Undercover (Boyxboy)

Chapter Eighteen

Ethan

Eight Years Ago

Harry was showing off again. It was usually when George and Freddie were around and today was no exception.

We were in the middle of our daily exercise regime - Harry was slacking off, as per usual. However, once George and Freddie arrived into the gym with mischievous smirks on their faces, Harry jumped into action.

He was such an idiot sometimes - George and Freddie only ever came to the gym outside of their own workout schedules to taunt and tease Harry. They knew that Harry and exercise didn't go well together and they also knew how much he showed off whenever they were around.

I had tried to tell Harry this on numerous occasions but he wouldn't listen. He was convinced that they were threatened by his 'manliness' and that whenever they came to watch him in the gym it was out of jealousy and sheer admiration. He never saw them snickering whenever he misused a machine or when he face went as red as a tomato after lifting weights for more than five minutes.

But even after all of the taunting and teasing, I knew that there was nothing malicious about their friendships. True, I didn't understand them and the way they interacted. But to them, being dicks to each other was their way of showing love.

I had never experienced this with any of my friends from back home. Well, it had been so long since I had a proper friend it wasn't surprising that I didn't understand the meaning of friendship these days. Mine and Harry's relationship wasn't a normal friendship - that much I knew.

It was almost two years to the day that he sat next to me in our entrance exams. And he has been annoying me every day since. I was trying to pinpoint the exact day when I realised that I loved this annoyance.

I never thought I would ever care for anyone else again, which was why I cut ties with my old life and joined the agency. I hadn't counted on Harry. Tom was only dead three years - I had counted on it taking me a lifetime to get over him. I still wasn't over him, don't get me wrong. But Harry had eased the pain. Every morning I used to wake up with Tom's eyes haunting my mind. Now, it was a different set of eyes that sent shivers down my spine.

"Well, well, well, Taylor... What do we have here? You know, the treadmill can go faster than a mild jog - I can show you the buttons if you want?" George and Freddie strolled over to Harry who was already struggling on the easy pace he was going. I didn't know how he stayed in such great shape - he ate terribly on top of his lack of exercise.

"Leave him alone, George! He's doing his best on it, if he can't go any faster let him be," Freddie piped up, leaning against the treadmill Harry was on. I could see Harry's eyes already beginning to narrow.

I stayed silent where I was, lifting weights silently to maintain my upper arm strength. I knew better than to get involved in this - Kim had labelled them 'The Three Knobheads'. I had to agree with this name - anyone would think they were acting like fifteen year olds.

"I'm just warming myself up, actually. Not that it's any of your business!" Harry retorted, increasing the speed of the machine as he spoke.