let the light in | jack hughes

Chapter 61

[December 12, 2023]

Beatrice 

I wish I could say I've been thinking a lot about how I'm going to break up with Harry but with everything going on it's the last thing on my mind. I've been thinking about my Dad, Jack, and work, and Harry doesn't pop up in any of those thoughts unless he's the one to break me out of them. He's been badgering me about my bad attitude and how I should try to have a good day. I nod my head, telling him I'll choose to have a good day tomorrow, but tomorrow is all the same. 

Today we're playing against the New York Rangers and it's put a tense feeling over everyone. Games like this, closer to home are always super fun and nerve-wracking. I'm standing in the hallway I'm always at to take pictures of the guys arriving. I'm squatted down on the ground like usual, making fun conversation with the boys passing to get a smile out of them. 

When I put my camera down as I wait for the next guy to come through I see Harrison Maxwell walking down the halls of Prudential Center. I do a double-take to make sure he's really there and yes he is. He's walking up to me and I try being as cheery as possible, "Hey, why are you here?" I ask happily, since he never visits me at work and today's been tough. I could use a hug. 

I get up from my squat to give him a hug but he quickly humbles me and takes a step back. Oh okay, that's how this visit is going to go. "We need to talk," he says but I look in front of me to see a swarm of boys walking in with their suits and beanies on. I take a few pictures of them, putting my camera down once they're gone to tell him. "Oh, okay." I'm taken aback. "We can do that, just not right now. I'm working," I say softly.

I see Jesper walk in with his usual coffee cup. I lift my camera but Harry puts it down not letting me take a picture of him. "Your Instagram page will be fine, Beatrice," He bites, making Jesper mean mug him, before looking over at me with a worried look. God this is so embarrassing, I work here and he's making a big show out of this talk we need to have. 

"Why don't you go to my apartment and wait for me there? I have to work," I say again, this time a little less gentle. I watch Dougie walk in, showing off the inside of his suit since I always ask what funny design he has in there. I take a few pictures before Harry's sharp tone says, "Beatrice, now," I get kind of scared with the tone he's using with me and it makes Dougie's face morph into a look of disgust and discomfort, as he furrows his blonde brows. 

"Bea, is everything okay?" He asks me, holding onto my shoulder, shielding me away from my boyfriend. Harry scoffs at Dougie's act of kindness and feels the need to protect me. Despite the fact that I want to tell Dougie that Harry being here is stressing me out I nod my head. "Yeah, Doug, see you later," I say with a weary smile, deciding that the easiest thing to do is to just go to my office and have this talk with Harry.

On the way to my office, he starts going off about how much I embarrassed him in front of my friends and how tired he's getting of me. I open my door, letting him walk in before I slam it shut. I release the sigh I've been holding in since November and say, "Alright, let's have this talk. What was so important that you felt the need to storm into my place of work, humiliate me in front of people I work with, and make a big show," I've had enough, if I don't leave this room as a single woman I did something wrong. 

"Let's talk about what made me come here in the first place, Beatrice!" He shouts at me, making me flinch at how loud he's capable of being. He lists off everything I've done wrong. Starting with how many men I'm friends with, and how I insist on humiliating him in front of them. His next point is that he can't respect the fact that my job isn't real photography, and how much it makes him angry that he's not even dating a real photographer.