Loving Lars

22. Loving Lars

*a moment we've all been waiting for*

LARS' POV

I meant what I said to Elza that day in her living room. I've truly never met anyone like her before and I'll be forever grateful that I have.

Since I first laid eyes on her in my dressing room, I haven't been able to stop thinking about her. 

She doesn't know it yet but she's ruined me for anyone else. I could never think about another girl again, let alone look at one. Not that I was doing that in the first place.

My whole life I've spent in solitude, especially after my mom's death. After that I was stuck with my dad and he believed that people shouldn't be seen or heard. 

No crying, no laughing, no smiles, no happiness, no sadness. 

No love.

Real men should be unfeeling and strong, he would say. 

And so that's what I became. 

Cold and unfeeling. 

The only place I've felt most myself was in a fighting ring, my fists slamming against someone's face and theirs slamming into mine.

But that all changed as soon as she stepped foot in my dressing room offering her hand to shake. 

I'm in awe of everything about her. 

I didn't know what came over me when I offered to drive her back home to see her dad, I definitely wouldn't have done that for anyone else. But as soon as I noticed her panic and distress a primal need to protect her came over me. 

I didn't think I'd be the type to care about what people's parents thought of me either. But turns out I was. 

I felt anxious for the first time in my life. I knew I wasn't the guy Elza's dad would have envisioned for her. Covered in dark tattoos and piercings who fights for a living, but I'm glad I had his approval. 

I knew that I wasn't right for someone as caring and supportive as my Sunshine. 

But nothing could make me leave. 

I'll be whatever she wants me to be, as long as I'm just in her life. 

I'm selfish and I need her light for the rest of my life. 

She chased the dark clouds away with her sunshine. 

 The fact that I almost had a chance to feel those soft pink lips on mine, twice, killed me and gave me life at the same time. I could tell it made her nervous being that close to me, but what she doesn't know is I feel just as nervous. 

I've never been intimate with a girl before. I blocked out all those emotions years ago.

My dad says that all women bring is pain and destruction. And I believed him after my mother left a hole in my heart. 

She never told me she was dying. Only that she was sick and she'd be better by christmas. 

Christmas came and she never got better, instead we spent christmas burying her in the ground. 

After that day we never celebrated it again. 

What was there to celebrate anyway? 

I was broken out of my trance by Knox slapping me on my back. 

"Lost you there for a bit." He said with a knowing look in his eye. 

I scowled at him and went towards the punching bag to let out my frustrations. 

"Will you finally tell me where you were?" Knox asked.

"I just had something to do." I grumbled. 

"The Boss was wondering where you were, that's all." He shrugged casually. 

Nothing to do with the Boss was casual. If he was looking for me that's not a good sign. 

It would be even worse if he knew the real reason I skipped my fights. 

"I know you were with Elza." 

I tensed up at the mention of her name. 

"Look man, she's good for you. It's clear as day you're meant for each other. All you do when she's near is stare at her like a hawk." 

I nodded at his statement. It was true after all.

"You should just go for it. Don't worry about the Boss, Elza has loads of people around to protect her." 

"I know" was all I said. 

I turned away from him, signifying that I was done with this conversation. 

He left me to it, going over to the younger guys that train at this gym to help them with their technique. 

I allowed for my fists to rain down on the punching bag, not bothering to wrap them as the pain was a welcomed distraction from everything in my mind. 

Like: what will Elza do when she finds out the truth of why I fight? The truth from any part of my life. 

I envisioned the face of the man I hated most, as I continued to pound the punching bag, ignoring the stinging of my knuckles.

After I had finished training I knew it was time to face the music and tell the Boss why I had missed the biggest fight in my career. 

✧･ﾟ: *✧･ﾟ:*

I made the drive to the Ring in record time, wanting to get this over with as soon as possible. 

"Boss?" I knocked on his office door. 

"Ahh, Lars. I was expecting you." He said ominously. 

I sat down one on of the chairs opposite his desk whilst he dismissed his men standing in the room. 

I looked at him expectantly, waiting to see what he was going to say.

"You interfered with my money boy. You know how I feel about that." He said calmly, but I knew better.  

I just nodded, not giving him the satisfaction of a verbal answer. 

 "YOU DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SAY TO ME?" He raged, not happy with my lack of words. 

Bingo. 

"I'll get you your money." I gritted. 

"You bet your ass you will. You won't get away with this again and after all I've done for you?"

I stood up to leave, done with his shit. 

"Where do you think you're going?" He said angrily.

"I'm not going to get your money sat in your office." I deadpanned. 

"Don't get smart with me." He sneered. 

I walked out his office, looking forward to seeing the star of my thoughts. 

However, before I could climb the stairs up to the FishBowl, one of the Boss's minions landed a solid punch to my mouth creating an instantaneous gush of blood. 

 I smiled at them both with a bloody mouth, "a mean right hook you got there." I taunted. 

I didn't stick around to see what was going to happen next as I now had to take a detour before I could see Elza. 

*not edited*

how do we feel about Lars's pov? let me know if you would like more