slowly red in the burning hot water.

"Alex?" I hear a familiar voice echo through the bathroom walls. "Alex, is that you?"

I hear soft footsteps jog over to where I am.

"Please," my voice cracks as I try to call out. "Not now."

I really didn't want her to see me like this.

"Alex, are you okay?" Willow asks as she stops right before rounding the corner to see me. I see her shadow against the tile wall.

I try not to sniffle, feeling snot coming out of my nose from crying. "Um, I'm just trying to shower right now." I say.

"I know that, but are you okay?" She asks again.

I hesitate to answer her. "I'm fine." I cough out. "Please leave, Willow. I'm literally fine."

"Is that the truth?" She asks me.

I watch her shadow scratch her head.

I didn't want her to see me breaking down as I feel like I'm on the verge of tears. "Willow, can you just get off my ass and leave me alone?! I just want to fucking shower!" I yell.

Immediately, I'm flooded with guilt. I didn't mean to raise my voice at her, I just didn't know how else to get her to leave.

But, instead of running away, I hear her whisper, "Alex," softly. "Are you okay?'

The worry and hurt in her voice makes me completely fall apart. "Fuck," I whisper. "I'm sorry, Willow. I'm sorry."

"Can I come see you?" She asks.

I nod. "Yeah," I say, watching her finally round the corner. I wipe the water from my eyes that's from the shower and my tears.

"Alex," Willow gasps, standing still in place. "Your skin is red."

I refuse to break eye contact with her. "I know."

She slowly walks to me, as if she's being extremely cautious of stepping on the wrong tile.

"Wait," I stop her at about a foot before me. "You're gonna get wet," I say, looking up at the shower that's still on. "It's really hot."

"That's okay," She says, taking another step forward. She takes one more, entering the water. Her hair is soaked immediately.

She slowly looks at me and then down at my left-hand knuckle, taking it into her hand to examine.

"Oh, Alex," She sighs. "What did you do?"

I look down at my hand in her's, seeing blood and purple bruising lathered all over my fist. I didn't realize it was that bad...

"Does this hurt?" She whispers, slighting applying pressure to the bruising.